My Plan for Health Care Reform

The new health reform bill has excited a lot of people. And why shouldn't it. The White House website states: "Health reform will make health care more affordable, make health insurers more accountable, expand health coverage to all Americans, and make the health system sustainable, stabilizing family budgets, the Federal budget, and the economy." 

Now that sounds fantastic, but, I hate to rain on everyones excitement; it doesn't say it will make anyone or the U.S. a healthier nation. Now you might think just because we have all these new benefits we will get healthier; well I think that's an illusion. This bill will not move us from the 37th healthiest or unhealthiest country ranking based on the World Health Organization Raking to one of the top 10. 

I believe this reform bill only makes health care available to the people already sick. This tells them not to worry about being healthy, you now have health care so keep doing what you have been doing and just go to the doctors when you need to.  Back in the 1960's President Johnson's solution for poor people was a welfare system; it back fired because it eventually made it desirable for poor people to stay poor; it gave them no incentive to get off  welfare.  Health care reform is a similar program; where are the incentives to inspire, motivate and empower people to change their behaviors so they don't get sick. 

What is really needed to improve the overall health of our country and its citizens is a lot more than just access to health care. Health care is where you go after you are sick, we need a national program designed to keep people from getting sick in the first place. There needs to be programs that encourage a massive lifestyle change; something that makes people get up and exercise, eat properly and manage their stress better. 

Today more than 80 percent of the causes of death in America are life style behaviors, things that are in the individuals control. Yet, nothing about this bill address that, it only provides health care for all the people that are getting sick; and of course that's great. But, the real solution to the health problems in America I proposed several months ago, and apparently the president didn't see it. 

My proposal would provide a financial incentive for all Americans to embark on a healthy life style program.   Just like the tax refund program inspires many people to fill out their taxes early, this program would inspire many people to get healthy, because they want the Health & Wellness Refund.  And because the most unhealthiest people are those with the least amount of money this will appeal directly to them 

For starters the program would be called The Health and Wellness Plan.  It would list several requirements to get the money:

1. Stop Smoking
2. Be drug free
3. Participate in a specified exercise program
4. Join and make progress in a weight management program if required
5. Attend a bi-annual or yearly stress management program
6. Attend a yearly healthy eating and cooking program
7. See your dentist and health care provider on schedule

At the end of the year your requirements would be verified and based on your success a check would be mailed out for a certain amount. The big question is always were does this money come from; it comes from the same place your take return money comes from; you pay it into a tax pool. At the end of the year just meet all requirements and you get it back. Fail to meet them and it goes into the pool for paying for your doctor bills.


So, essentially your taxes go up but you have to opportunity to get a refund at the end of the year. This tax money either provides the individual with a little Christmas bonus money or it provides the funds for their medical bills.  


WIthin this new policy there would be two other new policies. The fast food industry would be regulated better and forced to provide better quality food. Ok so you are thinking you can not regulate the fast food industry like that. Why not congress regulated the tobacco industry once it got feed up with their lying. Congress should be feed up with the fast food industry's role in our sick country. 

The second part to this policy would be a requirement for all schools K-12 to implement a PE program and a health and wellness education program. The goal hear is to graduate from high school having been involved in exercise everyday of school from K to 12, and they have taken health and wellness classes the entire time also. We want to graduate kids from high school that know about fitness, health and wellness and they become healthy productive citizens, with the emphases on healthy.