What would YOU change in health care... now?

I like that too, I hope it goes through on the pre-existing conditions. If they can find a way for everyone to be able to afford insurance would be great. I hope something good comes about over this. Have a great day.

For starters, i think it should be incremental, done one step at a time, SIMPLY, methodicly and pragmaticly. There are a number of things that would imediately help, removing pre existing clauses, dont allow insurance companies to drop the sick, raise the caps signifigantly or eliminate the caps, allow for the purchase of insurance from across state lines. Just those things alone would do an awfull lot in the immediate. We do that, see who it helps and who is still in need, then go to the next step, what ever that may be. It could be an alternative limited subsidized program for the very poor, a tiered program for the slightly better off, etc. but again, one step at a time methodicly. To pay for it we start slashing billions out of the government budget in a lot of other areas. This would also acomplish the goal of shrinking the government back down to a managable size in general. There are plenty of failed programs, redundant departments and positions,tons of absolutely unnessesary and in some cases, unconstitutional government that can be gotten rid of to our benefit. What they are trying to do right now is everything. Along with a bunch of other stuff that doesn't have anything to do with healthcare and just trying to ram a bill through for the sake of passing something, anything. It's absolutely wreckless, dangerous and irresponsable work on the part of congress. There is no excuse for the sham they are calling a bill. There is no reason this thing has to be over 2000 pages that all refer to a hundred thousand other pages in hundreds of thousands of existing stautes. There is no need to contain little goodies for everyone's pet project. There is no reason to surrender this much of our lives to government. All of that is absolutely inexcusable.

I would dump the required policy and push tort reform, this would bring the cost of care WAY down. I would also open state to state and allow purchasing prescriptions internationally.

I think everyone here knows what I would do if it were up to me, but obviously it's NOT up to me. A much scaled-down version of what I'd do would include: No more pre-existing conditions No more annual or lifetime caps on payment No dropping customers after they get sick No discrimination due to gender making women pay higher premiums than men Insurance companies should be required to spend 90% of what they take in on actual health care. Everyone should be covered for routine diagnostic tests and exams with no copays. Medicare should be available to people from 55-64 at an affordable rate and if they're income is below a reasonable level they should receive government subsidies to help pay for it. There should also be refundable tax credits for health care expenses, especially for low to middle income Americans. There should be an exchange so everyone could choose their health care insurance from a large number of companies like federal employees, which includes Senators all the way down to postal workers, where they would get a lower group rate. Children should be able to remain on their parents' family plans until at least the age of 26. Every effort should be made to improve Medicare. Absolutely, there should be federal funding for free health clinics all across the country. I'm sure I'm forgetting things but this is a start. Annie

hi valentinesdiner I would like to see people who are not old enough yet for social security to get decent health insurance and good health care. my son like so many here in Ca is out of work and has no insurance and is not quite old enough for social security, he is only 50 , and if he gets sick then what? this really concerns me. I am elderly and have gap insurance and medicare social security all the rest but he and thousands like him need help now and jobs too damn it all.

I agree with getting rid of pre-existing conditions. I also think it is a good idea to make it illegal for insurance companies to drop you just because you get a major illness. I mean that is hwat you have it for and pay each month for right? But I would drop the mandate. It is wrong to dictate to people that they HAVE to buy a product. How about if they made a law everyone needed to buy an item? Well everyone has to find the money to buy it somehow.....and the producer of that item laughs all the way to the banks. They can charge as much as they want and offer really bad service...but you can't do anything but you HAVE to have it. It puts people at the mercy of producer of the item. Do you really want to be at the mercy of the insurance companies? They are a ruthless group.