Heath Care Reform

Regarding the healthcare reform debate, it seems a moderate, reform-minded approach is being overlooked, in favor of populist ideas which could end up in disaster and unintended consequences (namely, hurting those we are trying to help).

There are certain facts, which seem to me irrefutable:

1) We spend too much on "preventative" measures, such as unnecessary tests which are the basis of healthcare inflation over the past 15 years

2) Covering the 40MM uninsured at the same level that medicare or private plans cover people now, will put this country into debt beyond a level that can be tolerated (CBO estimates $2T). This risks collapse of our economy.

3) True prevention, such as exercise and diet are the only cost effective approaches that are proven to work. They are the true win-win.

4) One can squeeze the drug companies (who are headed for generics anyways) and the insurance companies (who will just exit the business), but that doesn't solve the problem. Those numbers are minor in the scheme of what we try to accomplish

The implications seem clear to me, as a matter of common sense, but do not seem to be part of any of the reform bill:

1) Adjusting cost based on on a patient's health and therefore, cost to the system. Data shows that as patients have to bear the costs of their actions, they will behave better. Pres Obama speaks of "responsibility", but there's no action there. To allow people to run up tests for "free" seems like a recipe for what we have now!

2) If Medicare is insolvent, why would any other government system be expected to work better? Any true reform needs to reform the process, as in #1