Healthcare

A market-driven approach that promotes individual responsibility, with limited government intervention offers the best prospect for driving down the costs and improving the quality of health care in the United States.

If you want to improve productivity, leave it to the free market. Growth allows the system to generate the same value for less cost or more value for the same cost. In health care, the added productivity will lead to higher wages and a better standard of living for workers. This will make working in the health care field more appealing, which will bring more people into the field and relieve the pressure on workers reflected in the large number of people leaving the field today. If we fail to improve productivity, cost controls will be imposed by the government or private payers which will inevitably lead to diminished quality of care, longer wait times for treatment, and more restricted access to beneficial treatments.

Create competition among healthcare providers and insurers to drive down costs and improve quality. Allow for cross-state purchasing policies by deregulating the insurance market to provide more options for consumers and encourage innovation. Individuals will have the opportunity to choose plans that suit their needs and budgets which will promote efficiency and accountability in the industry.
Implement consumer-driven healthcare initiatives such as Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to incentivize cost-conscious decision-making. Allow individuals to save pre-tax dollars for medical expenses, HSAs promote personal responsibility and decrease reliance on third-party payers. High-deductible health plans paired with HSAs encourage cost transparency. Value-based spending will reduce unnecessary utilization of services because people are paying directly for the services they receive.

Tort reform is a necessary element in lowering the costs of medica care. By limiting medical malpractice lawsuits, we can decrease defensive medicine practices and the associated costs. Frivolous lawsuits are time consuming and expensive. Capping non-economic damages and implementing loser-pays rules will decrease liability concerns for healthcare providers and reduce insurance premiums which will cut overall healthcare expenses.

Promoting alternative care models like Direct Primary Care (DPC). DPC allows patients to pay a flat monthly fee for the full range of primary care services. This can significantly decrease administrative overhead and streamline provider-patient relationships. Tax incentives for DPC memberships will make DPC’s more appealing while offering basic medical services to uninsured or underinsured individuals. Combined with a catastrophic/high deductible insurance plan or health share plan, DPC may offer a alternative to classic health insurance at a lower cost.
States should be allowed to create Medicaid programs that suit their needs and priorities to drive innovation and flexibility. Block-granting federal funds to states will experimentation with innovative delivery models and cost-saving measures tailored to local populations.

By embracing these conservative principles of competition, consumer choice, tort reform, and state flexibility, we can create a sustainable and patient-centered healthcare system that will offer more services at a lower price.

Ray Riehle, candidate for US Congress, Riehle for Congress 2024, Congressional district 6 CA

Ray RiehleReally Great Leadership, Experience and Values Matter!

Ray Riehle
Really Great Leadership, Experience and Values Matter!