Health care is going to be debated in Congress throughout the summer.  There is a lot at stake and most of the focus is around either we have a government run system or we don't.  Instead, I hope we can broaden the debate and focus on some other ideas such as: 

Controlling costs.  This month in a meeting with the President, key health care groups pledged to slow the growth of health care spending by 1.5% a year over the next ten years which is estimated to save about $2 trillion.  This is a good first step because any health care plan must address the rising cost of care.

Making health care portable.  We can't ignore health care portability.  I will say it over and over again and again, we need to give employees the ability to carry their health insurance from job to job.  Current laws say that employers can only purchase group health plans with pre-tax dollars, so that any employer who wanted to purchase a plan that would be owned by the employee, and thus transportable between jobs, would not be able to do so without paying for it with after-tax dollars. Similarly, some states have even passed laws that say employers cannot pay any portion of the premiums on employee-owned health plans without being subjected to group plan regulations.  This has to change.  Portability must be part of any reform proposal.

Providing incentives.  Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) allow individuals to control more of their health spending in ways that suit them best, and the government should consider efforts to make the laws regulating HSAs more flexible. Additionally, health care providers should be given the opportunity to come up with innovative ways for treating patients to produce low-cost, high-quality health care. Small businesses are bracing themselves for the proposed increases in income taxes on top income brackets that will affect their bottom line and make it more difficult to provide health benefits.

Health care will remain one of the biggest issues facing small businesses and all Americans in years to come.  The next few months will be critical in determining whether we have real reform that will increase quality and access while decreasing costs, or turn our system over for the federal government to run.  As this debate continues, everyone needs to have their voice heard so that we can get health care reform that actually works for families and small businesses.

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