An open letter to members of Senate of the U.S. Congress regarding the health care in America. If readers agree, it will be appreciated if will be sent to tthe Senators of th respective states. May be somebody will pay some attention

Thank you

Dear Senator,

The design of any nation’s health care system involves political, economic and medical decisions.

However, the primary decision for any health care system is a moral one.

In that case we have to answer two basic questions:

1. Should we guarantee medical treatment to everyone who

needs it?

2. Or should we let people die for lack of health care?

Assuming that the answer is YES to the first question here you have:

“THE AMERICAN UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT” of 2018

1. EXPAND MEDICARE FOR EVERYBODY MAKING LESS THAN $500,000 A YEAR.

Rationale:

a. Medicare is already in place.

b. It has worked very well for the last 50 years.

c. The mechanics (computer) of the system is already tested and working well.

d. 46 million Americans are happy with the system.

f. Why re-invent the wheel?

2. MEDICARE WILL ACCEPT ANYONE REGARDLESS of PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS .

Rationale:

It is the moral obligation of the society to provide health care for its people. It is the basic concept for providing health care by all developed countries in the world.

3. MEDICARE TO NEGOCIATE PRICES WITH DOCTORS, HOSPITALS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES.

Rationale:

Medicare is already doing this now. No doctor or hospital receives the full payment for the charges presented. The system is already in place. Just expand it and tighten it up.

4. Medicare to provide free medical care for catastrophic illness (Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Attack, Parkinson, Lou Gehring Disease, Mental Illness, etc.) for people making less than $500,000 a year

Rationale:

It is immoral and inhumane to let people’s life to be ruined by a catastrophic illness

5. Medicare to provide free dental care for children up to 18 years of age and income less than $100,000 a year.

Rationale:

American society should be concerned about the care of our children who are the future of our nation. Poor dental health is rampant in poor states and poor neighborhoods.

6. Free medical training available for doctors under the condition that for 10 years after graduation they accept prices established by Medicare, and will work in the areas badly in need of health care.

Rationale:

It should be an incentive to go into the profession and to reduce the shortage of qualified and trained doctors.

7. Institute tort law limiting malpractice suits to only a $200,000 award.

Rationale:

The excessive mal-practice lawsuits represent the black mark of our health care system. Reducing the awards can also decrease the incentive for such an activity.

8. Institute a strict Medicare control to prevent fraudulent activities.

Rationale:

With such an extended program, fraud is bound to take place. A strict control will prevent such an activity.

9. Organize a nation-wide health care prevention campaign.

Rationale:

Health care education and prevention can promote the development of a healthy mind and a healthy body and increase life expectancy.

Who should pay and how should it be paid?

Every developed nation in the world collects a substantial amount of money from the people’s monthly paycheck to help pay for the health care.

England 15%, Germany 17%, France 21%

and this on top of purchasing health insurance through a non-profit insurance market.

We in America collect 1.45% from every paycheck for Medicare.

It should be conceivable and understood by

every American citizen that

NOTHING IS FREE IN THIS WORLD

THEREFORE

A MANADATORY DEDUCTION SHOULD BE INSTITUTED FROM EVERY PERSON’S PAY CHECK WORKING IN AMERICA BASED ON THE FOLLOWING SCALE:

6.2% FOR INCOME LESS THAN $100,000

8.2% FOR INCOME BETWEEN $100,000 AND $250,000

10.2% FOR INCOME BETWEEN $250,000 AND $500,000

12.2% for income $500,000 and up.- NOT MANDATORY

BUT VOLUNTARY: They can buy health insurance in the private market.

The respective amounts should be used specifically only for Medicare expenditures.

Medicare health care for the unemployed and people with no means to participate in the program shall be subsidized by individual state for its own citizens.

Rationale:

Each state in the Union has the responsibility to take care for the health care of their poor population, through an intense campaign of re-training to become productive citizens of the society.

The insurance companies and their lobbies should not complain very much:

1. They can still sell health insurance on the private market to the people making over $500,000 a year.

2. They can also provide supplemental health insurance for those covered by Medicare.

Employers should be content also:

1. They don’t have to pay full health care insurance as an incentive for their employees.

2. Employers could provide an incentive to pay for supplemental insurance that their employees need in order to cover their 20% Medicare responsibility based on negotiations.

3. The above arrangement will reduce substantially the cost of

doing business by the employer.

I hope you will consider some of the ideas presented above in your quest to solve the Health Care issue in America through your work in the Senate. The Senate needs to solve this very badly for its legacy.

Respectfully,

Prof. Gregory Ghica

Paradise, California