WASHINGTON - eTradeWire -- Two dueling health care plans are about to be considered by the Senate, but both are said to be DOA because neither will garner the required support.

One by Democrats would extend the  enhanced Affordable Care Act [ACA] tax credits.

The other by Republicans would fund health savings accounts for those who purchase certain plans on the ACA exchanges; plans which are called  "junk insurance."

But while politicians debate who should bear medical care costs, all agree that medical care costs are far too high, but nothing now being considered would reduce the overall cost.

But there are at least three proven approaches which would slash medical care costs rather than just shifting them, notes public interest law professor John Banzhaf,
He proposes:
■ Requiring those who receive ACA subsidies not to smoke, or to pay for the huge added medical costs their choice to smoke now imposes unnecessarily on the great majority of U.S. taxpayers;

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■ Requiring those who receive ACA subsidies to no longer be grossly or morbidly obese [BMI > 39], or to pay for the huge medical costs their unhealthy eating choices now impose unnecessarily on the great majority of U.S. taxpayers;
■ Requiring those who receive ACA subsidies, and are not physically unable to do so, to engage in a recommended amount of exercise, as validated by trackers, or pay the added medical costs their refusal imposes on taxpayers.

Although fewer than 12% of U.S. adults still smoke, cigarette smoking cost the United States more than $600 billion in 2018, including more than $240 billion in healthcare spending.

Fewer than 10% of U.S. adults are morbidly obese [BMI > 39], but they manage to impose $60–74 billion in unnecessary medical costs each year.  Requiring them to reduce consuming enough calories to keep them grossly obese in order to have their health care continue to be subsidized is fairer than forcing taxpayers to subsidize their excessive consumption. . . .

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Almost 75& of U.S. adults do not meet the federal government's Physical Activity Guidelines, and their failure to engage in the minimal amount of exercise for good health produces unnecessary medical care costs of over $115 billion each and every year.

The amount of daily exercise those enrolled under the ACA get can easily to measured by fitness trackers which cost less than $25; including some which will permit transmitting the results for review if necessary.

The key to the subsidy crisis is to  impose some measure of personal responsibility on recipients for their own health, rather than continuing to force taxpayers to subsidize their unhealthful lifestyle choices.

As one famous bumper sticker proclaimed - He's YOUR Monkey, Keep Him of MY back!"

http://banzhaf.net/   jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com   @profbanzhaf