Lowering Healthcare Costs

By Nathan A. Bech

Nathan Bech believes can improve health and spend less by promoting competition on the cost and quality of care, taking better care of our citizens with chronic illnesses, and promoting prevention.

Nathan Bech supports the goal of insuring all Americans but recognizes that insuring Americans without controlling costs is not sustainable. Bringing costs under control is the only way to stop the erosion of affordable health insurance, to save Medicare and Medicaid, to protect private health benefits for retirees, and to allow our companies to effectively compete around the world. Nathan is opposed to mandates and believes that families and not government bureaucrats should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over their care. We can improve health and spend less by promoting competition on the cost and quality of care, taking better care of our citizens with chronic illnesses, and promoting prevention.

Vouchers for Veterans

Our VA Health system works for many veterans, for many others it fails them. America's veterans have fought for our freedom. We should give them freedom to choose to carry their VA dollars to any provider that gives them timely care at high quality and in the best location.

Tax Relief on Healthcare Costs

Nathan would reform the tax code to provide all individuals with a $2,500 tax credit ($5,000 for families) to increase incentives for insurance coverage. Individuals owning innovative multi-year policies that cost less than the full credit can deposit remainder in expanded health savings accounts.

Transparency in Healthcare

Nathan would promote competition throughout the health care system - between providers and among alternative treatments. He supports medical cost transparency through legislation that would mandate that providers disclose in advance the price of procedures and their success rates in a standard way that would allow consumers to compare providers. The role of the federal government should be to facilitate the development of national standards for measuring and recording treatments and outcomes.

Savings through Prevention

Nathan will fund federal research on the basis of sound science resulting in greater focus on care and cure of chronic disease. Nathan also believes we must help health care providers invest in rapid deployment of 21st century information systems. Public health initiatives must be undertaken with all our citizens to stem the growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes, and to deter smoking.

Improving Our Drug Plan

The recent Prescription Drug plan while well intentioned is another entitlement program that is unsustainable. Nathan supports reforms that would allow the federal government to negotiate prices with drug companies in the same way the VA and Walmart do.

Tort Reform

Nathan supports tort reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits and excessive damage awards. We must provide a safe harbor for doctors that follow clinical guidelines and adhere to patient safety protocols. We must protect patients from malpractice, but excessive punitive damages ultimately get passed on to consumers by doctors who have to pay higher costs for medical malpractice insurance.

Physical Education

Childhood obesity is a healthcare crisis. For the first time in our nation's history the next generation has a shorter life expectancy than the current one. Nathan believes that prevention and physical education are key components in turning around that trend and lowering the costs of healthcare. He would support programs that would allow Military Master Fitness Trainers to take tours of duty in our public schools as part of their military service.