When have we ever needed a patient’s bill of rights? Health insurance was created to protect us, and now suddenly we need protection from insurance companies?
Much of the recent health-care-reform legislation before the Senate speaks to managed care. But a glimmer of hope is the medical savings account program–a program that, if passed, will draw a veto from the executive office. This is unfortunate. The MSA offers a revolutionary new approach to health care. It is like an IRA in that the individual consumer controls his/her health-care investment, which earns long-term, tax-deferred interest. MSAs are founded on the fundamental principles of our economy–capitalism and consumerism. They put the power and control of health-care dollars, and the choice of how, when and where those dollars will be spent, back in the hands of the consumer.
With MSAs, more individuals can afford coverage, and more employers will be inclined to offer insurance. The fact is, 17 percent of MSA policyholders were previously uninsured.
The unfortunate truth is that people just don’t know enough about MSAs–and where to find them–to make informed decisions about current legislation that could significantly impact the fate of their health-care options. Support is gaining momentum, but we still have a long way to go in our fight for the patient’s right to control his or her health-care investment and, ultimately, afford coverage. These are the “patient’s rights” we should be fighting for.
