I agree the cost is the problem. Too many ignore the fact that the quality of the care people get here is one of the best. As a matter of fact the WHO report graded the US as #1 in patient satisfaction. The same ones who ranked the US #37 in health care. The same ones who didn't account for non health deaths like homicides when figuring the average life expectancy.the only real issue with american health care I have is it's ridiculous cost. It is waaay to expensive. Like someone said, the US ranks 19th. If you look at the nations that stand before it, they spend a lot less on health care, and get more quality.
The idea of having the government intervene to control those costs is a good thing, in my view. They say it will cost 1 trillion over the next 10 years, or something like that. But the current system will cost 1.6 trillion over the next 10 years.
There's also something to be done about malpractice lawsuits in this country. There seems to be a new batch of lawyers that make their living screwing over insurance companies and doctors. Malpractice will never go away, but there seems to be a problem with doctors taking on procedures they do not fully understand for the sake of profit.
I know for a fact that doctors sometimes receive only 1 weekend of training for "out patient" procedures. These procedures, are identified as "out patient" to make them seem less risky. These procedures carry all the risks of actual open-your-gut surgery, but doctors perform 5-6 per day, just to make a buck....
these types of practices are what drive costs up....
We keep putting the cart before the horse. Treating the "disease" instead of treating the cause of the "disease".
One in three Americans is obese but no one wants to discuss that because that would mean Americans would have to be held to personal responsibility. Lord knows it's not our fault we are obese. Think of all the medical costs associated with obesity!!!!!
We hear talk of medical Claims being denied and all the scorn goes to the insurance companies. Anyone ever wonder how they get away with it?
"The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established pension and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans."
That sounds good. We need protection
"In general, ERISA does not cover group health plans established or maintained by governmental entities, churches for their employees, or plans which are maintained solely to comply with applicable workers compensation, unemployment, or disability laws."
So those not covered by this act look like they get the short end of the stick doesn't it? Until you read on.......
"Under the laws of most states, a wrongful denial of benefits can result in a jury verdict awarding the employee the denied benefits, damages for emotional distress, and punitive damages. Under ERISA, there is no right to a jury trial, and the most that an employee who has wrongly denied benefits can receive is the denied benefits. What has an insurance company or employee benefit trust fund got to lose from denying benefit claims? If they are sued, the most they can lose is the value of the benefits they denied in the first place. Where it used to be that an insurance company had to think hard and long before denying benefits because of the possibility of emotional distress and punitive damages, now, because of ERISA, denial is a no brainer. What is there to lose?"
Too much oversite or too little oversight? I think the problem is having the fox watch the hen house.
How about having Congress look out for us instead lookinmg out for their wallets.