Today, we’ll discuss healthcare, since the Senate is debating their bill.
The Senate bill is similar to the House bill in many ways. Neither repeals Obamacare, but do repeal many of the mandates.
Four Senators, Paul, Cruz, Lee and Johnson oppose it so far, because the bill does nothing to reduce costs to people and employers. It is not a free market system, which we have not had in over fifty years.
If the following were added to the bill, I would find it acceptable:
First, allow insurance to be sold across state lines. This may be difficult to do, given the 10th amendment.
Second, allow Walmart, CVS, credit unions and other companies to offer insurance plans to their customers. With risk spread out over hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of customers, prices will drop. Just look at how prescription prices dropped from Walmart offering many for four bucks. It takes health insurance needs from employers, where people risk losing insurance when they lose a job.
Third, give a 2 year period for people with preexisting conditions to get insurance without a penalty. Then, every five years after that, have a three month open enrollment for preexistent conditions as a year of jubilee. In this way, those who choose not to get insurance until something serious occurs will not have that expensive monkey on their backs forever, but will pay a penalty for a few years. It gives them incentive to buy now, or take a risk of their own choice. And it will drive down costs.
Of course, a pure free market system would be awesome, but probably not attainable at this time.
How would you fix the Senate bill?