ECONOMICS of CHAOS
Part IV of the Health Care Chaos
There is a pattern that has been going on in our country for generations. The focus on a problem comes and goes but only the incremental changes and improvements that time brings actually solves most problems. In the case of health care, we should not allow this to happen. It amazes me that only incremental changes in the system have been made in the American Health Care system since the Clinton Team tried and failed to change it twenty years ago. Meanwhile, costs have skyrocketed and the burden on individuals via raising costs, higher insurance premiums and higher taxes and deficits have increased dramatically. We have already pointed out two solutions; increased competition and tort reform. Now, we must focus on the groups that are doing a great job and emulate and learn from them. We'll also look at one of the worst performers so that we can get an idea of what to avoid.
The Cleveland Clinic
Founded in 1921, this hospital group consistently ranks as one of the top three medical facilities in America. The Cleveland Clinic is ranked among America's Top Hospitals by US News & World Report
It is growing rapidly, yet it has developed systems and procedures to control costs while delivering excellent care. In fact, the Cleveland Clinics' across the board rates are about 40% LESS than comparable groups for better care. Why does this information fall on deaf ears? The first thing lawmakers and reformers should do is to make a beeline to Cleveland to see health care that works.
A plethora of FREE CLINICS throughout America
Tax breaks for individual donors, sponsors, physicians and government funding to this type of entity would be a solution that is within reach now. Less expensive yet effective. The reasons that these groups are worthy of funding is that the operators are offering a hands on solution and they are run by individuals and smaller effective groups. This approach avoids the big organization approach that has been proven to be ineffective and wasteful.
King Drew Medial Center in Los Angeles County
This center is a great example of how government funded and run health care can be a disaster. Millions were pumped into this hospital for over twenty five years and its dismal record never improved. Patient death rates were higher than at any other hospital in California. Finally, it was closed down by the Federal Government. The main reasons for this debacle was that political and special interest groups interfered with regulation and good care.
See References and Sources for extensive background information on this section.
Conclusions:
The REAL FACTS and NUMBERS.
Exaggerating the problem and making the solution more complicated than necessary is the way of all beauracrats. In business and economic terms it is inefficient and in social terms it is selfish and inexcusably callous. And yet the government takeover. single payer option, is still a possible outcome of what might happen in the health care debate.
There are probably less than 40 million people in the United States with no public or private health insurance or medical coverage. Remember that by law and practice, those same people can get care at every emergency room in the country and by law they must be taken to that facility by public or private ambulance.
All we have is a rough estimate that forty million people are uninsured. The mere fact that no absolute numbers are available is an indicator of how inefficient the government really is when it comes to something as basic as data collection. Are we to trust them with an iron fist over 1/6 of our economy? The breakdown of that maximum of forty million is:10 to 15 million illegal aliens,
10 to 12 million people in family units earning over $75,000 per year who choose not to buy insurance, 5 to 10 million temporarily uninsured because of job changes or temporary financial distress and 2 to 5 million who cannot get insurance because of mental problems, drug addiction and lack of education that keep them from applying and a final 3 to 6 million affected at some point in time with pre-existing conditions. I fell into this category myself for a couple of years and it was frightening.
Closing loopholes and biases in existing coverage through legislation, tax incentives and the overhauling of state unemployment insurance benefits to cover health insurance would fix the problems outlined above for most of these individuals. That leaves maybe 5 to 7 million people out in the cold. Should we create a system that could ruin one of the best health care systems in the world for that small increase in coverage. I don't think we should.
There are better ways to accomplish the solutions in much cheaper and more effective ways. Giving billions in grants to FREE CLINICS would be the quickest and it would stimulate the economy. The money to do this has already been appropriated in the stimulus bills passed by congress. It would be much sounder public policy to use if for health care than to foolishly spend it on low priority busy work projects that have not been thought through.
This pattern of CHAOS exists for a reason. It is the proven methodology used by big corporations, big government and big money interests. "The Elitists" for lack of a better term, use this chaos to constantly keep the American people in a perpetual state of inaction and turmoil. These groups do it because they make money and keep their jobs; their interest is not the COMMON GOOD.
We must also understand that our current system has basic flaws that cost lives and wastes resources.Our system is good and has a strong foundation BUT it can and should be better. Better implementation and oversight of basic sanitary controls alone would save thousands of lives and billions of dollars each year. A recent Harvard University study claims that 30% of medical procedures and costs are simply not needed. Tort reform and better oversight are needed at the hospital and clinic level.
