OPINION – OCTS original Dec. 9, 2014
Forlorn individuals who want better health care, better prices, and freedom of choice often ask OCTS “But what can I do?” The answer is, “A lot.”
Expand Freedom
- Urge state lawmakers to ease restrictions on who may build and improve medical care facilities (“Certificate of need” laws). Such laws protect overpriced facilities and lock out competitors.
Don’t Take the Bait
- Urge your state lawmakers not to expand Medicaid, a poverty program now being misused to hook the middle class on government dependency. We should be getting people out of poverty, not getting more people on Obamacare poverty programs.
Contrary to what Jonathan Gruber would tell you, Medicaid expansion isn’t free federal money. It’s your tax money to start with, then Medicaid pays less than cost. When doctors see Medicaid patients at less than cost, they have to pass the rest onto their patients who pay. That means higher prices for your community.
Helping the Poor
If a poor person can’t buy the things they want and need, Obamacare doesn’t solve that. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 1-of-5 American households, no one has a job of any kind. That’s the problem, and by part-timing people, depressing wages, and discouraging hiring, Obamacare makes it worse.
For People Opting Out
If you’re young, healthy, or both, you may wish to opt out of Obamacare and pay Obamacare’s much cheaper penaltax(tm) instead. If so, you can look for and frequent “cash-friendly” physicians and clinics for care. Taking cash exempts them from much of Obamacare, yielding a better price and better experience for both of you.
If you need surgery, whether you have insurance or not, consider outstanding free-market providers like the Surgery Center of Oklahoma. Get great care and advance liberty.
The Surgery Center of Oklahoma’s total price may easily be less than your out-of-pocket cost for using your shiny new Obamacarp policy at your local hospital.
Shop, and Negotiate
If the Surgery Center of Oklahoma is too far, don’t despair, show your hospital the SC of OK’s price (it’s on their website) and ask your hospital to match it. That’s shopping, which is something we badly need in health care–that’s how we fix it. Be part of the solution.
TheSelfPayPatient.com has lots more tips on reducing your cost, saving on prescriptions and tests, using “temporary” policies, and more.
Let freedom ring!