While we’re talking about unrealistic, impractical, utopian health care reform plans, I should mention that Brad Delong has offered up his own. Yglesias summarizes:
1. Taxes on public health hazards (booze, sweeteners, etc.)
2. An army of publicly employed doctors and nurses working in clinics and vans and such roaming the country dispensing preventive care and lifestyle advice to all and sundry.
3. 15 percent of your income is automatically plunked into a Health Savings Account.
4. When you want health care services that aren’t covered by the clinics, you pay out of your HSA.
5. If there’s money left in your HSA at the end of the year, it gets plunked into your IRA unless you specifically fill in an opt-out form.
6. If you run out of money in your HSA and need more health care, the government pays for it.
7. On top of the 15 percent HSA deduction, there’s a 5 percent tax to pay for 6.
Have your own plans? Leave them in the comments.
