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This is not a discussion of the Obama and McClain health care plans.
How would YOU structure an universal health care plan that covers all people.
Should the health care be private, national, employer, mandated from the employer, etc. If it is private or voluntary employer, how will you cover the +24 million currently uninsured? If it is not a government universal health care program, you should run it?
Bottom line how do you provide adequate medical care to everyone?
IMHO we are attacking health coverage from the wrong side. The reason people cannot afford health insurance is that it cost too much. The the reason it cost so much is that the insurance companies have to show a profit, after paying claims. Medical bills are out of control. Having been the recipient of well over $300,000 in hospital, doctor, ancillary bills in the last 18 mos. I can give you my opnion. The billing departments, in the facilities my wife and I use, are inept and it seems that the insurance companies hire the billing clerks that can't make it at hospitals to pay their claims. It took over 9 mos to get my bills correct. I am not a statistician but I think the amount of money that could be saved if the provider would bill the proper insurance company in a timly fashion, using the correct diagnosis, would astound us. Don't get me started on lawyers advertising on TV to every deadbeat who ever took a pill, at a free clinic, and driving up malpractice insurance prices. How many tests and procedures are done because the Dr has to CHA.
In addition to the above. What other comidity do we use that someone else pays for? How many times a month would you get your car washed if your employer paid for 80-100% of the cost? What would you have for supper tonight if you employer paid for most of it? Our medical insurance is overused. Ask someone who pays for their own what their policy covers?
Any healthcare, regardless of who pays for it, should be provided for US citizens and legal aliens only. All others go to their country of origin. I know that won't make me popular, but if you don't have enough food to feed your family you don't invite the neighbors for dinner.
Stude, we've experienced very similiar experiences as you, and agree with your post. Also it's frustrating to find out that if you're presented with a bill that you must personally pay, you pay the whole amount. The insurance companies get a huge break by negotiating the bill(s) down over 50% of what you and I would have to pay.
When I had a hospital stay for a heart problem, the bill was over $33,000, the insurance company paid $10,500. The insurance company sent us a copy, that is how we know and our share was $1050.00.
Canada has National Health Care and it is a mess, a disaster they say. It takes forever and a day to get an appointment for anything including surgeries. We were in Canada a few months ago and many people there told us they waited 6 months to get help for serious malodies. And that there are various levels for services and who you can see based upon your age condition, and that it's a total mess to straighten out.
Let's hope the US does not follow suit.
Australia is supposed to have a good workable public health system. I can't verify that as of this posting. Maybe someone familiar with their program can weigh in on the subject.
It takes forever and a day to get an appointment for anything including surgeries.
In the UK, the government gives more money to the places that have long wait times, so the hospitals actually have an incentive to make you wait.
Here's what I would do:
1. Stop paying "ala-carte" for services. Have the government adopt something like the original HMO model, where the government would pay a certain amount per every thousand patients per month.
2. Set up government centers (contract hospitals) to provide general care, and make sure that they have competition to encourage better care and customer service while keeping the price per head the same.
3. The most important part....always let patients choose who takes care of them. Whoever provides the best service and keeps people the happiest makes the most money.
4. To reduce the cost per head at all of the general care centers, set up regional specialty centers. Make sure they have competition too.
I guess my main point is that you have to rig the system to promote profits through patient satisfaction instead of sales numbers.
In the UK, the government gives more money to the places that have long wait times, so the hospitals actually have an incentive to make you wait.
Here's what I would do:
1. Stop paying "ala-carte" for services. Have the government adopt something like the original HMO model, where the government would pay a certain amount per every thousand patients per month.
2. Set up government centers (contract hospitals) to provide general care, and make sure that they have competition to encourage better care and customer service while keeping the price per head the same.
3. The most important part....always let patients choose who takes care of them. Whoever provides the best service and keeps people the happiest makes the most money.
4. To reduce the cost per head at all of the general care centers, set up regional specialty centers. Make sure they have competition too.
I guess my main point is that you have to rig the system to promote profits through patient satisfaction instead of sales numbers.
We can't let the Government run the health system. Remember this is the same government that siezed the Mustang Ranch and tried to run it. With only 30 legal brothels in a country with an adult male population of about 115 mil they couldn't make money seling sex & booze. Do we want that kind of ineptness running our health system?
We can't let the Government run the health system. Remember this is the same government that siezed the Mustang Ranch and tried to run it. With only 30 legal brothels in a country with an adult male population of about 115 mil they couldn't make money seling sex & booze. Do we want that kind of ineptness running our health system?
I wouldn't want the government running it either. The contract hospitals should still be private businesses, and the government's only responsibility would be to write checks based on how many people the hospital took care of.
For what it's worth, I'm not in favor of a universal system. If we have to live with one, however, I think it would be a good idea to swap out a couple of the variables, and make them earn money through good service and patient satisfaction instead of ordering a bunch of lab tests that you don't need.
Last edited by sterlinggirl; 10-25-2008 at 11:11 PM..
It's not "health care" that folks don't have--it's "health INSURANCE"!!! Big difference! If you are suffering some acute illness and go to the hospital, you will be treated. You just won't be able to PAY for it!
There needs to be some price regulations. A bandaid at the hospital costs a fortune! Ditto for everything else. Now insurance companies "bargain" with the hospital and get the costs lowered. For those with no insurance, they are required to pay the full amount....and who can afford that? No one! If the PRICES were more reasonable, then more folks could pay for their care.
There's really no reason for a MRI to cost thousands of dollars! Or a pap smear to cost $200!
Get the prices under control, and more folks will be able to pay their bills, and the insurance companies could offer more affordable plans.
It's not "health care" that folks don't have--it's "health INSURANCE"!!! Big difference! If you are suffering some acute illness and go to the hospital, you will be treated. You just won't be able to PAY for it!.
Now if you're an illegal you can get away without insurance or paying for health services. They know the costs will be passed on to the legal law abiding people by raising insurance premiums.
So the moral of the story is, claim to be an illegal in the country here.
It's not "health care" that folks don't have--it's "health INSURANCE"!!! Big difference! If you are suffering some acute illness and go to the hospital, you will be treated. You just won't be able to PAY for it!
There needs to be some price regulations. A bandaid at the hospital costs a fortune! Ditto for everything else. Now insurance companies "bargain" with the hospital and get the costs lowered. For those with no insurance, they are required to pay the full amount....and who can afford that? No one! If the PRICES were more reasonable, then more folks could pay for their care.
There's really no reason for a MRI to cost thousands of dollars! Or a pap smear to cost $200!
Get the prices under control, and more folks will be able to pay their bills, and the insurance companies could offer more affordable plans.
As someone who pays out of pocket for most health insurance costs---agreed!
And will someone please explain to me what people mean when they say people "abuse the system".
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Do we want that kind of ineptness running our health system?
