Healthcare

America has the finest health care system in the world, but it could be even better. America's health-care system is criticized by politicians as if it were just one more thing to argue about. Sometimes the rhetoric gets so bad that most Georgians tune out the debate about our healthcare system.

I want to strengthen our healthcare system so that everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are covered. For all the strengths of our health-care system, we know that right now it falls short of this ideal.

The rising costs of healthcare hurt even those who have insurance by making it more expensive to keep.

Universal socialized government healthcare will replace the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of the current system with the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of a government monopoly which will drive up costs, decrease quality, and drive doctors out of practicing medicine.

Health care in America should be affordable by all. To make healthcare more affordable, accessible, and portable we must:

• Restore control over our health-care system to the patients themselves
• Harness the power of the private sector and free markets to dramatically lower healthcare costs through competition
• Eliminate abusive and frivolous lawsuits that increase healthcare costs and put doctors out of business
• Eliminate lawsuits directed at doctors who follow clinical guidelines and adhere to patient safety protocols
• Stop health insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions or other discriminatory practices.
• Provide individuals with the same tax credit as businesses and the self employed for the purchase of health insurance.
• Expand national insurance plans to spread the risk and reduce costs
• Allow for walk-in clinics where patients can receive non-emergency, convenient, cost-effective care to meet simple needs
• Establish a best practices program to utilize technology and cutting edge advances in treating diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease
• Provide additional certifications to pharmacists to allow them to treat simple problems such as rashes, low grade fevers, coughs, or other common childhood ailments to reduce the burden on Emergency rooms and larger more expensive healthcare facilities.