18 Big Ideas to Fix Health Care Now

I have worked in med. for yrs. Socialized healthcare is NOT the answer. LIMIT SELFREFERRALS...when a provider orders a test/procedure that s/he does himself. Especially bad in medical imaging, the largest h/care cost. It is well known that MDs who own MRI/CT equip. increase referrals by 70%! Maryland doesn't allow it. It should be banned federally! Docs are looking for ways to make more $ and to cover malprctc insurnc. Capping rewards & limiting selfreferrals would fix a lot of the mess.

And why does RD.com limit the postings? Are you afraid that by allowing people to submit one, albeit not a thesis, that they just might post something that contradicts RD's opinion? What ever happened to free speech in America? BTW, it died when the internet came into being. You do NOT want to hear the real, correct answers on here

What you fail to realize is that the fault lies with the health care providers (Blue Cross/Blue shield for one) AND the hospitals who provide the care. Both charge for services that are way beyond reasonable. When you force them to reduce their fees, then you will have solved a major problem in the health care industry. There was an instance in MD where a Blue Cross Manager retired and they were going to pay him 21M . It went to the MD courts and they reduced the award to 9M, what a deal!

Drug companies should not be allowed to advertise. The advertising budgets are as large or larger than research. New drugs should be in medical journals, but not on TV or in magazines. The money should be used to reduce drug costs, especially for senior citizens. Charlee Helms, Midland TX

The problem with "mandatory temp life insurance" to eliminate malpractice is that it doesn't address the problem of "eliminating" the doctor/healthcare provider who is doing the malpractice - seldom a 1 of thing. And making it illegal for companies to advertise their products might mean people don't learn about something that could help them - heaven knows the MDs can't keep up with everything.

1. Impartial monitoring of both physicians and nurses - to eliminate the ones whose clinical and personal problems cause the highest damages/losses. 2. Require hospitals to give accurate references on RNs with clinical/personal problems, instead of wimping out to avoid legal problems. 3. Eliminate the overseers of state medicaid programs, who by requiring lower level testing, rather than that MD ordered, wind up costing us twice as much, rather than saving money - requiring 2 tests instead of 1.

You didn't list my favorite cost-cutting measure (that came out during the failed Clinton healthcare reform efforts of 1993/4): If insurance companies would just standardize their 1,500 different claim forms, that alone would save $50-75 billion. ALL the forms ask for the exact same information...so what's so hard about it? And yet, THAT - probably the easiest to accomplish -- couldn't get done.

FDA Reforms 1. only award patents for drugs that are safer, cheaper, and/or more effective then current drugs (current policies is they only have to do better than a placebo) 2. Prohibit executives from joining pharmaceutical industry (as the last 3 directors did) 3. Enable companies to bypass FDA laws with unlimited liability (subsidiary if needed), no unsolicited advertising, and no use of federal funds (including VA) ; after x # yrs, they can apply for patent after market testing

Complaint: While IT may enhance quality, there is no consensus IT will reduce costs. Proposal: 1. eliminate employer sponsored healthcare through the tax code so consumers can choose what they want 2. Consolidate State medicare/medicaid grants to block grants (currently fed gives restrictions on which medical services are provided) 3. Someone else suggested having mandatory temp life insurance before all surgeries to eliminate malpractice insurance

I was good with everything up to number 18 (everyone pays the same no matter what) which directly contradicts the two businees plans that charge those who have behaviors that will result in higher medical cost pay more than those who live healthy.