Simple changes can fix health care

As a self-employed person, I pay an outrageous amount for health insurance for my wife and myself. I know some of my premium goes pays for the uninsured and part covers the insurer's loss from union, government, and corporate employees that pay much less due to the buying power of their employer.

I am the type of person that should be yearning for health care reform, but I'm not, and especially not the type of reform discussed by Congress. I fear we'll all end up with rationed and more expensive health care. Before any new program I would:

Get lawyers out of the health care industry through tort reform. The single largest expense for any doctor is malpractice insurance. Create a national fund like the FDIC, paid by doctors, to compensate people harmed by a doctor's mistake.

Allow insurance companies to sell across state lines to increase competition. Set up a national set of standards and allow all insurance companies that meet these standards to sell anywhere in the nation.

Regulate insurance, hospital and drug companies' profits and CEO salaries like we do with the utilities.

If a drug proves to be dangerous after it's on the market through no fault of its manufacturer, limit punitive damages and pay out of another FDIC-like program funded by the drug companies.

Pass a law demanding everyone carry some type of insurance policy like is done with car insurance. If you're too poor, then enroll in Medicaid.

Means test Medicare. Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Oprah, Michael Jordan, et al can pay for their way in their older years.

Regulate the price of medical school. A friend's son will pay $900 a month for 30 years to pay off his medical school loans. It's no wonder why a doctor's visit costs so much.

These seem like common-sense proposals, so why do we need such a large overhaul?

John Schadl

Arlington Heights