Health Care Reform: Can the Proposed Public Option Be Less of an Option?

One of the biggest debates in America today is how to reform the health care system. There is no doubt that the system is flawed, after all the United States currently spends more money on health care than any other industrialized nation. President Obama is currently working with Congress on a health care bill, which he hopes to sign into law in the near future. Obama intends to propose a public option of government-run health care program both affordable and available for all citizens. He also intends to keep all private insurance companies afloat, and to encourages anyone who has affordable private insurance to keep it. Many people fear that public option will become will become the only option through competition with the government. Others feel that this may serve as a wake-up-call to private insurance companies who, in order to stay in business will have to make their premiums more affordable and insure people with pre-existing conditions. Following is an interview with President Robert Arnoff.

What do you think the biggest problem with healthcare is today?
Today's healthcare has two big problems:
1) Cost
2) Uncertainty


How do you think we can solve this problem?
Well there's not a magic wand solution, especially when everyone has their own opinion and input. However I feel there are three steps to the solution.
1)Make it affordable.
2)Make services accessible.
3)A promise of economic stability.
Roughly about 9 percent of the 45 to 50 million people in America are uninsured. Some states do have plans for the uninsurable where there's open enrollment which they can go on to HMO's or medicare. Perhaps if the government was able to create a pool of taxes for the uninsurable where they can be charged standard rates any healthy person could be charged when they go for individual health plans.

If you were the President of the United States, what would your official plan be to reform the healthcare system?
Primarily having an option for the uninsurable. And I'm not ready to run for President.

Would you place any type of limitations on private insurers? Any kind of new restrictions on how much they can charge or the ways they take advantage of people?
Well I don't really think the insurance companies are taking advantage of people. I think they are looking at it from the standpoint of being like any other employer and trying to make a profit. Some health insurance companies have a profit margin of 25% which is actually low compared to life insurance. I do believe though that most people don't realize that about 97% of all term insurance plans never pay off. Most people tend to drop their policies before the term insurance is ever used.
If President Obama's proposed public option passes, what consequences do you foresee for our country and our economy?
I believe this change may be the downfall of the capitalist marketplace. This country did not become what it is overnight and growing business is important. Also with a public option the tax burden will strain both individuals and corporations.

Finally, how do you feel medical tourism ties into the healthcare situation?
Well, medical tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the employer healthcare marketplace. People are leaving the country to receive various operations to save money. Potentially a person having an operation out of the country could save 4/5 less then if they got it in America. There are actually health insurance companies that are integrating their health plans with medical tourism and giving the consumer the choice to take advantage of this. When the consumers have choices, they're typically happier.