The Republican health care disaster this week, culminating seven years of failed proposals, prompted my wife and I to sit down and offer a hand. I set a timer for seven minutes, in which time we came up with the following. The CHINUP plan for America.
- Everyone is covered
- Health care is virtually free
- Insurance companies no longer sell health insurance
- 25-30% of federal government’s tax revenue goes to CHINUP
- CHINUP money is distributed to the states on a per capita basis
- Medicaid and Planned Parenthood are included in CHINUP
- Each state sets up its own health care, doctors and hospitals
- Each citizen makes additional token contribution to their state
- State issues health card to each person with proof of citizenship
- The state’s doctors have a salary cap that the feds oversee
- The state’s hospitals are non-profit, also overseen by the feds
- Privatization is available for certain elective services
CHINUP is basically a model observed by industrialized nations worldwide. It is immoral to capitalize on a person’s health. There is no magic formula to satisfy doctors, hospitals and insurance companies all focused on increasing their respective profit margins. The past seven years and Obamacare have taught this to Republicans and Democrats alike.
Health is the one item capitalism cannot — and shouldn’t — conquer.
David Belisle 