10 Steps to Reform Insurance While Covering Chronic Conditions

Give people on their own the same tax break employers get. Goodman says all insurance should get the same tax relief regardless of where it is obtained or how.

Allow providers to repackage and re-price their services under Medicare and Medicaid. Goodman calls for "innovative solutions" that would allow providers to offer different bundles of services in the care of diabetes, asthma, cancer, and other diseases to reduce government cost and improve care.

Allow access to mandate-free insurance. Costly mandated benefits have priced out health people, raises premiums for the chronically ill, and diverts money from their care, Goodman says. A diabetic, for example, shouldn't have to pay for other types of care simply to get his own needed care, according to Goodman.

Create a national market for health insurance. Competition among special needs insurers would benefit the chronically ill as well as having the ability to buy insurance across state lines, Goodman says.

Encourage post-retirement health insurance. Goodman says post-retirement insurance should be allowed because more than 80% of baby boomers will retire before they are eligible for Medicare, yet face the greatest obstacle for denial of health insurance because of pre-existing conditions.