• Working to fix the health care system: a proposal

    January 25, 2010

    stethoscope If Congress really cares about the American health system why don’t they work towards creating a more proactive and preventative health care system, rather than spending a majority of the time and resources on maintaining a reactive, diagnostic one?

    Rather than treat the symptoms downstream why can’t we do the hard, but necessary work of going upstream and addressing the issue before it becomes an even bigger problem later?

    This may be naive, but what if Congress addressed part of the health care issue by working towards a few of the following:

    • banning trans fats in every city in America? (see Super Size Me).
    • making cigarettes illegal or almost prohibitively expensive by raising the sin tax to a high level and use the tax to pay for certain health care issues? (see Thank You for Smoking)
    • removing all sodas and vending machines from public schools?
    • working with health clubs in order to make gym memberships cheaper and/or providing more incentives?
    • creating an ongoing, powerful nation-wide PR campaign to promote walking and biking?
    • offsetting the costs and incentivizing the consumer to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at grocery stores and farmers markets?
    • working with farmers rather than controlling them? (see Food Inc.)
    • creating an entertainment tax on all televisions and video game consoles sold in America?
    • penalizing or mandating higher restrictions on McDonald’s and all major fast food companies and restaurants on calories and grams of fat above a recommended healthy daily intake? (see Fast Food Nation).

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Recent Comments

  • michael said...

    1

    Warning! Hot Button pressed. Snarky pressure release may be detected!

    Saying “grace” before we eat will sound very different if some of your suggestions are taken..

    Dear Lord,
    Thank you for giving us a government that is protecting us from ourselves and our unhealthy appetites and habits..and making it so expensive and awkward to do and eat the things we know aren’t very good for us. Thank you God for working through the mere men and women in government to show us your will for us, and enabling us to feel better about ouselves, our bodies, and our collective impact on this beautiful world you have created. Thank you for this food before us, and forgive our grumblings and bitterness as we remember the “flavors” of our unhealthy past.

    All of this we pray..through Christ our Lord
    AMEN

    I don’t know dude…personal freedom, liberty and dare I say choice… of the best sorts, and of the worst sorts…is where God does His thing. The need for grace, forgiveness, sacrifice and redemption in the Gospel message seems strangely…mute?, in this batch of life style, and regulatory suggestions.

    How about we start with some good old tort-reform, nationwide competition between insurance companies, AND I’d be glad to contribute (with the other 270 million of us that are OK with our coverage) to a non governmental, non-profit fund to assist the 30 million or so that WANT insurance and are having trouble.

    Rant and depressurization complete!

    PS: I’m assuming Chipolte is already in line with your suggestions..right? ;)

    Michael

    01/25/10 1:38 PM | Comment Link

  • Anonymous said...

    2

    Although it sounds good at a surface level, it’s a slippery slope when you begin to rely on the government to police its citizens in this fashion. Once the government starts deciding what’s best for its citizens’ personal lives, at what point is the line drawn to define personal life? There are lifestyles that put one at more health risk than others. Should the government outlaw such lifestyles? Should the government limit the number of sexual partners one has, as health risks increase with each one? Should the government outlaw caffeinated coffee since decaf is better for you? Everyone knows that it’s better for one to live a healthy lifestyle, but one can’t underestimate the importance of having the freedom to make that decision. This type of policing doesn’t seem to be consistent with the spirit of the Constitution nor is it consistent with the spirit of the founding fathers.

    01/26/10 11:15 AM | Comment Link

  • J.R. Briggs said...

    3

    Prayer is good, but I prefer solution orientation to snarkiness.

    01/27/10 1:23 PM | Comment Link

  • Kathleen said...

    4

    Well, hmmmm….All I can say is “Let it begin with me.” My Dad encouraged me to learn to swim and I worked out regularly with him as a child, swam on swim team and cross country team. Have never battled with weight and major health issues like other people.

    But I have joined an awesome health and fitness community, right here in Lansdale at the Y, and work out with them, as much as possible, at 5:30 AM MWF. I try to give unconditional encouragement to people who really struggle with health issues. I get a great workout, but I am inspired by the people who have to overcome so much. Supporting communities like this one is one way to help with the country’s health crises. Trying to get to know people, and their pain, in a non-judgmental manner, is another.

    I know you regularly support the emotionally downtrodden, J.R. I can see love in your post, that you really want to help people, but it can get frustrating when it appears that there are so many uncontrollable obstacles.

    01/27/10 2:46 PM | Comment Link

  • J.R. Briggs said...

    5

    Kathleen –

    I’m with you.
    This situation is so complex – as are the possible solutions. I’m not trying to be difficult. I really do want to see a solution to this. I do.

    Some have argued to have the government stay out of regulating options (like I listed above) which I can understand and appreciate (and would probably support).

    But if the government stays out of the process and we as Americans choose to make unwise and unhealthy lifestyle decisions then we can’t go back and complain to the government that they aren’t providing us with good health care…

    I’m grateful for the health coverage we have – and want others to have that, too – but I’ve just wondered why we haven’t focused much time, energy and attention to “moving upstream” before there is a problem.

    01/27/10 2:55 PM | Comment Link

  • Lisa said...

    6

    I’m also with you. I don’t think it’s an infringement on our liberty. Those who think it is must not realize how much the govt already has a hand in how we live and eat and should refer to your suggested readings viewings.

    01/27/10 3:25 PM | Comment Link

  • Anonymous said...

    7

    One of the reasons health care is so high is due to the already excessive infringements by the government. Heavy government regulations employed on the state level have driven up the cost of health care for everyone. If regulation at the state level caused this mess, more regulation at the federal level certainly won’t fix it. It might give the false sense that things are fixed, but it will be, yet again, at the cost of the tax-payers. If government stepped out of health care and actually allowed healthy competition among the insurers, costs would go down due to simple Economics 101 supply/demand.

    It seems that the encouragement of healthy living would be most effective at the grass-roots level. If friends, family, and people in your community are all encouraging each other to live healthier lifestyles, that would seem to be a much more effective route than heavy-handed pressures from the ubiquitous government. Playdates could consist of apple-picking at a local farm, rather than the indoor playground and french fries at McDonald’s. Instead of meeting for beers and cocktails, friends could meet for a walk or a game of golf. These lifestyle changes are much easier, efficient, and cost-effective to implement as friends and family than by the government.

    01/29/10 10:38 AM | Comment Link

  • DRB said...

    8

    A big reason for why medical costs are so high is the high cost of malpractice insurance the doctors have to pay. The reason it is so high are some of the excessive payments won in lawsuits against doctors just trying to do their jobs.
    You want to hold down the cost of medical care … start with a cap on out of control legal awards and the out of control trial lawyers who are demanding them.

    01/30/10 6:00 PM | Comment Link

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