New paradigm for health care

If current trends continue, by 2013 the United States will spend an unsustainable 20 percent of its gross national product on health care. To reverse this trend an entirely new paradigm is needed. The concept of health "insurance" is fundamentally flawed. We insure our car in case of a serious accident, but we don't expect auto insurance to pay for gasoline or routine maintenance. Yet, this is what we expect from health "insurance." Under our present scheme of employer- and government-provided "insurance" there is little incentive for patients or providers to limit overutilization of resources.

The best solution involves shifting to high deductible, affordable policies combining catastrophic health insurance with health savings accounts. Under this arrangement the true cost of care would not be hidden from patients, as it is under the existing system. Consequently, patients would become true consumers of medical services, and market forces would eventually compel providers to lower fees.

The truly indigent could still be covered by a greatly shrunken Medicaid program, or by charity care. However, the vast majority of the population would receive comprehensive, truly cost effective care under this proposal.

The only alternative is to continue our progression toward centralized management of health care by the federal government. Soon to follow will be total control of provider incomes and overt rationing of resources inherent in any socialized system. This is the path which, unfortunately, we seem to be taking. We need to turn around -- and soon.

DR. MICHAEL WULFERS, Cape Girardeau