Thinking About Healthcare

Hi Everyone,

I've been a little under the weather recently, and so I'm thinking about Healthcare. We have an amazing system in this country. We produce innovative therapies, and we have a great average lifespan. People come from all over the world to be treated here. It's a really great time to be alive. Most of the diseases that killed people prior to the 20th century are now preventable or curable.

At the same time, just getting through all the hassles with the insurance companies can be a source of new stress related syndromes. Sure, it's great that so many people do have insurance coverage. And I certainly understand the need to reduce waste and fraud. But I know people who have spent literally years trying to get compensated for their out of pocket medical payments from the insurance companies whose premiums they have paid, and still haven't received a penny of what they are owed by the terms of their plans.

So I was toying with an alternative or two. I've heard that in some countries, you don't pay your local utility for Kilo-Watt-Hours, or BTUs of gas. You pay them for light and heat. That way it's up to the utility company to deliver them to you in the most effective manner possible. What would happen if we could pay our healthcare providers to provide us with health?

Could I find a doctor or medical group who would take 10, 20 or 100 bucks, or whatever makes sense, a month to provide me and my family with health? That way, I would go to the doctor once or twice a year, follow his advice, and be healthy. If I'm not healthy, he would be required to fix it at his expense. Of course, if I'm injured in an accident, that wouldn't be the doctor's responsibility. But the provider of catastrophic coverage would have lower costs if the doctor is doing the regular scheduled maintenance. It would be like taking care of a car with warranty coverage, no-fault collision damage and liability, and warranty against defects, so to speak.

Either way, like a car, I would be taken care of by the shop, and not have to wait for weeks, months or years to be reimbursed.