Cherokee County GOP

A Counter Proposal To More Government Healthcare Interference.

2009-08-13T14:48:00.001-05:00

Health care costs are spiraling out of control but why? That is the real question that people and the “experts” are not really thinking about or discussing. The discussion seems to stop at “costs are too high we need to intervene somehow to lower costs or get care for everyone!!” In discussing only such superficial aspects of the issue we are doomed to more problems and failure.

I agree that there is much wrong with our current system. But that system has developed as a hodgepodge series of government interventions and private sector compensations that has lead to our tangled, skewed, overpriced mess. In normally functioning economy technology will increase the efficiency and quality of product/service. First I think it should be pointed out that there is no utopian perfect system where everything will be bunnies, roses, and ice cream for everyone. Some will ALWAYS have more or better than others.

I posit that the cost is so high and going higher do to government interventions in the market, starting with Medicare 50ish years ago, then HMO/PPO creation in the 70's. These things and taxation caused employers to find other ways to compensate employees (health plans). These health plans have become so endemic and inefficient but folks will continue using them because they are paying for them even though they are getting worse and worse. Here is the link to an article from back in ’93 which discusses much of this history. http://findarticles.com/p...

The answer in my estimation is real free market healthcare. For some meat and short term transition I would propose something like the following.

Those who want the added protection can purchase high deductible catastrophic health plans, voluntary risk sharing. Then perhaps give tax deductions or credits for health care pretty much up to said deductible. This would put onus of the everyday healthcare costs back on the patient where it belongs, which would make them more price/quality conscious. Doctors too would have to start competitively seeking those patients through better pricing/service. This system probably would also decrease bureaucratic overhead, which would also contribute to lowered prices.

Market pricing discovery would occur and competition would start driving down costs. Doctors then would also begin using technology not as another thing to bill insurance but as a means to more efficiently treat the patients so that they stay in business. Those docs that don't do good or don't actually try to fix the problems would be more likely to fail as clients would seek care that worked instead of more symptom care. Both patient and doc would be rewarded for good quality moderately priced care. As things become more patient focused I also think there would likely be an increase in the amount of charitable/discounted care for the poorest but that is certainly debatable.

For fullness I need to note that tax deduction/credits for medical expenses probably would incentivise some to seek more care than they otherwise would depending on the structure of the credits/deductions. But as it is now patients are not rewarded for being price conscious (in regards to insurance copays and such) and doctors are financially incentivised to bill for procedures (more procedures = more insurance money) instead of actually getting client better.

This is my perspective as a health care provider. Please discuss, critic, and share.

Shannon Grimes, D.C.

Thanks from Shannon!

2009-05-21T12:31:00.001-05:00

It was great to see everyone out at the meeting last night and to see that there are many in the community looking to take part in securing their liberty by being involved. We are coming together and taking tentative steps to begin reaching out to our friends and neighbors so that together and as individuals we can lay claim on and take action to reclaim our heritage, Liberty.
Our nation (and the world) is at a point that it is becoming increasingly difficult to be unaware of problems we face. The government continues to plod onward growing and overreaching it's constitutional bounds and robbing The People with it's policies and as it does so more and more across our nation have began to take notice and desire to take action. We as a nation are waking up from a dream and realizing that we have not been vigilant enough in keeping government within its constitutional chains.
By not being vigilant and jealous of our liberty we have allowed vipers and smooth tongued self serving salesmen to turn our government from a servant into a thing that wishes to be our master. Each day we see more and more regulation of our lives by the government. The beast of government continues to reach further and further into our lives and our homes telling us how to live and taking our property.
Many will want to lay blame at the feet of various Democrats or Republicans in government, demonizing them as the source of our ills. But I say it is our fault. Our fault and the fault of our ancestors for not being vigilant. It is We the People who have allowed the politicians to play the games and brought us to this place and it did not just come to pass with Obama or Bush. We as a nation have been on this path for many decades, step by step, like the proverbial frog in hot water our nation has changed. It could be however that we have finally noticed the hot water and perhaps it is not too late. It is we as individuals that must take responsibility and lay hands upon the chains of government now if we wish to have liberty and the prosperity it brings.
I did not mean to wax so long and did not intend to preachy. I did however sincerely want to thank everyone that came out to get invovled. Working together we can make a difference, starting right here in our communities.

Growth...

2009-05-19T16:20:00.002-05:00

The Cherokee County Young Republicans is very sad to say that some of our members are graduating and moving on from the CCYR's. We say goodbye to good friends Ryan Alsup, Alice Lawson, Derrek McGowen, Dustin McGowen, Darrin Phelps, Brian D. Elkins. Without each of you the CCYR's would not have had the tremendous growth that we did. It was a a little table in a small restaurant that we got our start, and now nine months later are one of the most active Young Republican groups in the state of Oklahoma. It was nine months ago that we asked you if you would be willing to serve with us and work with us as we began pressing for the ideas of the G.O.P. among the younger voters in Cherokee County. We have done this and our efforts are now reaching beyond our county borders into the surrounding counties, the state, and now nationally, where we have formed friends that like us believe in the principles of the Republican party. Small government, Individual Responsibility, fiscal conservatism, and many other issues brought us together, but it is the friendships that we have made along the way that have kept us strong. As we traveled the state together, we got to know each other and we can easily say that many of you will go onto public office in the future, and it is with great honor that we will be walking the campaign trail with you. And for those of you who are activists, we will be knocking the doors with you as well! This spring ushers in a time of new growth and outreach, but please know the Cherokee County Young Republicans would not be the organization it is today without each of you. See you soon on the campaing trail.
With much admiration,
Cherokee County Young Republicans

Teleprompter Blog

2009-05-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

Shared by Fritz...Horowitz Video...

2009-05-19T16:14:00.000-05:00

Thanks!

2009-05-19T16:12:00.002-05:00

A Special Thanks to American Majority and Americans for Prosperity for including Tahlequah on their Barnstorming Tour across Oklahoma. We met at Cherry Springs this afternoon and received some great information. Sign Up for their e-mail list at www.americanmajority.org and www.afpok.org