Issue: Healthcare
Date: April 28, 2004
Author: Ken Larsen

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QUESTION #4

Healthcare costs here in Utah continue to climb, even outstripping inflation. What innovative ideas or initiatives would your administration put forward to a) lower healthcare costs and b) make coverage available to those Utahn's that either cannot afford the premiums or have been declined coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Can this be accomplished without increased taxes or spending?

Tom Gregory
Contributing Editor, UtahPolitics.org

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Ken Larsen's answer:

My personal interpretation of "personal choice" adds a cost to the privilege of personal choice, and that's personal responsibility. Whatever it is I am giving the needy, and no matter how needy they are, I have no right to force others to help. That would be stealing, even it if is for a worthy cause. Charity should be a personal choice. As strongly as I intend to advocate private charities, I cannot help government "steal" from those who personally choose not to participate. To reap the spiritual rewards of giving, one must have the free agency not to give.

Having said that, there is a great deal government can stop doing that will help reduce the costs of health care. Regulations and inappropriate law suits are forcing doctors to choose much more rigorous and expensive testing than reason would dictate. Protectionism of drug company monopolies is keeping prescription drug prices outrageously high. I would work to eliminate those government regulations whose supposed benefits do not justify the increased costs. I would work to limit medical lawsuits to those cases that involve actual criminal negligence or fraud. The 99% of patients who are statistically expected to benefit from a treatment should not suffer because of the 1% who do not benefit. Instead of transferring more tax money to wealthy drug companies, I would not allow the criminal prosecution of Utah citizens for purchasing their medicine more cheaply from other sources (countries). "Personal Choice and Personal Responsibility" will be my health care slogan.

One more consideration. Perhaps the increase in medical costs is partly a reflection of the increased value of medical treatment. New devices, techniques and drugs continually increase the natural value of American medicine. Perhaps it is unreasonable to expect society to provide everyone with Cadillac treatment.

Ken