Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Health Care

Here are the culprits for the current healthcare problems as I see it.

Doctors
Drug companies
Government
Insurance companies
Consumers.

Here's my quick rundown of reason

Doctors become doctors for the money and prestige. Not all of them but when was the last time you found out someone was a doctor or dating a doctor and the first thing you thought was "what a giving person"?

More and more doctors are providing unneeded services just to keep a patient or to justify paying for equipment.

Drug Companies.

When was the last time a cure was found? Treatment makes more money than a cure.
The price between brand name drugs and generics can be as high as 500%.
Millions are poured into advertising so a consumer will ask for a specific drug.
Some will even pay your copay for you so that your insurance will be forced to pay hundreds more for what is essentially the same drug.

Government

For all the reasons Gov't fails in many areas. Listening to special interests groups etc.

Insurance companies.

billing procedures for doctors and hospitals is so complicated that medical billing has been noted as the fastest growing industry currently. Some medical practices have a staff of people billing that's the same size as the number of physicians adding 20-30% to the cost of treatment. And it's not treating anyone.



Consumers

Notice I said "consumer" and not the sick. There is a huge difference in the two. We've become people who demand treatment for things when we don't need treated for. If a Dr. refuses then she opens herself up to a lawsuit or loses a customer since it's easy enough to find a Dr who will prescribe anything you want.

We're seperated from the cost of what we're consuming. How much food would you buy at a grocery story if your employer paid for everything except a $20 copay?

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