Address items before passing health laws

With respect to the current health care reform proposals, I believe we have the cart before the horse. Until we clearly identify and quantify the too- high costs, we shouldn't pursue remedies (laws). To do this, we need to analyze the cost impacters:

A - Health insurance companies' profits compared to other companies; similarly for pharmaceuticals.

B - Income levels of physicians and other health-related personnel.

C - Financial and income status of hospitals.

D - Verification that there is the purported multibillion dollars of “fraud and abuse” in Medicare and Medicaid.

E - Verification that we often spend too much to extend the lives of the elderly and to assure the viability for artificially initiated multiple births of “preemies.”

F - Costs of doctors practicing defensive medicine and the need for expensive malpractice insurance.

After analysis of these costs, we can make the subjective decisions. Obviously, there will be varying opinions about these decisions, but at least they'll have been made based on facts.

Accordingly, I believe we should delay the enactment of these laws. Maybe if we address item D now, and document success in reducing it, then maybe we would be less skeptical about other new proposals.

Joe Segreti

Iowa City