breakfastpop

Today is Thursday, March 26, and I am looking forward to breakfast. I have just prepared a broccoli and cheddar cheese frittata. I am going to place the frittata under the broiler for about two minutes after cooking it on top of the stove. As I wait for the frittata to brown, I am reminded of an upcoming doctor's appointment that I have scheduled and ...POP...I become consumed with worry over the future of healthcare in this country. Will my ability to receive quality care be denied me because of government intrusion in my life? Needless to say, the frittata goes up in smoke and so does my hope for a calm morning.

There is a proposal in Congress that, if adopted, would begin taxing individuals on the value of their employer paid health benefits. Its intent is to help pay for an extension of health care coverage to low income families. The proposal would place an overwhelming tax burden on middle income people who currently receive insurance benefits through their place of employment.

Surely, there are other avenues to explore. Think of the enormous amount of money hospitals waste in advertising. The practice is ludicrous , expensive and a complete waste of time. Perhaps the quality and cost of a hospital stay could be reduced if this money were put to better use. The same principle applies to drug companies that advertise constantly on television and in print. It is doctors who should be in charge of suggesting the correct drugs patients should take, not the other way around. Think of the savings if this practice was eliminated.

There is another really interesting and workable solution to the current health care crisis and the key to it just might lie in the hands of Dr. John Muney. Dr. Muney has been in practice in New York since 1975. He believes that our current system is bloated with waste, fraud, abuse and bureaucracy. He has a very simple plan to lower healthcare costs and he has put his plan into action. The doctor has a thriving practice that cares for about 7,000 people. He doesn't deal with insurance companies, so he has eliminated the need for costly and time consuming paperwork. He charges his patients $79 a month and they can see him as many times as needed. The $79 covers the cost of such things as bloodwork and x-rays.

Unbelievably, NewYork State stepped in and forced the doctor to charge his patients $79 for preventative care and an additional $33 for sick visits. They decided that charging a flat fee of $79 characterized his practice as an insurance business.

And so boys and girls, that is why we want the government to keep their sticky and unskilled hands out of our business!