Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, solutions for healthcare issues should be a top priority for you and your party. These options include fighting the opioid crisis, increasing access to healthcare, and lowering healthcare expenses.
During his time as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney was the architect of a health care reform program that delivered insurance to roughly one in four residents. Although the proposal didn't lower total prices, it did expand coverage, proving that a Republican could succeed in a very politicized setting.
The high-risk pool was the centerpiece of the proposal. The plan would increase funding for the collection and streamline the process by which insurers cover high-risk populations. Furthermore, insurers could provide discounted premiums for longer-term commitments.
The Romney proposal and the Affordable Care Act share certain similarities. The latter is essentially Medicare, but with several changes. The minimum age for Medicare enrollment would likewise rise from 65 to 67. Additionally, it would offer an assortment of safeguards for people with preexisting conditions. In addition, it would provide tax breaks for those who opted to purchase their health coverage.
When running for president recently, former House speaker Newt Gingrich promised to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a "piecemeal" health care package. While he has changed his mind on several issues, including health care reform with an individual mandate, he still holds on to some of his previous positions.
Gingrich's healthcare strategy is consistent with his fellow Republicans, advocating for modest federal intervention in the health insurance market. Moreover, he favors extending high-deductible health savings accounts and raising the amount that can be deducted from taxes for health insurance premiums. He also backs tax incentives for people and small companies to help them afford health insurance and tort reform to lower the cost of medical malpractice damages.
In a recent op-ed in the New York Times, Gingrich joined baseball entrepreneur Billy Beane and Senator John Kerry in advocating the use of electronic medical information and comparative effectiveness research to identify which therapies are most beneficial. He also said he is for letting insurance companies sell health care across state lines and allowing people to receive tax credits to help pay for insurance.
As governor, Rick Perry prioritized expanding the economy and providing tax breaks to businesses as part of his solution to healthcare problems. But Texas' healthcare system is dealing with swelling ranks of uninsured. The state spends less on Medicaid per person than all but one other state, yet 6.2 million individuals in the state do not have access to public health insurance.
Unwanted pregnancies are common in Texas, and the state has the third-highest teen pregnancy rate in the US. There is a significant problem with the state's healthcare system. Medical professionals in Texas express great concern over the rising number of patients who lack health insurance.
Many Texans who lack health coverage are not qualified to get financial aid to purchase private insurance. They also have diabetes, cancer, and mental disorders. Not to mention, the cost of health insurance is sometimes not included in the salary of many jobs.
According to the Texas Medical Association, the state's percentage of covered employees is the third lowest in the nation. Perry's approach would drastically alter Medicare, Social Security, and other entitlements. Also, it limits federal spending to no more than 18% of GDP. It has a flat tax rate of 20%, with deductions for mortgage interest and donations to charity being optional.
Michele Bachmann has been a vocal opponent of government spending projects throughout her career. She has advocated for severe budget cutbacks across the board, including Medicaid. Similarly, she is staunchly against abortion and marriage between people of the same gender.
Bachmann entered politics in the 1990s, spurred by her passion for the cause of school reform. As a parent, she had been disillusioned with public education due to her observations of a lack of individualized care for students. She was also worried about the education of foster children in public schools. She started a charter school, which was difficult when parents objected to Christian teachings.
Bachmann earned degrees from the College of William & Mary, the University of Minnesota's College of Law, and the O.W. Coburn School of Law. After that, she joined the Internal Revenue Service's chief counsel office in St. Paul. It was in 2000 when she was elected to represent her state in the Senate. In the end, it was her dedication to traditional conservative ideals that led to her success. She won 52% of the vote to 48% for the moderate incumbent.