Legislative Healthcare Sell-Out
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
2010 is the second Legislative session that I have asked for the introduction of a bill to modify Arizona law for health insurance companies licensed here. Senate Bill 1331 was written to improve healthcare, cut costs, attract businesses to Arizona, create new jobs and alleviate shortage of medical personnel!
A few insurance companies are beginning to recognize the value of sending Americans outside of the U.S. to receive major medical treatment.
Follow the link http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1331o.asp to see how this bill, after it was killed at the request of Arizona Blue Cross, became a state holiday for Girl Scouts. Otherwise you may not believe it! And, you thought Legislators were there for your benefit!
From State Senate records – TITLE: health insurance; coverage; geographic location (NOW: state holiday; girl scouts)
This bill would not have cost the state a dime, and would have created a unique economic environment to act as a magnet for businesses to move to Arizona to help contain their healthcare costs.
The huge savings can favorably impact our state and national debt and the budget of local businesses; and help solve the shortage of 150,000 doctors expected during the next 15 years!
An Arizona Ad Hoc Committee needs to be formed to study healthcare! Insist on it! This alternative plan needs to be put on the table for discussion here and across America.
A Blue Cross of South Carolina subsidiary provides coverage for healthcare in foreign locations. Another example is California where some health insurance companies embrace medical tourism to Mexico as a way to provide cost-effective treatment.
According to Michelle Matlock, Insure.com, the cost of a cross-border insurance program to insure a family of four in the U.S. by California-based Health Net is $631 a month; but if a family uses a physician in Mexico, the rate drops by more than 50% to $306 a month.
Some Latinos feel more comfortable visiting a physician in Mexico. Many do not see any difference between traveling outside of U.S. borders for medical care than do our own citizens that travel across state borders to receive care from doctors “back home” and to be near family.
According to Dr. Michael Horowitz of Medical Insights International, “Some 750,000 Americans sought offshore medical care in 2007, a number that is projected to rise to as many as 6 million in 2010.”
In addition, it is estimated that there are 6.6 million Americans that live abroad. They don’t run back to the U.S. for most treatments.
The Deloite Center for Health expects nearly 16 million to seek offshore medical care in 2015. I expect this figure to climb monumentally beyond that number as employers learn that this is a way to cut costs and as they force insurance companies to provide expanded coverage.
One of the great American myths is that we have the best healthcare system in the world!
U.S. hospitals were recently ranked 37th by the World Health Organization. Additionally, Americans trail 30 nations in life expectancy and the U.S. is 29th in infant mortality. These last two dismal facts cannot be denied.
In reality, your healthcare treatment is dictated by state and federal government, health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, a shortage of medical workers, and the potential for law suits.
I have been unable to find any elected official or political candidate in Arizona or anywhere in the U.S. that is considering this obvious alternative of insuring Americans. It is up to us to help them open their eyes!
Ernest Garfield, Chairman
Interstate Bank Developers, Inc.
Former Arizona State Senator, Arizona State Treasurer, Arizona Corporation Commissioner
Master of International Management – Thunderbird School of Global Management
Bachelor of International Management – Thunderbird School of Global Management
Bachelor of Business Administration – University of Arizona