Starting Off With A Bang

As the nation – or at least the nation’s chattering classes – continue to rend their garments over Democracy giving them the leader they deserved, and with about 66 days until Donald Trump takes office, let’s take a break from the Peltschmertz and start talking policy.

Donald Trump proposed a healthcare plan.  It’s on his website.

And…it’s good.  Really good.  To paraphrase Joe Biden, it’s a big freaking deal, if he follows through on it:

1. Repeal Obamacare. “Our elected representatives must eliminate the individual mandate. No person should be required to buy insurance unless he or she wants to,” the plan says.
2. Repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act, and allow the sale of insurance across state lines. “By allowing full competition in this market, insurance costs will go down and consumer satisfaction will go up,” it says.
3. Allow tax payers to fully deduct health insurance premium payments in their tax returns, as businesses can. The plan asks: “Businesses are allowed to take these deductions so why wouldn’t Congress allow individuals the same exemptions?”
4. Review basic options for Medicaid and work with states to ensure that those who want healthcare coverage can have it.
5. Allow all individuals to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and make those contributions tax-free and allow them to accumulate year after year. Make them part of an individual’s estate, able to be passed on to heirs without fear of any death penalty.
6. Require price transparency from all healthcare providers, including clinics and hospitals.
7. Block-grant Medicaid to the states. Incentivize the states to seek out and eliminate fraud, waste and abuse to preserve government resources.
8. Remove barriers to entry into free markets for drug providers that offer safe, generic options. “Congress will need the courage to step away from the special interests and do what is right for America. Though the pharmaceutical industry is in the private sector, drug companies provide a public service,” the plan says.

Speaking as a newly self-employed person for whom 3 and 5 alone would be financial lifesavers, I’ll say right now that if passing this plan is the only thing he accomplishes domestically in his first term, it’ll be a successful term indeed.

Some of these – especially “Repealing Obamacare” – are going to be difficult.  I personally authorize air strikes.