Free market solutions for lowering costs and increasing access to healthcare

Over the last few years, the conversation surrounding healthcare in South Carolina has mostly centered around a debate over coverage, from Medicaid expansion to the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, this has sidelined more substantive conversations about how to provide true care—not just insurance coverage—to South Carolinians who lack access, quality, and control over their healthcare decisions.

To help change that conversation, Palmetto Promise, along with several lawmakers, released its Healthcare Freedom Agenda for South Carolina at a news conference on Tuesday. Supporting Palmetto Promise at the news conference were Senators Wes Climer, Tom Davis, and Mike Gambrell, in addition to physicians from Clemson and Spartanburg.

ABC News Columbia and SC Public Radio covered the event.

Reforms include protecting Direct Primary Care, repealing Certificate of Need regulations, empowering patients with the Right to Shop for healthcare services, and protecting Healthcare Sharing ministries. Legislation was introduced on all four (4) pillars of the Healthcare Freedom Agenda last week, the first week of the 2020 legislative session.

Here are some highlights from Tuesday’s news conference:

Senator Wes Climer: “It’s not just about coverage, it’s about quality and cost. The themes that run through all four planks of the Healthcare Freedom Agenda get to those two questions: higher quality care and more affordable care.”

The Charleston County Medical Society President Dr. Marcelo Hochman issued a statement in support of efforts by lawmakers and Palmetto Promise Institute to repeal the Palmetto State’s Certificate of Need regulations:

“The Charleston County Medical Society is pleased to support Palmetto Promise Institute and its Healthcare Freedom Agenda. 40 years of experience shows that the CON law DIRECTLY limits access, limits options, increases prices, hinders quality and limits charity care for the patients of South Carolina.”

Upstate physicians Dr. Melinda Moretz (President, Spartanburg County Medical Society) and Dr. Ted Swann spoke in favor of efforts by PPI and lawmakers to protect Direct Primary Care (DPC) in South Carolina through S.445. Dr. Moretz had this to say at the press conference:

“Direct Primary Care is a healthcare relationship. It is one between a patient and their doctor. Individuals and or employers pay for services directly in the form of a monthly membership for primary healthcare services. We ask that you support South Carolinians’ freedom to choose how they pay for healthcare by supporting Senate Bill 445.”

We believe that these reforms will directly address the growing problems with our healthcare system, providing greater access to quality care for all South Carolinians, not just expensive insurance coverage for some.

If you agree, sign our 2020 Healthcare Freedom petition to tell lawmakers that patients, doctors, and providers should be able to operate in the healthcare space free from government interference.

Photo (left to right): Dr. Ted Swann, Clemson; Dr. Melinda Moretz, Spartanburg; Sen. Mike Gambrell (R-Anderson); Sen. Wes Climer (R-Rock Hill), Sen. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort), Oran P. Smith, PPI Senior Fellow.