Power to the Patient By Mark Tumblin

The current Democratic presidential candidates would have you believe a National Healthcare Program is the solution for dramatic increases in healthcare and in health insurance premiums. One-third of Americans - even those with health insurance - say high costs force them to skip needed medical care. It is a fact we are spending more on healthcare but let's take a closer look at the reason behind the increase. Maybe it is time we focused on wellness and prevention. When it comes to reforming American Healthcare, do the costs outweigh the benefits or is the cost as prohibitive as some would have you think. A healthy lifestyle of diet, exercise and prevention will increase quality of life and longevity and decrease the need for costly healthcare expenditures. We can remove the threat of chronic disease by having the discipline to control our own lives. I would propose the answer to healthcare reform is not in electing officials who will take our most precious of resources but rather taking control of our own lives and returning the power to the patient. [more...]