Dear Mr. President, Think health care, not sick care.

Dear Mr. President, Think health care, not sick care.
Love, U.S. Small Businesses

President Obama is trying to rush a new U.S. health plan that would cover everyone in the country. Of course, once again, the people that have sacrificed and worked really hard will pay for it because they make too much money. It will have a huge negative impact on small businesses. Welcome to the new America – “Get penalized for success!”

Many small business owners will be the ones paying the bill not only for their employees but also in more taxes because as S-corps, their company’s profit puts them in the bracket to pay more; even though the total profit is often not what the owner takes home (in an s-corp, the owner gets taxed on total profit even though he/she may leave much of it in the company).

For the record, I am all in favor of helping my employees with their health care. Although it’s been getting harder to do so because of rising costs, my company contributes to employee premiums and HSA accounts. We switched to a high-deductible/HSA plan last year because of the rising costs.

We also participate in some of the nifty programs that our health insurance company offers. These programs are focused on rewarding healthy eating and lifestyle choices.

But if the President’s new plan passes, the burden will be even tougher. As it stands now, 60% of U.S. bankruptcies in 2007 were due to medical costs.

But don’t misunderstand me. I agree with the President. We do need a new plan. The current one is a race car speeding out of control. We do need change. But not like this.

Instead of trying to rush a new plan through the system before Labor Day, our government needs to take some time and think about the real problem. We’re treating sick people instead of helping healthy people. It’s not health care, it’s “sick care.”

75% of our health care costs are attributable to chronic and preventable diseases. And 40% of U.S. deaths are caused by lifestyle choices – smoking, poor eating and inactivity.

If small business and the wealthy are going to have to buck up more money, why should it be for supporting poor lifestyle choices and preventable diseases?

Instead, how about the money goes to programs that aim at intervening in patients’ lives, before they get sick. Our current system rewards people who are sick with pills and procedures. We are fixing what’s wrong instead of enabling what’s right.

Let’s stop providing disease care and start providing health care.

Good personal health care is an investment in one’s self and the nation. Prevention is a timeless notion and we need to get back to it. It's what parents have taught their kids for thousands of years. Somehow we have lost our way...

Prevention education - Our country’s health depends on it!