Dr. Ben Carson put forward seven principles today that he says will guide him as he develops the conservative alternative to Obamacare.
Carson is chairman of the American Legacy PAC’s “Save Our Healthcare Project” and former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Here are the principles, as reported by The Daily Caller:
- Our health is the most personal and important thing we possess, therefore its care must be under our control.
- Centralization and bureaucracy are the antithesis of personalization, and only discourage choice and innovation.
- Large-scale change should not be imposed from above. Instead, we must have the freedom to choose what is best for our families and build on proven successes.
- Advancing technology and innovation can reduce costs and increase efficiency but every individual must always own and control their personal medical information.
- States should have maximum flexibility to design the programs that serve their citizens.
- Employers and individuals purchasing health insurance must always be free to buy coverage and benefits consistent with their moral and religious beliefs.
- Physicians are the backbone of our healthcare system and deserve to practice in an environment free of unnecessary, frivolous and costly lawsuits.
The American Legacy PAC says that these principles will be developed into an alternative plan to Obamacare later this year.
Carson rose to national attention after he spoke out against the Affordable Care Act at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast. Now retired, he was a world-renowned neurosurgeon. He is also the author of six bestselling books, including “Gifted Hands” about his work.
