By Congressman Joe Pitts

There is no doubt about it, the healthcare system in America needs fixing.  The system that has developed is a result of short sighted and often ad hoc policies, many of which their creators never knew would bring us to where we are today.  And that is roughly 46 million uninsured Americans and a nation that pays more per capita for our healthcare than any country in the world, yet lags in consumer satisfaction.  The U.S. spends approximately $2.1 trillion on health care a year, which is roughly 16 percent of GDP.
   
Individuals currently have frighteningly little control over their own healthcare.  Everyone from employers, to managed care officials, to government bureaucrats are making decisions about a person’s healthcare that would best be left to the individual.
   
I believe there is often a misconception in the political world that Republicans are somehow opposed to everyone having health insurance.  This is simply false.  I am for everyone having health coverage, I just want individuals to own their own coverage; I don’t want it to be a mandate from the government.  Fortunately, we can get everyone covered and we can improve the cost and satisfaction of our system.  But the answer is not more government, it’s less.

Let’s start by ending the discriminating tax policy that allows employers to purchase health coverage with pre-tax dollars but does not provide the same treatment for individuals.  We should create a tax credit that allows individuals to purchase their own health coverage.  If individuals received a tax credit that would allow them to buy healthcare with pre-tax dollars, they could stop making employment decisions based on healthcare.  It would also allow individuals to shop around for the best coverage for them and their families, without being limited to a few choices made by their employer.
 
It makes no sense that individuals should not be able to own their own healthcare.  The current policy developed as an attempt to keep down inflation after World War II.  It’s time to end this policy quirk so that people will be able to purchase healthcare regardless of their employment status.
 
Healthcare portability would also mean we would have less people without coverage if they lose their job.  This would decrease the uninsured and increase individual options.  It would also help employers as well.  Many of the nation’s small businesses struggle to provide this benefit.
 
We need to reform medical liability laws.  Millions of dollars of unnecessary tests are ordered by doctors who are simply covering themselves from perceived liability.  Medical malpractice reform will bring down costs for everyone and keep doctors from having to practice medicine while looking over their shoulder. 

We need to cut down on the mandates that force insurance companies to cover treatments that are not needed.  This raises the cost of care.  In fact, people ought to be able to buy insurance across state lines, so that they can find and purchase the best insurance plan available for their individual needs.

We need to build on the growing success of Health Savings Accounts.  The number of individuals covered by HSAs has grown from 438,000 in September 2004 to more than 4.5 million in January 2007—and 6.1 million in January 2008.  HSAs turn more control of healthcare decisions over to individuals.  And as people gain control over their healthcare choices, they will demand to know the true cost of procedures and medications.  Right now, many doctors couldn’t even tell you what the cost of a procedure truly is.  HSAs help to increase financial security, hand control over to individuals, and require the healthcare industry to address real costs.
 
One thing is constant in this policy reform: we must hand control of healthcare decisions back to individuals- a consumer drive healthcare system.  Washington’s involvement in healthcare has only led to red tape, regulations, and lack of individual control.  It’s time we allowed the American people to make their own healthcare decisions.

Congressman Joe Pitts represents the 16^th Congressional District of Pennsylvania.

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