We, the undersigned leaders of state think tanks, believe that expanding the role of government in the health care market is not the change that America needs. Congress should focus on a patient-centered approach to health care reform that respects the patient-doctor relationship and empowers the patient and the doctor to make effective and economical health policy choices.
To read a full report on patient-centered reforms from
economist Art Laffer, click here.
A patient-centered health care reform:
Begins with individual ownership of insurance policies. The tax deduction that allows employers to own your insurance should instead be given to the individual
Leverages Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). HSAs empower individuals to monitor their health care costs and create incentives for individuals to use only those services that are necessary
Allows interstate purchasing of insurance. Policies in some states are more affordable because they include fewer bells and whistles, and consumers should be empowered to decide which benefits they need and what prices they are willing to pay
Reduces the number of mandated benefits insurers are required to cover. Empowering consumers to choose which benefits they need is only effective if insurers are able to fill these needs
Leverages Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). HSAs empower individuals to monitor their health care costs and create incentives for individuals to use only those services that are necessary
Allows interstate purchasing of insurance. Policies in some states are more affordable because they include fewer bells and whistles, and consumers should be empowered to decide which benefits they need and what prices they are willing to pay
Reduces the number of mandated benefits insurers are required to cover. Empowering consumers to choose which benefits they need is only effective if insurers are able to fill these needs
Reallocates the majority of Medicaid spending into simple vouchers for low-income individuals to purchase their own insurance. An income-based sliding scale voucher program would eliminate much of the massive bureaucracy that is needed to implement today's complex and burdensome Medicaid system and produce considerable cost savings
Eliminates unnecessary scope-of-practice laws and allows non-physician health care professionals practice to the extent of their education and training. Retail clinics have shown that increasing the provider pool safely increases competition and access to care and empowers the patient to decide from whom they receive their care
Reforms tort liability laws. Defensive medicine needlessly drives up medical costs and creates an adversarial relationship between doctors and patients
Eliminates unnecessary scope-of-practice laws and allows non-physician health care professionals practice to the extent of their education and training. Retail clinics have shown that increasing the provider pool safely increases competition and access to care and empowers the patient to decide from whom they receive their care
Reforms tort liability laws. Defensive medicine needlessly drives up medical costs and creates an adversarial relationship between doctors and patients
John Tillman
CEO
Illinois Policy Institute
John McClaughry
President
Ethan Allen Institute
Barrett E. Kidner
Chairman & CEO
Caesar Rodney Institute
Brandon Dutcher
VP for Policy
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Inc.
Carlo LoParo
President
The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions
Annette T. Meeks
CEO
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Mitch Pearlstein
President
Center of the American Experiment
CEO
Illinois Policy Institute
John McClaughry
President
Ethan Allen Institute
Barrett E. Kidner
Chairman & CEO
Caesar Rodney Institute
Brandon Dutcher
VP for Policy
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Inc.
Carlo LoParo
President
The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions
Annette T. Meeks
CEO
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Mitch Pearlstein
President
Center of the American Experiment
Brooke Rollins
President & CEO
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Dr. Donald P. Racheter
President
Public Interest Institute
Forest Thigpen
President
Mississippi Center for Public Policy
Dann Mead Smith
President
Washington Policy Center
William J. Felkner
President
Ocean State Policy Research Institute
Craig Ladwig
Director
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
President & CEO
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Dr. Donald P. Racheter
President
Public Interest Institute
Forest Thigpen
President
Mississippi Center for Public Policy
Dann Mead Smith
President
Washington Policy Center
William J. Felkner
President
Ocean State Policy Research Institute
Craig Ladwig
Director
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
John Hood
President
John Locke Foundation
Dave Trabert
President
Flint Hills Center for Public Policy
Shaka L.A. Mitchell
Exec. Vice President
Tennessee Center for Policy Research
Carl Graham
President
Montana Policy Institute
Lynn Harsh
CEO
Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Matthew J. Brouillette
President & CEO
Commonwealth Foundation
President
John Locke Foundation
Dave Trabert
President
Flint Hills Center for Public Policy
Shaka L.A. Mitchell
Exec. Vice President
Tennessee Center for Policy Research
Carl Graham
President
Montana Policy Institute
Lynn Harsh
CEO
Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Matthew J. Brouillette
President & CEO
Commonwealth Foundation
Edmund J. McMahon
Director
Empire Center for New York State Policy
J. Robert McClure, III
President & CEO
James Madison Institute
Paul J. Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation
Kevin P. Kane
President
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Wayne Hoffman
Executive Director
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Jamie Story
President
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Brett Healy
President
John. K MacIver Institute for Public Policy
Director
Empire Center for New York State Policy
J. Robert McClure, III
President & CEO
James Madison Institute
Paul J. Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation
Kevin P. Kane
President
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Wayne Hoffman
Executive Director
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Jamie Story
President
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Brett Healy
President
John. K MacIver Institute for Public Policy
Paul T. Mero
President
Sutherland Institute
Joseph G. Lehman
President
Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Jon Caldara
President
Independence Institute
Brett Narloch
Executive Director
North Dakota Policy Council
Sharon J. Rossie
President
Nevada Policy Research Institute
Tarren R. Bragdon
CEO
Maine Heritage Policy Center
Kelly McCutchen
Exec. VP
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
President
Sutherland Institute
Joseph G. Lehman
President
Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Jon Caldara
President
Independence Institute
Brett Narloch
Executive Director
North Dakota Policy Council
Sharon J. Rossie
President
Nevada Policy Research Institute
Tarren R. Bragdon
CEO
Maine Heritage Policy Center
Kelly McCutchen
Exec. VP
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
