Revise: IV.10 Health and Medicine

Recommended by a vote of 11 to 0

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Summary

The existing plank is too long and wordy. The rewritten text covers the same points in a more compact way. This proposal includes changing the name from "Health and Medicine" to "Health Care".

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10. Health and Medicine

The health and physical well-being of individuals should be matters of personal choice and responsibility. The State should not be involved in the regulation of medical care or in the delivery of health care. An individual should have the right to choose among any available health practices. Similarly he or she has the right to refuse, accept or modify treatment or other care.

Therefore, we advocate the following reforms:

A. An end to all government licensing and certification requirements for the practice of medicine. We advocate private certifications to increase competition and promote patient education and safety.

B. The repeal of laws and regulations which prohibit and otherwise curtail the selection and practice of unorthodox medical procedures.

C. An end to all restrictions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as state and local agencies on the use of medicines or other treatments.

D. An end to forced or mandated medication such as fluoridation of water, compulsory vaccination, and involuntary sterilization.

E. An end to compulsory hospitalization.

F. The repeal of those laws and regulations which restrict and inhibit the practice of lay midwifery and planned out-of-hospital births and which permit harassment of lay midwives and home birth practitioners.

G. The repeal of laws and regulations which discourage the development of privately-funded medical facilities such as women's health clinics and free- standing birth centers.

H. An end to government subsidies to, and regulation of, all schools of medicine, nursing, and the allied health care professions

I. In order to revive price competition and consumer cost-consciousness in the medical industry, we would provide tax breaks not only for employer- provided health plans (whose value is not currently taxed as income), but also individual tax credits so that families and individuals can choose their own health plans.

J. We oppose all attempts to abridge the individual rights of persons with AIDS.

K. For the health and safety of society, we oppose laws or regulations limiting the availability of sterile needles.

L. The repeal of all laws mandating any non-consensual relationship between a health care provider and patient.

M.The repeal of laws that force doctors and other health care professionals to report to the government the affairs of their patients, for example, medical records.

As financing of medical and health care is the responsibility of the individual, tax monies should not be used to fund it, nor should government programs force anyone to subsidize the health care costs of others. We therefore oppose:

1. all government-funded medical programs such as Medi-Cal;

2. tax-supported abortion services, neo-natal care, and research facilities; 3. grants and subsidies to members of the medical profession;

3. use of tax funds to extend health insurance to the uninsured;

4. laws requiring businesses to provide health insurance to employees;

5. laws requiring individuals to purchase insurance or taxing them for not doing so;

6. laws requiring insurance companies to insure persons or conditions they choose not to insure.

10. Health Care

The health and physical well-being of individuals is a matter of personal choice and responsibility. We recognize the right of individuals to make decisions about all aspects of their medical care including insurance coverage, health providers, medicines, treatments, and end-of-life decisions. We favor free-market health care solutions and believe the government should not be involved in regulating, funding, or subsidizing medical care or the delivery of health care – we advocate for the removal of government mandates and interference with competition, price transparency, and consumer choice in healthcare markets.

Therefore, we:

A. Support ending government licensing and certification requirements for the practice of medicine and advocate private certifications, which will increase competition and promote patient education and safety.

B. Oppose government-forced or mandated medication and medical procedures, such as fluoridation of water, compulsory vaccination, involuntary sterilization, compulsory hospitalization, or any non-consensual relationship between a health care provider and patient.

C. Oppose all government restrictions – by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or state or local agencies – on the use of medicines or medical treatments, the selection and practice of unorthodox medical procedures, the practice of lay midwifery and planned out-of-hospital births, or the availability of sterile needles.

D.Oppose regulations that force doctors and other health care professionals to report the affairs or medical records of their patients to the government.

E. Oppose all attempts to abridge the individual rights of persons with AIDS.

F. Oppose government subsidies to, and regulation of, all schools of medicine, nursing, and the allied health care professions.

G. Oppose regulations that discourage the development of privately-funded medical facilities, such as women's health clinics and free-standing birth centers.

H. Support tax breaks not only for employer-provided health plans – whose value is not currently taxed as income – but also individual tax credits so that families and individuals can choose their own health plans.

I. Oppose government mandates requiring businesses to provide health insurance to employees, requiring individuals to purchase insurance or taxing them for not doing so, and requiring insurance companies to insure persons or conditions they choose not to insure.

J. Oppose all government-funded medical programs such as Medi-Cal or any type of government-run healthcare system; tax-supported abortion services, neo-natal care, and research facilities; grants and subsidies to members of the medical profession; and the use of tax funds to extend health insurance to the uninsured.