Ah it's that time of year again. Get the kids on the yellow bus, sit in traffic and think about stuff that bugs you.
Right now, one thing is bugging me (at least more than anything else) - healthcare reform.
Yes, it's controversial and yes, it's annoying but the reality is something is going to happen this year regarding healthcare and insurance whether you like it or not. Apparently to have an opinion differing from those in elected positions makes one 'Un-American' or an extremist.
However, I am going to propose something different with this blog today. I am going to suggest that people can actually have a civil conversation and debate about creative ways to help solve this problem. Here are the rules:
1. No berating an opposing view.
2. Your argument must be supported by facts
3. Please refrain from salty language (that's only allowed by me, the host. It's the only priviledge I get to enjoy.)
4. Have fun and no solution is off limits. (That's called brain storming - something politicians in DC are incapable of doing because it involves having a brain to storm with.)
So here's my idea (yes, my bullet-proof vest is zipped up and I have my big boy pants on.)
Require surgeons to post their performance, or track record, showing how many operations they've performed, the number of medical related issues that resulted from these operations and the years of experience their staff has. Basically a surgeon would be required to give a three year history on patients after the surgery. (Think of it like the label on the back of a breakfast cereal, only something that's easily written on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.)
Next, after reading the 'prospectus,' allow the patient the chance to either pay A) a price that includes the ability to sue the the doctor for malpractice or B) a price that does not allow the patient to sue for pain and suffering, but only lost wages.
In the auto industry they call this 'tort' or 'no tort.'
Now before you go berzerk on me, consider the following:
According to statistics from Stanford University, in 2005 about 20 million people underwent surgery with anesthesia. 12,000 of those patients died from a surgery that was unnecessary (i.e - plastic surgery, elective surgery, etc.) 106,000 died from medication errors associated with the surgery, 20,000 from hospital errors and 80,000 from infections resulting from the surgery (National Ledger, 8/21/2009.)
Let me do the math for you. That means that .1% of all surgeries resulted in death due to hospital errors during surgery. Other patients that died were a result of surgery that was not elective and required immediacy, such as heart attacks, cancer treatment, horrific accidents, etc. Let's call these things 'unpreventable' and outside of a hospitals ability to 'fix.'
Consider some of these facts, also from the National Ledger and confirmed from other sources such as National Institute on Health.
A study conducted by the AMA revealed that despite spending $3000 more per person on healthcare here in the US compared to Great Britain, twice as many American have diabetes and we also have a higher rate of heart attacks, strokes, lung disease and cancer than our friends across the pond.
What gives?
We're overmedicated folks. A forty-year study conducted by Dartmouth confirmed that as certain areas of the country spent more on healthcare, those folks died a faster pace than areas that spent less on health care. Is less really more?
The World Health Organization in 2008 found that the US has the worst track record compared to other industrialized nations when it came to preventable deaths due to treatable conditions such as bacterial infections and and complications from surgeries (both of which occur in hospitals, I might add.)
Next, cap the number/type of prescriptions one doctor can write. Do we really need auto-refills from an answering machine at the local pharmacy? Shouldn't SOMEONE monitor how the prescriptions are working PRIOR to reordering?
From personal experience, I literally stopped taking medication because I felt better and have eliminated my acid reflux problem. I still have 97 pills left from a 100 pill order, but the auto dialer at the pharmacy called to remind me that my prescription can be refilled and to place my order soon.
I am not an automobile needing an oil change.
Instead, through preventive maintenance NOT induced by drugs (you know, running, eating better and going to bed at a reasonable time) I helped my body heal. Old fashioned approach, but something that works quite well; not just for me but for all of us. We're not unique, folks, despite what people tell us.
So there it is.
We spend twice as much as Britain for care that is worse, so the solution before you and the rest of America is to do what? Spend more money?
Money is not the answer. In fact, money is what got us into this mess. Money for the drug companies, money for the lawyers, money for victims.
No. Remove the monetary element and begin letting people choose.
I anticipate many comments, discussions and ideas. That's what this is all about.
Showing posts with label health care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health care. Show all posts
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Health care reform
Let me be the first to admit that I seldom, if ever, need my employer-sponsored healthcare package. I'm probably one of the lucky ones. I'm also not a doctor (and I've never played one on TV) so I don't know the total story when it comes to billing, paying, services, wait times in emergency rooms, elective surgeries, etc.
With that said, however, I understand business, finance and people...in that order.
