There are some thoughtful ideas regarding health care reform without pushing through radical, polarizing changes to our country. The Gilchrist Institute for the Achievement Sciences, an economic and political think tank, recently published a five-point program for health care reform.

Gilchrist Institute Director Dr. Robert Flower states, "We are challenging Congress to 'get real.' The current programs are fine. It's the application that needs reform and the administration that needs to be changed. These 5 proposals alone could reduce the existing health care system costs by over 50%."

The recommended measures are:

1. Pursue Health Fraud: Health Fraud is estimated at $100 billion a year. Having citizens participate in a small share of the payment obligation, combined with an intensified crackdown by the state and federal governments will go a long way in reducing this significant amount.

2. Medical Tort Reform: The Fair & Reliable Medical Justice Act proposed by the Republicans could save the health care system an estimated $150 billion a year.

3. Life/Health Insurance Plan: Taking a whole life policy at younger ages and dedicating it to terminal (end of life) circumstances would go a long way to decrease health care costs nationally. A whole life insurance policy at age 25 for $200,000 would cost approximately $250 per month for some 11 years, then no further payment would be necessary. The policy will grow to over $1 million by age 90. It would then be assigned, pledged or sold to doctors, hospitals and pharmacies when terminal life is commenced. This could save approximately 30% of overall health care costs in this country -- approximately $300 billion.

4. Interstate Policy Enabling Legislation: This is probably the single greatest consideration the insurance companies fear. It is ridiculous and totally restrictive economics to prevent companies from selling health care policies interstate. This consideration will expand significantly the competitive potential generating better options and price benefits to the public. This one factor could decrease premiums by as much as 10-15%.

5. Illegal Resident Health Tax: With over 12 million illegal immigrants draining the system each year, it would be prudent and just to charge them a tax for these services. At $2,000 per year, a sum of $24 billion would be generated. This alone could reduce the health care debt by 5%.

Free-market health care has resulted in the absolute best medical advances and services humanity has ever seen. We need to acknowledge this as well as the tremendous effort of the massive workforce behind the U.S. health care industry. These ideas refine, not reform for the sake of change, the existing health care programs that take care of the vast majority of U.S. citizens.

About the Author

Michael Bordash

Chief