Maddenation
Health “care”
The big topic these days is again “health care,” which is an important debate about something other than health care; namely, sickness insurance. Everybody knows the difference, but calling it health care gives it a much more positive spin, much like the term “reproductive rights” as applied to abortion on demand.
Let me go on record as being in favor of health care. I have had health care all my life and I believe everyone should have that opportunity. What the current debate is really about is who pays for it, and by what mechanism. Of course, tied in with this question is the followup question: if everybody is covered by some sort of government administered/regulated/insured plan, then how can we keep medical-related costs from bankrupting the country?
One obvious point I never hear mentioned is that medical insurance itself causes costs to inflate. If I pay for medical “coverage” ahead of time then why not use it and get my money’s worth? Even with copays and deductibles (as most of us have) the tendency is to be less discerning about medical procedures once the deductible is spent. Insurance companies try to control this, naturally enough, by rejecting people with pre-existing conditions, and denying claims. The also pay doctors a fraction of their billed fees, which causes doctors to inflate their fees to outrageous levels and possibly recommend additional marginal tests in the hope of receiving more “reasonable” payments from the insurance companies. Meanwhile, nobody’s focusing on “health” because the system is designed (or evolved) to make money on ill health.
So what’s the answer? Heck, I don’t know. Unlike life insurance, which offers a fixed payment after your death, or auto insurance, which pays for repairs after you’ve wrecked your car (prospects most of us are trying to avoid), health insurance pays for ongoing medical care when you get sick. Not that we want to get sick, but when you’re deciding whether or not to get that pain checked out, having insurance to cover it makes a big impact.
The ultimate “answer” is likely to be complex and messy, and I don’t believe one size fits all. What makes the most sense to me is catastrophic health coverage coupled with medical savings accounts. We want to be protected from the type of medical problem that bankrupts us, not the cost of periodic visits to the doctor/clinic. As for the poor, society has to figure out how to be compassionate without breaking the bank. And the medical establishment has to get it’s act together and figure out how to deliver it’s services more efficiently.
Dad • Observations • 08/19/09 • 0 comments
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