On last night's 60 Minutes Steve Kroft reveals the real reason that health care costs are so high in this country:
If you want to know why healthcare cost so much in this country, consider this. It is estimated that $210 billion a year, about 10% of all health expenditures, goes towards unnecessary tests and treatments and a big chunk of that comes right out of the pockets of American taxpayers.
I doubt there are too many of us surprised to learn that our "for profit" approach to health care is encouraging malfeasance within the medical community and making it almost impossible for the average American to afford necessary medical treatment.
And yet there are no lack of those on the Right Wing willing to yell from the mountaintops that our health care system is "the best in the world."
You know saying something over and over does not make it true.
My fervent desire is that after the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented that it will eventually evolve into a single payer system that will ultimately replace the corrupt and predatory system that have currently.
Hey, a liberal can dream can't he?
(H/T to Addicting Info)
There is also the uber restrictive medical schools. we simply don't train enough docs who can compete (remember CAPITALISM)and bring down prices. Every doc thinks they should make $500K and be able to live in a big city or 'burb. Create more docs and utilize more nurse practitioners and physicians assistants.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true, and we're going through it right now in our family. My diabetic husband has high blood pressure and has, on 2 occasions over the last year and a half developed skin issues - strange blisters on his feet and legs. This led to numerous doctor visits and tests, including a dermatologist who biopsied the wrong area -- all of whom wanted him to take extremely powerful, expensive meds with horrible side effects.
ReplyDeleteHe's gotten a great deal of relief from various herbal supplements, but the latest doc is wanting him to take a bunch more tests that seem WAY out of line for his particular issues. It's making me crazy! Yes, we have adequate insurance, bus some of these tests are just off the wall.
At last a real look at what has been happening to the expanding Medicare costs that make the right scream. They are in bed with the hospital corps just like the pharm and gun corps for profit. It is so damn obvious why are healthcare costs are thru the roof and millions remain uninsured. When you think about it....the gun corps provide tons of new patients for the hospital emergency rooms. I worked in the funeral industry in NJ for 6 years and I can tell you in many states it is just the same. If you watched 6' under (HBO) they made that a story line....corporations buying up family run funeral homes and imposing all kinds of pressure. It is another industry you can't do without...just like healthcare, and what is worse...all these deal with people at their lowest points. Sickness and death...when people are vulnerable for ripping them off. Obama is like a mouse fighting off a thousand eagles.
ReplyDeleteWhat you so eloquently stated about evolving into a single payer system is something that can't be said enough.
ReplyDeleteHaving someone with no medical training overriding what a doctor says is wrong on so many levels.
I loathe the "they're a bunch of disgruntled ex employees" excuse.
I'm one of those who asks for an itemized bill, then has a "sit down" with the hospital administrator. I can't tell you how many errors I've found over the years. They have an "excuse" for everything, the most frequent one is "what do you care? Your insurance is covering it!"
Well, Mr Hospital Administrator moron, just because MY insurance covers it, doesn't mean it's ok for YOU to inflate the bill to boost profits, SOMEONE'S paying REAL money for something you didn't do. Are you going to correct this, or shall I take this further?
It works 99 percent of the time. I'm sick of it because it shouldn't work this way.