Real Health Care Reform

So I got to thinking about Health Care Reform.

Our president has been pushing this ridiculous health care bill that requires religious groups to purchase free abortions/birth control for female employees. This violates religious freedom and is a train wreck for the economy. I got to thinking about the dangers of our welfare system and how that only in american can a person be rewarded for lazy, irresponsible behavior. So here is what I think real health care reform should look like. Tell me what you think.

1. Remove all federal funds for payment of out-of-wedlock births.
   This means putting guidelines on medicaid that would place the financial burden of payment upon the father/ mother, or parents of the mother. this alone would save roughly 10-15 billion annually
2. No federal funding for birth control
   If the federal government discontinued funding for birth control and abortions it would put the burden of responsibility back on the parents to take responsibility for there own actions. 
3. Treat medical coverage as a long term loan not a hand out
   If people looked at federal assistance as a long term loan rather than a free handout it would great change the approach to receiving it.Not all programs should be this way but certainly payment for welfare to out of wedlock/teen moms.
4. Federally funded abstinence programs.
   This would greatly reduce the cost of health care, std risk, and other financial and social factors.
   

These adjustments alone would save in the neighborhood of $1 trillion dollars annually. In addition to producing more fiscally responsible citizens. 

Here are the facts:

Current trends indicate that by the year 2015… one of every two American babies will be born to a single mother, and illegitimacy will surpass divorce as the main cause of fatherlessness.” Jennifer Marshall, Sanctioning Illegitimacy: Our National Character is at Stake, Family Research Council. 3/28/97

• Nearly 40% of all births in the United States were to unmarried women in 2007. In 1980, that rate was only 18.4%. Stephanie J. Ventura, “Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States.” National Center for Health Statistics, May 2009.
• In 2007, there were 1,714,643 births to unmarried women, an increase of 26% since 2002. Ventura, “Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States.” National Center for Health Statistics. May 2009.
• Almost half (48%) of all nonmarital first births are to teen parents. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, “Why it Matters: Teen Pregnancy, Out-of-Wedlock Births, Healthy Relationships and Marriage.” 2006.
• Two years after the birth of an unplanned child, about one third of mothers living with the father have ended the relationship, compared to only 7% of married mothers. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “Briefly…Unplanned Pregnancy Among 20-Somethings: The Full Story.” May 2008.

Welfare

• In 2004, teen childbearing in Tennessee cost taxpayers at least $181 million. Between 1991 and 2004, this cost totalled $3.3 billion. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “By the Numbers: The Public Costs of Teen Childbearing in Tennessee.” November 2006. 
• Nationally, the healthcare costs alone to the children of teen mothers (Medicaid and SCHIP) is nearly $2 billion each year. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “Why it Matters: Teen Pregnancy and Other Health Issues.” 2006
• In the United States, about 72% of births to teen mothers are financed by Medicaid. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “Why it Matters: Teen Pregnancy and Other Health Issues.” 2006
• 53 percent of the cost of AFDC, food stamps, and Medicaid is attributed to households begun by teen births. Kathleen Sylvester, “Preventable Calamity: Rolling Back Teen Pregnancy,” Progressive Policy Institute Policy Report, No. 22 Nov. 1994
• It is estimated that illegitimate births cost taxpayers $2.2 billion in welfare and food stamps each year. Rebecca Maynard, Kids Having Kids
• 80 percent of teenage mothers end up in poverty and reliant on welfare. Maynard, Kids Having Kids
• Approximately 30 percent of all welfare recipients start because they have an out-of-wedlock birth. Michael Tanner, CATO Congressional Testimony, March 9, 1995
• Half of unwed teen mothers go on welfare within a year of the child’s birth. Within five years 77 percent of these mothers are still on welfare. Michael Tanner, CATO Congressional Testimony, March 9, 1995
• More than 75% of unmarried teen mothers began receiving welfare support within five years of the birth of their first child. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Preganancy. “Why it Matters: Teen Pregnancy, Poverty, and Income Disparity.” 2006.
• More than half of all mothers on welfare had their first child as a teenager. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Preganancy. “Why it Matters: Teen Pregnancy, Poverty, and Income Disparity.” 2006.
• 84% of the health care costs for infants of mothers aged 18-19 are provided through public programs. 75% of the health care costs for preschool-aged children of mothers younger than 18 are provided through public programs. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “Why it Matters: Teen Pregnancy and Other Health Issues.” 2006.

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_contraceptive_serv.html

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm

http://firstthings.org/page/research/out-of-wedlock-pregnancy-fact-sheet