Health Care Reform - Take 1
Summary
I propose a reform for the U.S.'s health care system that hinges on preventative care and physician ethics. It would result in drastically smaller health care costs overall, lower insurance costs, better general health among the population and a restoration of physicians' respect and admiration in society.
Though there may be alternative payment methods to insurance, I'll refer to the insurance payment system because it is familiar. Premiums would be based on a person's compliance with regular physical check-ups. A person's physician would attest that he has performed the required check-ups and complied with the physician's recommendations for maintaining or improving health. The person's compliance to the physician's recommendations would result in lower insurance premiums.
A person's non-compliance with a physician's recommendations would result in higher premiums and/or exemption for the insurance company from obligations to pay for treatments resulting from lack of compliance (e.g. smoking). Compliance determination is performed by a physician or board of physicians tasked with making ethical decisions with regards to these issues. The ethical execution of this duty is the basis for the entire system. Therefore, it is imperative that these physicians adhere to the highest level of ethical behavior.
This system encourages preventative health care, which is key to reducing overall costs. It leaves insurance to take care of the "unexpected" and unfortunate illnesses instead of the ones easily prevented, such as obesity and smoking. As with any system it doesn't create a utopia; there will still be those who refuse to take care of themselves and run up E.R. costs and the like, which somebody will have to pay, but I believe the benefits far outweigh the pitfalls.