Stop overTaxing Our People

Everybody Is In

No One Is Out

Everyone Pays Their Fair Share

The year 2008 will be a monumental step in the history of Delaware, as together we launch a dialog for change. Ours is a message of healthcare security for all, now and in the future years. We look not into a far-off crystal ball and hypothesize the what-ifs based on a notion, but instead we look into the needs of our people and say “Let’s work together for positive change now and for the future of our state and nation.” After many discussions with people all over this nation, I have seen a common thread that affects us all yet lacks current leadership is healthcare. Healthcare is the single largest domestic issue we have as a nation that could jeopardize our entire economy because it affects our ability to work, our ability to achieve a balanced federal budget, our ability to see our children grow up happy and our ability to age gracefully. It touches the lives of all people.

Although the U.S. has the best healthcare in the world, we are still in an extremely vulnerable state with costs increasing 5-8% faster than our income, personal expenditure rates steeply climb as we experience higher insurance premiums, higher co-payments, more services limited within our insurance coverage policies, and fewer benefits covered. These are not the results of frills or extravagances. These results are the state of a critical need for all Americans that threaten our society. If left unchanged, the threats will not disappear. Our challenge is to team up as a community and bring overdue leadership to this very real issue. As your Governor, I will bring leadership in the development of a new healthcare program for all Americans that will start right here in Delaware. We call this Delacare.

The Delacare Plan will be a universal, private health care system that will be open to all citizens. Just as today, it will be funded by its citizens through taxes, employment contributions and private business taxation. Unlike other systems previously introduced for reform, this plan comprises a multi-tiered approach that encourages additional investment into all levels of education, refocuses industrial growth and creates larger markets for healthcare to be a more economically viable export product through which we shall be able to assist other nations around the world. An ambitious effort, our model affects personal health status as well as it affects local, regional, national and global efforts. It intends to put personal human capital at the top of the list of importance for our families, our communities, our nation and our world.

We seek your consideration and support as we consider implementing perhaps the most significant legislation in decades for Delawareans.

Key Points
Healthcare will become the highest priority in the nation:

· All citizens are covered from cradle to grave and each state will “build” large geographic pools, Delaware will have one pool.

· Doctors, Nurse Practioners etc will be paid ‘fee for service’ and there will be recognition of the years of training, sacrifice and stress of daily decisions that are often looked at with zero tolerance.

· Citizens may receive care anywhere – total freedom of choice.

· No more product confusion: In Network/Out of Network, POS, PPO, HMO

· A “basic” plan will be offered along with optional buy-up plans.

· Buy-up plans will be at the option of the individual consumer.

· The buy-up plans will cover benefits not covered under the basic plan.

· States may offer their own buy-up plans or minimally priced riders to the basic plan.

· Plan covers both allopathic and selected integrated medical care.

· Individuals shall receive EOBs that detail expenditures, so they will become better healthcare consumers.

· Federal allocations to healthcare shall be frozen. Private corporate and personal taxation shall contribute to the balance of the expense.

· The rate of increase to the government shall not be higher than the national rate of inflation.

· The financial goal of the plan shall be to develop a pricing structure that is cost-neutral to the current financial landscape.

· Administration of the basic plan will be a 4 year administrative contract that may be bid on by any qualified company.

· Providers are supported with streamlined administrative processes.

· Professional providers will receive educational loan forgiveness.

· Education systems will be reformed to complement the demand and quality required for a high level of quality care and support by future providers

· States will develop healthy community partnerships between providers, employers and educational institutions to promote healthy lifestyles

· Corporations will team with the government to export healthcare expertise to other nations on a fee basis to help foreign nations

· Paraprofessionals will be trained in their programs to provide healthcare both locally and overseas

· Volunteerism will be encouraged of professional and paraprofessional healthcare students rewarded by student loan redemption credits

· Youth service corps will be set up to have young people serve as health care interns and trainees to serve as local patient advocates, before they can apply for professional healthcare schools

· Costs for reckless lifestyles will be borne by the citizen choosing riskier behavior, not solely by the national plan

· Tort reform shall be imposed to limit the malpractice awards, limit attorney percentages and the plaintiff attorney will be required to have a board certified Dr in the same area as the alleged malpractice that harmed the patient. The Judge will review the report prior to filing and rule on the appropriateness. The expert’s opinion should clearly state who erred and filing will be limited to those an appropriate expert said erred.

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