Rx for health care

 

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MarketWatch

17 March 2009 Tuesday 12:01 AM EST

SECTION: NEWS & COMMENTARY; Commentary; Irwin Kellner

LENGTH: 682 words


TITLE: Rx for health care

Signature: Irwin Kellner, MarketWatch mailto: Ilkellner@gmail.com.

Irwin Kellner is chief economist of Finance, and an eminent specialist in economics at Dowling College in Oakdale, NY



PORT WASHINGTON, NY (MarketWatch) - The Obama of recent health care summit reminds me that there was a lengthy debate on the simmering just what is wrong in our country health system and how it should be changed. For when it comes to fixing health care, there are several points of view must be taken into account.

Users believe that health care costs are rising too fast. Insurance premiums have grown much faster than their income for many years.

They also complained that the coverage is reduced and in some cases eliminated. And it goes without saying that people who have lost their jobs are faced with higher premiums, even - and sometimes not at all if the coverage of their employer went bankrupt.

Yet, most people are satisfied with the quality of health care they currently receive and would not want anything to jeopardize this, as well as their ability to choose their doctors or hospitals.

On this note, health care providers are concerned about the rising cost of medical practice, in particular the need to insure themselves against lawsuits, and the difficulty in dealing with their patients, the companies insurance when it comes to obtaining reimbursement for treatments rendered.

As for income, doctors and hospitals against the rail ever lower, they receive payments from patients' private insurance and Medicare. As a result, many doctors and hospitals refuse to accept most types of insurance, in effect making it the patient's responsibility to obtain refunds.

For their part, policymakers main concerns seem to revolve around the rising cost of health care and the relatively high number of uninsured. Tort reform and the downward pressure Medicare administrators have on the health care providers while expecting to maintain or improve the quality of care appears to be lower priority.

Indeed, doctors to remember that Medicare beneficiaries have paid thousands of dollars in taxes during their working years to finance coverage for their golden years - only to wind up being treated as cases because the charity Washington stingy reimbursement policy.


Although there are many good things about our health care system, there is much that must be corrected. However, if you boil down the coverage and accessibility, all that is required is a minor surgery.

Insofar as coverage is concerned, do not confuse the lack of health insurance, lack of health care. Almost everyone receives the care they need, the uninsured simply through their emergency departments of hospitals, ambulances and clinics.

Of course, suppliers of winding up the bill.

Individual responsibility

To resolve this problem, we should make the coverage of health care responsibility of individuals, not companies. In addition, this coverage should be mandatory for any citizen who has not already through Medicare. Individuals with incomes below a certain level may have their premiums paid in whole or in part by the government.

Those who lead must have liability insurance, while most of buying fire insurance and theft of their homes or apartments, so that if radical asking everyone to be covered by health insurance ?

Have their own health insurance would cover such a laptop - in other words, does not depend on his employer or have a job. Indeed, breaking the link between employment and health insurance is essential for the establishment of universal health coverage and financial security that everyone seems to want.

The costs would be contained by the market. As people spend more of their own money for health care coverage than their employers, they are more likely to seek insurance and medical services that offer the best value for the lowest cost.

To be sure, this requirement is not perfect. However, it seems to be the best way to expand coverage, increase affordability and to maintain quality while offering freedom of choice of individuals.

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LOAD-DATE: 18 March 2009



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