Free Market Health Care

The first PPO was created in 1929 – 81 years ago.

The first real government intrusion into health care happened in 1929 – not a mere coincidence.

The first major legislation passed regarding health insurance was passed in 1945 it was the McCarran–Ferguson Act. (Look it up.) McCarran–Ferguson was the beginning of health care delivery intrusion into our health care – really into our daily lives.

Within ten years, in 1955, more than 70% of the country Americans had an insurance policy that controlled their care.

Health care paid for by a third party – an employer and/or health insurance company for nearly all citizens since they can remember. For 90% of Americans our current health care delivery system IS health care. We have in essence all bought into the lie.

The same holds true for health care providers. Providers very likely reluctantly accept insurance reimbursements to get paid for  their God-given skills. I do occasionally run into providers who have created a cash practice. More frequently I meet providers who accept insurance, begrudgingly, but prefer cash. Most providers who accept and prefer cash are alternative providers. Most MD’s accept health insurance as a fact of life. They hire an office manager who handles their insurance billing and collections and grumble about it, but really know of no other way to practice.

So the question rises at this point; “You promised me a way to thrive – a solution – to the government takeover of health care, enough already, what is it?

It is a simple three step process.

Step 1. Education.

As mentioned earlier in this chapter, what most health care consumers know about health care is what they have come to know as health care – health care delivery. We call these people, The $20 Club. What the average American knows about healthcare is, sadly, $20.00, the cost of their doctor co-pay. So it becomes critical that we educate people about some very basic things they need to know about health care.

In my 18 years of experience in dealing with this issue, most people don’t want to know anything different, or be taught anything. That is until some serious health diagnosis becomes a part of their life. Then they begin the process of learning. It can be a diagnosis of cancer, or MS, or diabetes, or heart disease but their curiosity is now tweaked to the point of action. At that point they become students of health care – at least as it regards their diagnosis.