The future of health care

The American health care system with all its perceived flaws is on the right track to healing itself, according to U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-6th Dist. In part because of individuals taking more control over their own lives.

“I think more people are taking charge through wellness changes and companies paying for memberships in health clubs,” said Petri.

Petri says with planning ahead and health savings accounts an individual can save a lot.

U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen, D-8th Dist., supports those individual efforts but says moving forward as is won't address the problems of rising costs and millions of people without insurance.

Kagen says a government set up public health insurance option, as outlined in the reform bill, is needed to compete with private insurers to drive down costs in the future.

“Unless we have insurance companies competing for your hard earned money we will not have succeeded. In my view the public option offers that opportunity to keep insurance companies honest, create a level playing field,” said Kagen.

The idea is private insurers would be held to a fair price or face losing clients to the public plan open to anyone.

Petri says government involvement in setting costs is dangerous, and instead favors a more open marketplace.

“My hope is that we would go to a system where people and individual health care purchasers would have greater incentive and ability to control costs rather than rely on government set reimbursement rates,” said Petri.

Kagen also believes government support in attracting and educating new health care professionals and focusing on prevention - as outlined in the house reform bill - will lead to cost reductions in the future

“The savings yet to come are in new technology. Innovation is the American spirit after all. And also having hospitals become lean in their business model and then by allowing the marketplace, use the power of the marketplace to leverage down the insurance premiums and prescription drugs for all of us,” said Kagen.

“Most of the innovation in medicine in the world occurs in the United States,” said Petri.

Petri points out once again progress is being made without more government involvement and says rearranging the health care system might be a better idea than allocating more funds.

“I think 17 percent of our spending on health care is enough,” said Petri.

Our Congressmen head back to Washington after Labor Day to continue the debate and possibly vote on a health care reform bill. Democrats expect something to pass by the end of the year.