• Commence the incremental transition to a National Single Payer Universal Health Care system through a competitive model utilizing a Medicare for All approach similar to the plan proposed by 2008 Presidential candidate John Edwards..
• Mandate that all health insurers will be required to use a uniform standardized health care claims reporting form.
• Mandate that all health care insurers be required to adhere to a uniform standard set of rules for claims submission for services reimbursement.
• Mandate that there will be a uniform standard of compensation per medical specialty for equivalent services rendered without arbitrary/preferential variation between differing health care providers per a given geographic/locality/region.
• Mandate a 25% federal tax deduction for physicians and other licensed Medicare-eligible primary health care providers based upon parameters established via Diagnostic Related Groups for care rendered to the indigent.
• Increase Medicare re-imbursement levels so as to broaden program participation among physicians/health providers.
• Invest in preventative care targeted at known causes of increased morbidity/mortality e.g., Diabetes, Basic Dental Care.
• Increase funding for the National Institutes of Health, which currently performs nearly half of this country's research into new drugs and therapies. The pharmaceutical industry subsequently patents these drugs and sells them to the U.S. consumer. Drugs derived from this federally funded research should then enter the market WITHOUT PATENTS… given the substantial taxpayer investment in the development of these drugs thereby greatly decreasing the cost to government as well as consumers.
• Provide a “Means-Tested” Prescription Drug Plan for those without coverage.
• Improve Medicare reimbursement levels in rural areas.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS IMPACT

The steps outlined above represent the first steps toward a universal single-payer health care program. It is the “Velcro” lining of the health insurance industry that is the root cause of the massive inefficiencies in our health care system. These solutions adopted wholly, or in part, will increase patient access as well as participation by qualified physicians and health care providers. Additionally by improving remuneration for medical services, we will begin to make medicine and the health sciences more attractive to those capable of enduring the rigors of preparation for these vital careers.

John Russell, MS/ARNP (Acute Care), MBA, Health Systems Management