So it's no surprise that business people despise the new healthcare reform package offered up by the government. And to be fair, who can blame them? The current tax system already imposes 15-35% income tax on businesses, and individual states throw more on top. Mix in 7.5% taxes into the social security fund, 1.65% into unemployment on the first $7,000 earned by each employee and most businesses can fairly say they pay upwards of 45% to the government. That's a lot of money, particularly on small business owners, which make up 80% of all employers in the US according to the Small Business Administration. If you owned a business that made $100,000 per year before taxes, how would you feel if you only took home $55,000 -$60,000 per year and were being asked to pay more?
Not sure about you, but I'd hire fewer people and actually consider firing a few, too. That doesn't sit too well ever, but especially now given our current 9.5% (reported) unemployment.
On the finance side, the system stinks worse than the Pittsburgh Pirate's front office (maybe) and there's no end in sight. How can an insurance company charge one fee, accept another from the healthcare provider and not be held to better standards? While I fully support price discrimination, as most economists would (if you don't know what price discrimination is, think "Ladies night" or "kids eat free" or the way the airlines price tickets and you'll understand the concept) health insurance price discrimination makes no sense whatsoever from a financial point of view. The pricing scheme is so convoluted that I actually do know why things cost so differently from one provider to the next - they don't know how to price their product or service.
People. Now this is a different story entirely.
Shame on us. We know better, yet we continue to try and get something for nothing or ask for more support so that we don't need to modify our behavior that lead to the problem! Rather than asking Uncle Sam to come up with a solution, maybe it makes more sense to modify our diets, exercise more, smoke less and eat more veggies so that we don't need to go to the doctor's office as often. If we go less, the demand for the product goes down and providers would need to find a better method to attract our business, such as, oh I don't know.... LOWER COSTS?
Ah, the "preventive" maintenance argument. That one hurts the most, as it actually involves personal responsibility, but it makes the most sense.
Think about it. If fewer of us needed to go to the doctor's office, emergency room, surgeons, etc. because our bodies were better equipped and healthier, those needing services would have quicker access, less tired healthcare providers and insurance companies that weren't questioning everything?
I'd love to call it innovative, but it's as old as the hills.
So consider my healthcare reform today by reforming your old habits. Take a walk, turn off the television and put down that bag of chips.
With that said, however, I understand business, finance and people...in that order.
So it's no surprise that business people despise the new healthcare reform package offered up by the government. And to be fair, who can blame them? The current tax system already imposes 15-35% income tax on businesses, and individual states throw more on top. Mix in 7.5% taxes into the social security fund, 1.65% into unemployment on the first $7,000 earned by each employee and most businesses can fairly say they pay upwards of 45% to the government. That's a lot of money, particularly on small business owners, which make up 80% of all employers in the US according to the Small Business Administration. If you owned a business that made $100,000 per year before taxes, how would you feel if you only took home $55,000 -$60,000 per year and were being asked to pay more?
Not sure about you, but I'd hire fewer people and actually consider firing a few, too. That doesn't sit too well ever, but especially now given our current 9.5% (reported) unemployment.
On the finance side, the system stinks worse than the Pittsburgh Pirate's front office (maybe) and there's no end in sight. How can an insurance company charge one fee, accept another from the healthcare provider and not be held to better standards? While I fully support price discrimination, as most economists would (if you don't know what price discrimination is, think "Ladies night" or "kids eat free" or the way the airlines price tickets and you'll understand the concept) health insurance price discrimination makes no sense whatsoever from a financial point of view. The pricing scheme is so convoluted that I actually do know why things cost so differently from one provider to the next - they don't know how to price their product or service.
People. Now this is a different story entirely.
Shame on us. We know better, yet we continue to try and get something for nothing or ask for more support so that we don't need to modify our behavior that lead to the problem! Rather than asking Uncle Sam to come up with a solution, maybe it makes more sense to modify our diets, exercise more, smoke less and eat more veggies so that we don't need to go to the doctor's office as often. If we go less, the demand for the product goes down and providers would need to find a better method to attract our business, such as, oh I don't know.... LOWER COSTS?
Ah, the "preventive" maintenance argument. That one hurts the most, as it actually involves personal responsibility, but it makes the most sense.
Think about it. If fewer of us needed to go to the doctor's office, emergency room, surgeons, etc. because our bodies were better equipped and healthier, those needing services would have quicker access, less tired healthcare providers and insurance companies that weren't questioning everything?
I'd love to call it innovative, but it's as old as the hills.
So consider my healthcare reform today by reforming your old habits. Take a walk, turn off the television and put down that bag of chips.
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