Compared to other countries, our healthcare service is quite special, obviously runnung in its own and not always logical way. At this point, most people throw up their arms and fall about laughing. Most foreigners would fall about laughing, socialist and communist thought seem to have on other idea of running a health service except the Dracula one. Some would turn to statistics proving we spend far more than any other nation on health per head. But such proofs do ignore two important factors, which makes all this really curious. First of all we do not perform very well in comparison with other nations having fewer doctors and other medical staff per head of citizens, and depending on drugs more heabily. At the same time people in other developed countries live longer and as it turns out – enjoy a better live. These facts should make us admit we are not getting value for money. Then, it is true our government makes the largest contribution to paying for people’s healthcare. We have got Medicare, Medicaid and other programs funded by the state and almost 30 per cent of us are using this aid, though not completely free . Actually about 67 per cent of the adult population pay to purchase their own health insurance together with the tax for other people’s health care.
After this said we should ask ourselves what insurance is for. Ideally the purpose is to keep us well through regular screening and diagnosis for preventive measures and provide the best possible treatment as we fall ill or got an injury. Thus health coverage is designed to protect people from the risk of bankruptcy or becoming a burden on the state. And the taxpayers’ dollars should be spend in a way which enables the best value for money. Most foreign countries run their healthcare as a public utility. But here can turn to the insurance industry as an option to be combined with the healthcare services when a service is too expensive for an individual. There were wage and price controls during World War II and shortage of labor.. Health plans were exempted from federal taxes and employers competed to attract the best workers offering better health cover producing an explosion in employer plans. Then, the Blue Cross and some other nonprofit companies apperread in 1990 as private insurance providers. These however have mostly converted to for-profit over the last twenty years to get more efficient as they tend to say.
If we look closely at the for-profit business model we will see insurers charging the highest possible rates acceptable and fighting to pay out the minimum. The funds resting are then shared out for high salaries and dividends for the industry workers. This is not compicated for understanding. Should costs rise more than usual, the insurers try to convince the policyholders it is necsessary to accept co-payments or higher deductibles. When it doesn’t work to keep the profit still high, their simply solution is ending the policy of individuals falling ill and turning down those with pre-existing conditions. They would even go so far to dictate what should the doctors do or not about the treatment and how much to charge. Isn’t it just discriminating if they support only the healthy, while those in need are neglected, causing possible losses for the whole economy.. Continue reading