Healthcare

Healthcare for profit has destroyed our once great healthcare system. Before 1973, it was unheard of to operate a for profit healthcare company. However, by the early 1990s only 68% of money spent on healthcare was actually going to medical services rendered. Before the ACA was passed, some insurance companies were paying less than 50% of their income on paying customers health care bills. Now, they are capped at paying at least 80%, but is that really enough? For comparison, Medicare pays 98% of its budget towards health care expenses. This siphoning of money from doctors, nurses, and hospitals to executives, members of the board, and shareholders has made the American healthcare system a worldwide laughing stock. No other country spends so much to receive such little healthcare in return.

Medicare spending has exceeded $1.1 trillion per year and is on pace to go insolvent in about 5-10 years. Congress has many options to solve this problem. Cost sharing can be simplified, prescription drug coverages can be simplified, allowing competitive bidding, and non-essential payments can be modified. Any action would be preferable than allowing this program to fail.

Although this is highly controversial, I do not support mandatory vaccines requirements by the federal government in this country. Individuals must take control of their own healthcare choices. Vaccines are safe, effective, and the best defense we have against most of the worst diseases in history. I would encourage anyone to get vaccinated, but that is a decision between an individual and their doctor. All prior healthcare history, allergies, conditions, family history, etc. have to be taken into account when considering treatment. Our government is not capable of making these choices for us.