The Independent Healthcare Solution

The Democrats tried to fix healthcare and it is imploding and costing Americans a fortune. Republicans brought their plan before Congress and couldn't muster the necessary votes to pass their flawed plan. So let an Independent give it a shot...

First, we need to nationalize the insurance industry's standards and regulations, so that we remove the borders that keep some companies from being able to compete with others. Leveling the playing field is just common sense to encouraging competition, which encourages a lower premiums.
Second, we need to invite the top insurance companies to the table to help craft this bill- perhaps the top 6 or so. We need to get them to agree to a basic insurance policy, catastrophic coverage, if you will, with a reasonable deductible and coverage for pre-existing conditions and allowing kids to stay until age 26, for an affordable price for about anyone. Then, if people want additional coverage for things like maternity, or drug counseling, etc, they can pay for those additional services. Think of it like ordering a pizza- everyone can afford the small cheese pizza, but if you want sausage or pepperoni, peppers, onions, etc you pay an up-charge. Crafting a bill without insurance carrier input is like creating a pizza recipe and then telling Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, and Domino's they all have to use it. Not a very smart way to do business with the pizza industry, and likewise, it's not a very smart to craft insurance policy without the provider input. Once there's agreement among the big carriers to supply basic coverage other companies would have to tailor plans and adapt or lose market share. The onus is on the insurance companies, not the government to be creative in lowering premium costs.
Even with this type of plan there will still be some who cannot afford it, and in such a case the government might consider a credit, much like the earned income credit to help offset costs. There could be tiered help, which increases in the case of the aged or the infirmed, However, I am not a believer in giving out credits or subsidies to able-bodied people, so my suggestion is those who fall into this category should be required to perform some community service or something like to offset their subsidy. (Just giving to those who can earn strips people of their self-esteem).
Finally, there should be no mandate to have to purchase. Proponents of the ACA bragged that they gave 20 million previously uninsured people insurance, however in 2015 some 14 million people chose to pay the penalty rather than be forced to buy insurance. There will always be uninsured because not everyone believes in it (until they need it).
So this is the outline of how to produce a plan that could be accessed by everyone who wants it. So how to pay for it? First, it will take about one tenth of the bureaucrats to oversee it, so billions will be saved in shrinking the HHS department. Second, the 38 new departments that would have been created under the ACA will not be needed and those costs are saved. The billions of taxes under the ACA would no longer be necessary, because the onus is on the industry to be competitive. Those who already get subsidies may continue, but those able-bodied will begin to give back for their subsidies. I'm sure that the cost of such a plan will be far cheaper than either the ACA or the Republican plan, for again, the suppliers have an input and the onus is on them to remain competitive, not the Government.
So, that's healthcare. Perhaps one day I'll tackle other entitlement reforms. Until then, may this be food for thought...

(PS. Mr. President, feel free to call me to expand on this if it helps.)