Consumers Favor More Healthcare Choices By Nick Smith-Wang of the Penn Republicans

The United States was founded on a few simple ideals, central to which was the belief in freedom. While the fear at the time was the very real threat from the British monarchy, Americans have always been very protective of their individual freedoms as well. Large government bureaucracies are viewed with skepticism and the majority of Americans have been less than envious as they watched Europe experiment with centralized social programs. Channeling this sentiment, John McCain proposes healthcare reform based on the principles of increased choice and control for the individual. Senator McCain’s healthcare proposal isn’t some pie-in-the-sky fabrication that promises everything to everyone in a timelier manner and at a lesser cost. Americans have seen what happens to their wallets when governments embark on missions of grand expansion and unlimited promises.

Instead, the McCain plan focuses on the individual. This plan understands that patients are aided by having more control, not by taking it away. To offset insurance costs President McCain would offer a direct refundable tax credit, up to $5000 for families, that ensures Americans will be able to select the healthcare plan they prefer instead of being hit up to pay for a plan devised in Washington. No bureaucrat is better equipped to select a person’s health plan than that individual himself.

The McCain plan also proposes to make insurance portable, a common sense solution that frees consumers from healthcare plans that are tied to their current employer. This allows them to retire early, change jobs, or take time off without a change in coverage. Americans will also benefit from the flexibility of a tax-advantaged Health Savings Account. These accounts would allow consumers to avoid taxes on income set aside for medical expenses. Unused funds would roll over and accumulate at the end of the year. Again, the individual is empowered.

Ultimately, no discussion on healthcare is complete without addressing the issue of rising costs. One glance at current government entitlement programs shows us that merely handing over more control to bureaucrats will not control spiraling costs. John McCain’s focus on consumer choice and control will force companies to compete for America’s healthcare dollars, and it is this competition that will be most effective in driving down costs.

After all, it is a sad irony that, just as Europe is introducing market-based solutions to back away from its bloated healthcare systems, there are some who would have us take a sharp turn toward government control. But Americans don’t want their hospitals run like the DMV, and they don’t need a government bureaucrat to stand in the way of access to their doctor. By increasing freedom of choice and restoring control to the consumer, John McCain will make sure Americans will have healthcare tailored to their individual needs.

More on McCain’s policy can be found at JohnMcCain.com

See the other side

Related posts:

1. Health Care Professionals Favor Single-Payer Insurance By Barry Slaff of the Penn Democrats
2. Changing Healthcare Delivery in America By Corbett Brown, Chair, Graduate and Professional Students Assembly
3. Elections and Policy By Richard Johnston, Department of Political Science, Penn

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.