I just endured the US House Energy & Commerce committee
hearings reacting to the National Governor’s Association
recommendations on “Short-Run Medicaid Reform”. Of the 8 major
recommendations, only one drew repeated ire from the committee:
“enforceable cost-sharing” through co-pays or modest premiums, with
flexibility determined by the states. The mantra was how can allow
hospitals to turn away these poor people (aka the ones we saw at the
SuperDome) for lack of a $3 co-pay? The idea of cost
sharing to encourage “personal responsibility” is common sense
according to the NGA, but might sink the other 7 recommendations (all
over three measly dollars). I do not see that the NGA plans to
recoup significant funds by
cost sharing, they are only trying to teach personal
responsibility. The Committee seemed to be more interested in blocking
the estate tax relief and providing more funds toward Medicaid.
So
my idea is to give out tickets, to the eligibles, for a select
number of health services: perhaps 3/year for healthy children (with
special provisions if there arises need for more) and perhaps
12-15/year for children with chronic conditions. The tickets
might accomplish the goal of preventing frivolous use of medical
services, assure the care, and might even be cheaper to administer and
collect than loose change which might be needed more for bus fare.
Comments?
