REFORMING HEALTH CARE

There are many reasons why America's health insurance system does not function very well, and as a result, too many people lack insurance, there are gaps in coverage, and costs are increasing at an alarming rate.

Some politicians in Wisconsin want to put the entire system under government control and increase taxes by billions of dollars. Creating a system that leads to extensive waiting periods and rationing of services.  Other politicians at the request of different lobbying interests, are content to do nothing, and even defend an increasingly indefensible status quo.

The proper alternative to "socialized medicine" is to enact serious reforms in current tax and insurance law to expand personal ownership of policies and transfer the control of spending health care dollars to individuals and families.

The combination of a Health Savings Account (HSA) with a low premium high deductible health insurance policy (plans have deductibles starting at $1,000 for individuals, and $2,000 for families) is the proper way to empower consumers to gain control over our health care system.   HSA's allow individuals, employers, and units of government to contribute money tax-free to an account.  These savings can be used to cover out-of-pocket health care expenses.  Savings not used on medical expenses by the end of the year can accumulate in the account, or be withdrawn for other uses with a small penalty.

The advantages of a market-consumer driven health care delivery system are numerous.  HSA's fully engage individuals in health care decision making; as a result, individuals are making better choices and are more likely to be pro-active in maintaining their health.  HSA's introduce choice and competition into a system dominated by top-down price-fixing and centralized management.  When insurance companies, hospitals, and health care providers have to compete for business, patients win.

The current third-party payment arrangement process - individuals pay  high premiums to insurers, who in turn pay doctors and hospitals - dominates health care financing today, and is an economically flawed arrangement that insulates an enormous portion of the economy from the personal engagement of those using the health care services.  Because of this arrangement, the financing and delivery of services has been intensely politicized by well financed (large political campaign contributions) special interest groups. Reform is opposed by most of these big institutions and groups that profit under the status quo, especially by firms that would be forced to change their way of doing business if health care consumers had involvement in the process.

The Clean Sweep Wisconsin candidates have pledged in a legal contract to stand up to these lobbyists and special interest groups and make the necessary reforms that will benefit the citizens of Wisconsin.

Incentives work, and competition works.  What we need to do is empower consumers to transform our health sector to become more efficient, more responsive and more affordable.  HSA's will do just that.

CLEAN SWEEP WISCONSIN CANDIDATES WILL: 

TRANSFORM HEALTH INSURANCE SO THAT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO OWN AND CONTROL THEIR OWN POLICIES.

PROVIDE DIRECT TAX RELIEF TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGH A REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE POLICY WITH A MATCHING  HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT.

CREATE INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESSES TO EMBRACE A FREE-MARKET CONSUMER DRIVEN HEALTH CARE MODEL.