How to Weigh In On the Healthcare Debate

Nick Fellers (admin) | November 5, 2009

I’m an entrepreneur. (French word for fool.) I was entrepreneur way before it was cool or hot. I have an entrepreneur’s attitude and an entrepreneur’s perspective. (Creative Destroyers, Opportunity Exploiters, Value Creators, Pathfinder Rule Breakers.)

This is not about politics. It’s about the classic dilemma of actually DEFINING THE PROBLEM.

From what I’ve read, nowhere in the four, five, ten different ‘bills’, with over 2,000 pages, is there anything about PREVENTIVE MEDICINE!

According to Alan Deutschman’s provocative Fast Company cover story in May of 2005 (which he turned in full-length book called Change or Die) the healthcare industry consumes almost $2 TRILLION A YEAR in the U.S. alone (15% of our gross domestic product).

80% of this healthcare spending budget is consumed by five behavioral issues: too much smoking, drinking, eating and stress… and not enough exercise.

We know the CAUSE of these health problems. We even know the SOLUTIONS.

We’re going to be spending an additional $1 TRILLION on things like the “uninsured”, “the public option” “adjustments in Medicaid”, etc., etc., etc.

So forget your political affiliation. As social entrepreneurs, where do you see the OPPORTUNITY?

The real (ENTREPRENEURIAL) question should be about what would happen if we spent some portion of that money on PREVENTION???

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Tags: Change, social entrepreneurism

Jon Hanson - November 6th, 2009 1:28 pm

I agree with the preventative part. But many studies have been done and value of preventative care is greatly exaggerated when government is involved.

Natural competition would be best; pull the antitrust exemption for Healthcare companies and make them compete. Allow people nationwide to buy bare bones policies from Mississippi if they wish. You would soon see ads like Nationwide and GEICO competing for your HC dollar. When government is in there is no need to compete. Motorized scooters (Medicare) cost 80 percent more than a real market price because Government is paying.

The natural entrepreneurs as you suggest would design HC companies that give rebates for good weight-blood work, diet etc. Others like the doctor in NY would have a cash and carry plan ($79 a month) covering all visits and routine stuff. Catastrophic care coverage (like in the old days) would be relatively cheap.

Government needs to exit not enter the HC business.

They spent $24,000 per car handing out $4,500 rebates and people really still believe they are the folks to deal with HC? Anything that comes between me and my doctor adds to cost.

Jon Hanson at GoodDebt.com

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