Thoughts for Political Candidates going into Primary Elections...

As we come to Primary election time in Michigan, it is time to give our candidates a little reminder call on what, and whom, they should perhaps focus on if elected to represent us...

As Frank Luntz,well known public opinion pollster, writes in "What Americans Really Want, Really".. his research showed what the top 15 personal priorities Americans concern themselves with...These could be a great "road map" for any politician to focus energies..The Top 5 were:
1. A Loving family
2. Good Health
3. Financial Security
4. Happiness
5. Eventually going to heaven
So, it looks like government can help in the "Good Health" and "Financial Security" areas with things like catastrophic medical expense protections, access to affordable care, quality/relevant education, economic fairness, infrastructure to enable commerce and our safety...the other areas we, our friends, neighbors, faith communities, families can take care of ourselves...

Health care reform Math lesson Update!

Health care Math update:


Currently, each citizen pays approx $2400/yr to cover all the folks on Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare(D.O.D) and VA.

To allow every citizen access to the Fedearl Employee Benefit Menu's MSA/HSA Blue Cross plan, would only cost $3600/yr.

So, for only $100/month more per citizen, we could cover 100%, allieviate employers from this burdon and create, sustain jobs, and control inflationary trends...

What's the hold up?

RFP(request for proposal) for health care benefits for a "very large group"

Here is a RFP(Request for proposal) you can send to BC/BS, Humana, Kaiser, Aetna,Etc. (They would salivate over this)


Large group 308Million team members, located in every state of the union. Diverse age ranges and other demographics. Must not have lifetime cap, must be portable since we cannot guarantee lifetime employment with same location, must keep coverage in place during periods of employment/unemployment/disability/retirement, must empower patient/provider relationship, Offer choice of payor, create electronic records to reduce needless duplication of efforts, 100% of our team will participate in the health plans you offer.

Plan will be designed to mirror plans available to Federal Employees and Elected officials under the High Deductible MSA/HSA deisign guidlines(which only costs$3600/person/yr,families $8000). Must allow Bi-Annual eye exams, and semi-annual dental cleanings and exams along with annual wellness check to be applied to ones deductible amount, as we all know routine health exams, eye care and dental exposes many situations that can be treated early and at lower costs long-term.

Thank you for your quick response, one party is in a big rush to puish some plans through that do some of these, but still can't see the easy solution, the other party just says "NO" lets do an "incremental, systematic process"-which they also cant' see the easy solution.

So, Please hurry, somehow we left the solution to the politicians instead of other smart people outside of Washington....

Your Truely,

The Citizens of The United States

Building a Better Heath Care System: Specifications for Reform - by National Coalition on Heath Care

This week I received an invitation from Congressman Peter Hoekstra's office to visit with his staff and discuss my concerns and ideas for innovative solutions regarding reform (actually systemic overhaul).

As I prepare for my meeting, I came across a very recent resource by the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC.ORG) entitled "Building a Better Health Care System: Specifications for Reform".  This is available for download as a PDF  file at: http://nchc.org/facts-resources/specifications-reform . 

The NCHC, is a bipartisan organization that includes Hon. Co-Chairs, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.  Their current co-chairs include a former Republican governor and a former Democratic congressman.  The president is even a physician.  When you visit the sponsor/member page, you will be amazed at the cross-section of Americans from labor unions, trade associations, religious organizations, medical schools, etc.  

As a former Certified Financial Planner and Employee Benefits specialist, even though I am pro-healthcare overhaul, I am concerned that the way the Democratic Majority is taking an "incremental" approach that is affecting one segmented issue and group at a time.  This methodology is very polarizing as we all have seen. What the NCHC and I feel, is that we are faced with a huge systemic problem with our health care system in the US that needs immediate overhaul, not just trying to plug holes in the dam.

Take a look at their website and this new document.  I trust you will see that indeed, our current system is unsustainable and with a few common sense innovations, we can postion our country to take advantage of this global economy in a much more advantageous position.

Employer or Individual based Health Care Coverage System Now?

Here is a new linkedin.com poll I published regarding how the US Health Care Coverage system should now be based.  Please check it out at:
http://polls.linkedin.com/p/60225/icixk

As most job growth in the US will come from self-employed people and those in firms < 100 employees, is it still reasonable to expect US firms to carry this responsibility?

PBS' "Sick Around the World" feature

A great primer for considering options to redesign our framework for providing healthcare protection of all citizens is the Frontline Production(PBS) "Sick Around the World" by T.R. Reid.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/

Views modern, western societies around the globe.

Business Issues Today...

This section is reserved for "all things business". At this state of our global economic situation, I envision discussion on Banking and Wall Street Reforms, and the realization that many societies no longer live in the Industrial Age, but have been in the Information Age for some time and need to wake up and see the impacts to all aspects of daily life.

Healthcare Reform Now!

Healthcare reform without a Single Payor model? YES! Where patients and doctors decide on treatment plans? YES! Where Insurance Agents serve as consumer advocates? YES! Where funding is taken off the back of US Employers? YES! Where everyone is covered? YES!
Follow this section, as this should trigger some great stuff as this is a hot issue with the Obama team as well...