Stan

And I've greatly, greatly appreciated your service, woe these years. So thank you for being with us. My pleasure. So, all right. Policy and health. Okay. Where do we start? So, you know, maybe the best way to get this going is, okay, so you've been in the Senate a long time. You've seen the ups and downs and sideways of health policy.

So give us a perspective overall, historically, on where you think things were where we are now, and then maybe a little bit of a vision on where you hope to go. So past, present, and future.

So give us a perspective overall, historically, on where you think things were where we are now, and then maybe a little bit of a vision on where you hope to go. So past, present, and future.

You know, Clarence, I'll get to you in a sec. I can't help but agree with you. It's like the analogy that you use with education. It's just like everybody knows that your kids can get educated. Yes, are there some bad apples over here and bad apples over here? Yes. But the bottom line is you can get it. For many people, when you're talking about health care, that isn't the case. And that's...

You know, Clarence, I'll get to you in a sec. I can't help but agree with you. It's like the analogy that you use with education. It's just like everybody knows that your kids can get educated. Yes, are there some bad apples over here and bad apples over here? Yes. But the bottom line is you can get it. For many people, when you're talking about health care, that isn't the case. And that's...

In my mind, that's absolutely ridiculous. Clarence.

In my mind, that's absolutely ridiculous. Clarence.

Correct. Correct. In the long run. Always. So I want to get to this concept of administrative costs in a second, because in this last legislative session, you know, to the legislature's credit, they said, okay, you know what, we have to get kind of our arms around this a little bit. So they required some reporting mechanisms, and we'll talk about that in a second. But

Correct. Correct. In the long run. Always. So I want to get to this concept of administrative costs in a second, because in this last legislative session, you know, to the legislature's credit, they said, okay, you know what, we have to get kind of our arms around this a little bit. So they required some reporting mechanisms, and we'll talk about that in a second. But

And on our last show, it was interesting. We were talking about mental health and, you know, one of our guests said, you know, it's like a bowl of spaghetti. It's just like, okay. So I asked her, I'm going to ask you the same question only as it relates to what we're talking about today, policy and healthcare. If you're going to take out one noodle. Oh,

And on our last show, it was interesting. We were talking about mental health and, you know, one of our guests said, you know, it's like a bowl of spaghetti. It's just like, okay. So I asked her, I'm going to ask you the same question only as it relates to what we're talking about today, policy and healthcare. If you're going to take out one noodle. Oh,

or two noodles out of this bowl of spaghetti that seems to be getting more and more complicated than easier. And you've been around the block for a few times and had many, many discussions on this. What are the one, two, three noodles that you would pull out of the bowl to really get us on the right track? Because God knows, I personally don't think we are on the right track.

or two noodles out of this bowl of spaghetti that seems to be getting more and more complicated than easier. And you've been around the block for a few times and had many, many discussions on this. What are the one, two, three noodles that you would pull out of the bowl to really get us on the right track? Because God knows, I personally don't think we are on the right track.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

So, all right. We've, we've got seemingly, we've got, we've got these things that are kind of creating angst in, in the system, good, bad, and, and, and whatever. So, for instance, administrative costs overall are absolutely crazy. I'll give you a simple illustration. I had to go in for a visit, a medical visit recently, and I got a bill. Okay, I have insurance and all that kind of stuff.

So, all right. We've, we've got seemingly, we've got, we've got these things that are kind of creating angst in, in the system, good, bad, and, and, and whatever. So, for instance, administrative costs overall are absolutely crazy. I'll give you a simple illustration. I had to go in for a visit, a medical visit recently, and I got a bill. Okay, I have insurance and all that kind of stuff.

I get a bill from the providers. Okay. On the other hand, I'm thinking, oh, wait a minute now. This is covered for my insurance. Okay. So guess what? I, as the patient, was put in the middle of an administrative nightmare, on one hand, dealing with the provider, on the other hand, dealing with the insurance, and say, excuse me, Aren't you guys talking here?

I get a bill from the providers. Okay. On the other hand, I'm thinking, oh, wait a minute now. This is covered for my insurance. Okay. So guess what? I, as the patient, was put in the middle of an administrative nightmare, on one hand, dealing with the provider, on the other hand, dealing with the insurance, and say, excuse me, Aren't you guys talking here?

Isn't that what you're being supposedly paid to do? But the system is broken. All right. So let's talk about administrative things. One sec. And then also. The advantages that technology has also provided for us. Let me give you a for instance.