There are other ways than higher taxes to pay for health care reform

A couple of items in Tuesday's edition are worth noting as we await the cobbling together of the Obama administration's health care plan:

n Too often those caterwauling about Government Gone Wild don't offer a sensible alternative as much as a list of how the government better can serve them,or how to get it off their backs. Not so Dr. George Watson, a Park City physician who's already implemented his better idea.

"I opted out of Medicare and canceled all insurance contracts," Watson told the Journal's Michael Strand. "It's the government and insurance companies who need to get out of medicine."

Watson says the best reform would be for patients -- instead of an employer -- to own their own insurance plan and to have a transparent financial stake in their health care. When that happens, costs will tumble. Intriguing.

To learn more, take in Watson's talk at 7 p.m. Thursday at Salina Heights Christian Church, 801 E. Cloud.

n Remember when you were young and, say, broke a neighbor's window with a poorly thrown baseball, and Mom made you go next door and say "I'm sorry"? The people at the University of Michigan Health System remember that lesson.

They've found that when they make a mistake, instead of going into bunker mode, if they admit the mistake, tell the patient they're sorry, and offer compensation before being sued, they save money.

For example, malpractice claims against the health system fell from 121 in 2001 to 61 in 2006.

"What we're doing is common decency," said a lawyer with the health system.

Who (besides Mom) knew that telling the truth was the right thing to do?

The costs of malpractice claims in the U.S. is estimated at $5.8 billion. Here's one way to lower them.

What these two workable examples of lowering health care costs have in common is they were done without government intervention and they require some personal responsibility of those involved. Would they work on a national scale? Who knows?

But as we barrel toward implementing a health care future we probably can't afford and won't be happy with, these and other alternative plans certainly are worth considering.

-- Ben Wearing

Executive Editor

822-1421

bwearing@salina.com

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appologies to Sheila says....
My mistake, I guess you were just bitching about the tobacco tax, this time. Not your "god given" right to use tobacco where ever, whenever.
7/23/2009

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sheila says....
Pro cancer agenda? I reread my article. Are you sure you read mine? I'm FOR Dr. Watson. AND for lowering health care cost. But I am not for lying or stupidly following a socialist agenda. Sorry, Dude.
7/22/2009

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Sick of Obama Lies says....
Obama is writing hot checks faster than Bernie Madoff from his jail cell. We need to put Dr Watson in charge of the nations health care. Obama is nothing more than a flim flam salesman who doesn't have a clue about the medical world.
7/22/2009

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Irony abounds says....
Sheila, the idea that you would post your pro-cancer agenda on an article that is about reducing health-care costs is simply incredible.
7/22/2009

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sheila says....
..."when they make a mistake, instead of going into bunker mode, if they admit the mistake, tell the patient they are sorry",... Yes. A concept that should be followed by ALL. When we admit mistakes we regain our credibility. Three cheers for Dr. Watson! It IS the involvement with insurance companies, drug companies, and the government that has CAUSED the crushing price increases. Did anyone else watch Obama on the Today Show yesterday? He proudly stated that during his first six monthes, he had not raised taxes on anything or anybody! Did he simply forget the SCHIP tax increase on all tobacco products? Does he think that WE forgot? Did he just flat out lie? I think one of those apologies is in order!
7/22/2009

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