Sen. DeMint’s Proposal for Patient Empowerment (Not Government Control)

Marguerite Bowling / June 25, 2009

American families would receive $5,000 and individuals $2,000 to buy health insurance if their employers didn’t offer it, according to new health reform legislation introduced yesterday by U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). In addition to providing families and consumers with vouchers, the Health Care Freedom Plan also:

• Expands Americans’ use of health savings accounts (HSAs) to pay for insurance premiums
• Creates a nationwide market for health insurance by allowing consumers to buy health insurance in any state
• Provides block grants to states to develop innovative models for ensuring that  people with pre-existing health conditions can get affordable access to care
• Requires that patients are able to see price information before receiving any medical treatment so that they can make better informed decisions

DeMint says, “We will reclaim the money left in [the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)] and use it to pay for this over the next 10 years. That’s it. No new taxes.” (more…)