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I agree. The American health care system is headed for an implosion. As mentioned, health care costs are rising just too fast. Already my employer - which employees over 150,000 people has decided to drop paid medical care for it's retirees (something that should be illegal considering that it had promised to provide that to folks after retirement when they were first hired on - but that's a whole 'nother story). It's also scaling back on coverage and passing more of the rising costs on to it's employees.
And my company is not alone.
If you think that lack of coverage or the high cost of coverage is simply someone else's problem, think again. With medical costs rising at 2-3 times the rate of inflation how long do you think YOUR company is going to continue to pay most of the cost of YOUR coverage? Not too much longer is my guess. More and more, companies are trying to wiggle out of providing health insurence - or at the very least, making YOU pay the premiums - and in all honesty, what else can we expect? It's simply becoming too expensive for them. Just as companies have already largely ended the practice of providing pensions, they are looking seriously at ending (or at the very least) reducing health care coverage. It's simply a matter of cost.
I'm not sure I know what the answer is, but certainly what are are doing now is NOT working for many, many people - and with costs rising the way they are it's going to NOT work for many, many more.
People complain about government-run progams being bloated, but the fact is, the modern American medical system is just as bloated - if not more - than most goverment agencies. Too many industries have their finger in the pie. Doctors want a high salary, hospitals want to boost their bottom line, medical equipment manufacturers want to get their stock price up so the top execs can loot the company then take their "golden parachute" bailout (again, incompentence and self-serving greed (at the expense of the shareholders) at the top of so many companies is a WHOLE different issue, but does contribute to rising medical costs), drug manufacturers want the American public to subsidize their drug research so they can turn around and sell those same drugs overseas at a fraction of what Americans pay, insurance companies are striving to maximize their profits by denying reimbursement whenever they can get away with it, etc, etc, etc. The story goes on and on. Everyone involved wants THEIR cut and it's driving prices higher and higher and higher.
America offers great health care - for those who can afford it. The problem is, less and less people are going to be able to do so. The costs cannot continue to rise the way they are without there being some serious trouble down the road.
Ken
Such a great, thoughtful, post, Lord.
This is one industry in which there is little competition, which classically in our system is the way to keep prices down. How many manufacturers can there be of some of that expensive medical equipment? Collusion is illeagal, but that is hard to prove. How many doctor's successful and failing treatment records are readily available along with a price list?
When I go to a doctor's office, I often see a list of insurers that he deals with, he is trying to be careful that he gets paid, but there is no list of what he charges. When we make most purchases we ask for the details of the service and the price. How many people ask that of their doctor? Yet, they are selling a service. How do they sell? By keeping all those pesky little details a 'mystery'. You don't know the quality of their service until after they 'do' it to you, then you have to pay, even if you think he is ineffectual.
I think, out of every 10 doctors, I have been very favorably impressed with 8, which is a higher record than with most professions. But this entire medical field differs so greatly from any other purchase a consumer makes, that is really is not driven by market forces, and really screams out for some centralized control.
I've been to the UK a couple times. Overall... a very enjoyable experience. Only pet peeve is everybody on the subways always look like they are heading to a funeral.
To keep this on topic
In the US the waiting lists are pretty ridiculous in many places also. Weeks or months for a checkup is not at all uncommon. Even if you have an "urgent" issue like my kid with his torn ligaments...he still had to wait a week to see an orthopoedic doctor...and I called five of them.
No system is perfect, I just know the costs here every year are more and more outrageous. Today we just had our company health care "briefing" for 2008. Everything went up again, surprise, surprise. Now I will need to pay $400/month out of pocket just to have the insurance. Then God forbid if I actually have to use it, that is hundreds more in deductibles and copay percentages.
I really think the American people have been fed a line of garbage about how horrible others countries medical systems are.
I have Canadian friends, I have used the Canadian healthcare system, I have a close friend that is a German Doctor (Pediatrician). My German friend's mother has a vicious brain tumor. Only 2% of people with this sort of tumor survive as long as she has. It really doesn't seem that she has had poor care to me!
I wait close to 5 months to get a mammogram, 3-4 months for a physical. Is this quick service?
Also people in the US seem to feel that everyone without insurance just doesn't want to pay. I can tell you it isn't always a matter of cost. If you are someone with a history of illness (cancer for instance) good luck getting insurance, no one will insure you unless you can find a job with group medical insurance. Insurance companies will also often turn down people with things like high blood pressure or cholesterol, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes.
Look at the numbers we are far from the best when it comes to taking care of our citizens.
I've received care and treatment in three countries, and I liked the universal health care approach in the Netherlands the best. Prevention was an imperative in the system, and an emphasis on good baby care started at day 11.
In the US, I was fortunate to work at a medical school for about a dozen years, and was privileged to have excellent care. When I left, I realized how truly rare this treatment was and wondered at my own ignorance.
I don't think socialized health care will ever happen in the future, because insurance companies stand to lose a lot and you know how dirty the politicians are...
I wish I was stronger and younger, I'd love to take them on, that is the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, together. It is profit at the cost of health! Not my cuppa!
Quote:
Originally Posted by evilnewbie
I don't think socialized health care will ever happen in the future, because insurance companies stand to lose a lot and you know how dirty the politicians are...
OTR, how does the system in the Netherlands work? Is it a single payer system? And how is it financed? Curious..... :-). There are so many systems out there, we could pick the one that works best! And it would still be cheaper per person....
I haven't lived there in so long I am loathe to define the system today. When I lived there, however (1970s) we arrived first as students (stageaire in government) and had our health care paid for as we earned little. After 10 months, we had full employment, and contributed to the health insurance pool with taxes (on the high side, but not higher than I paid here). The Netherlands has changed drastically I hear from friends since then, and an increase in population, and other woes, has substantially changed the social democratic process, be it, health care or other social deliverables.
Hence, I'm not certain I would be able to outline the benefit of the system, but can say, without reservation that then it was excellent. And as I said earlier, I am a big proponent of prevention, and prevention was at the heart of many of the health care policies in the Netherlands. Also, with prevention came less medicine, as in drugs. My children never had an antibiotic, for example, until they were in their teens. And often simple holistic remedies were recommended over prescriptions.
Overall, I'd say our family was healthier in Amsterdam and I never felt we were overcharged, or paid excessive tax, for the multiple benefits we received and probably took for granted.
Quote:
Originally Posted by katzenfreund
OTR, how does the system in the Netherlands work? Is it a single payer system? And how is it financed? Curious..... :-). There are so many systems out there, we could pick the one that works best! And it would still be cheaper per person....
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