Today, our Health Care Reform discussions sky rocket out of control in a similar fashion with the health care costs they are intended to control. All the while, the shortest route to reform is to actually restore free enterprise principles to the delivery of health care. These principles have been stripped from health care delivery by the shrouded third party payer system where all the negotiations happen behind the scenes.
The simplest and fastest route to controlling health care is to provide consumer empowerment through what I call GLOBAL TRANSPARENCY. Health care should be as most businesses where total disclosure of the charges for a service, the expected outcome of a service, and the payment terms of a service should be consumer knowledge prior to the provision of such.
Global Transparency in health care means - that all providers of medical care, services, medicactions, tests, procedures or other related services should have their fees disclosed and published as a standard requirement to practice, thereby enabling the consumer to see the cost and value of the health care they consume; furthermore, every insurance company, self-funded plan or other payer of health care should be required to dicslose exaclty what they are willing to pay for those same services. Finally, providers including hospitals, physicians, drug companies, should be required to publish outcomes and records of success / failure for services rendered.
The disclosure of these details of health care delivery will provide the consumer greater understanding of what and how one is paying for such services and the expected or desired result. Ultimately the consumer will drive improved quality and outcomes as well as more competive pricing.
Through Global Transparency, we ARE simply restoring free enterprise principles to the health care system. We're not fixing any prices, we're not limiting provider compensation or income, we're not restricting drug costs or limiting research. We are simply suggesting that the American consumer is capable of making a competitive choice when cost, quality and risks are fully disclosed.
After all, when is the last time you've heard of a need to reform the paper towel industry? Prices are disclosed, quality is promoted, results are obvious, and consumers choose. Free enterprise drives results, effieciency, product improvements and innovation. Government too often fails to display similar traits.
Rodger Bayne - Client First Brokerage Services, Inc.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
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