One of the reasons that I firmly believe that some kind of public option is not the answer to the health care solution is that I simply do not trust big government to do a good job. I also believe that I am alive and speaking out freely on this blog because of the private American Medical system and the treatment that I received under it. Study the chaos in the National Health system in the UK and you will see glaring evidence that I am correct. Britain's Nation Health system is the third largest employer in the world and the British people have a system that rations mediocre care at best. Canadians come to the U.S. for quality medical care if they can afford it. Instead of rushing into an impossible to impliment major takeover of the already cumbersome and flawed American Health Care System, it would make much more sense to study our aggregate of providers and then use the best of them as models for reform. Only at that point should public funds be used to pick up the slack in the system. Another consideration would be to expand the Medicaid system. It is already in place and this is one publicly funded option that would not play havoc with existing systems.
We need to keep in mind that America still ranks in the top tier of health care systems in the world, even with our admitted problems.
The reforms that I propose here could also be enacted quickly; in months not years. There are billions of stimulus dollars already appropriated by congress to create jobs; that money should be used immediately to help solve the unmet health care needs of Americans. Grants could be given in months to organizations such as The Shriners Hospitals, St Judes Childrens Hospital, The Cleveland Clinics and many other groups that already have a proven record of helping the poor and sick.
As mentioned, I do not think the government is capable of running the health care system. However, I firmly believe in federal and state regulation of the health care industry, medical establishments and insurance companies. We need sensible regulatory principles and that in itself is enough of a challenge for our regulators.
References and Sources
Cleveland Clinic:
www.ClevelandClinic.org and www.my.clevelandclinic.org
FREE CLINICS:
http://freemedicalcamps.com
We invite you to search these topics at US NEWS & WORLD REPORT. The September, 2009 issue of the ATLANTIC MONTHLY.
The Los Angeles Times on the King - Drew debacle.
There is a pattern that has been going on in our country for generations. The focus on a problem comes and goes but only the incremental changes and improvements that time brings actually solves most problems. In the case of health care, we should not allow this to happen. It amazes me that only incremental changes in the system have been made in the American Health Care system since the Clinton Team tried and failed to change it twenty years ago. Meanwhile, costs have skyrocketed and the burden on individuals via raising costs, higher insurance premiums and higher taxes and deficits have increased dramatically. We have already pointed out two solutions; increased competition and tort reform. Now, we must focus on the groups that are doing a great job and emulate and learn from them. We'll also look at one of the worst performers so that we can get an idea of what to avoid.
The Cleveland Clinic
Founded in 1921, this hospital group consistently ranks as one of the top three medical facilities in America. The Cleveland Clinic is ranked among America's Top Hospitals by US News & World Report
It is growing rapidly, yet it has developed systems and procedures to control costs while delivering excellent care. In fact, the Cleveland Clinics' across the board rates are about 40% LESS than comparable groups for better care. Why does this information fall on deaf ears? The first thing lawmakers and reformers should do is to make a beeline to Cleveland to see health care that works.
A plethora of FREE CLINICS throughout America
Tax breaks for individual donors, sponsors, physicians and government funding to this type of entity would be a solution that is within reach now. Less expensive yet effective. The reasons that these groups are worthy of funding is that the operators are offering a hands on solution and they are run by individuals and smaller effective groups. This approach avoids the big organization approach that has been proven to be ineffective and wasteful.
King Drew Medial Center in Los Angeles County
This center is a great example of how government funded and run health care can be a disaster. Millions were pumped into this hospital for over twenty five years and its dismal record never improved. Patient death rates were higher than at any other hospital in California. Finally, it was closed down by the Federal Government. The main reasons for this debacle was that political and special interest groups interfered with regulation and good care.
See References and Sources for extensive background information on this section.
Conclusions:
The REAL FACTS and NUMBERS.
Exaggerating the problem and making the solution more complicated than necessary is the way of all beauracrats. In business and economic terms it is inefficient and in social terms it is selfish and inexcusably callous. And yet the government takeover. single payer option, is still a possible outcome of what might happen in the health care debate.
There are probably less than 40 million people in the United States with no public or private health insurance or medical coverage. Remember that by law and practice, those same people can get care at every emergency room in the country and by law they must be taken to that facility by public or private ambulance.
All we have is a rough estimate that forty million people are uninsured. The mere fact that no absolute numbers are available is an indicator of how inefficient the government really is when it comes to something as basic as data collection. Are we to trust them with an iron fist over 1/6 of our economy? The breakdown of that maximum of forty million is:10 to 15 million illegal aliens,
10 to 12 million people in family units earning over $75,000 per year who choose not to buy insurance, 5 to 10 million temporarily uninsured because of job changes or temporary financial distress and 2 to 5 million who cannot get insurance because of mental problems, drug addiction and lack of education that keep them from applying and a final 3 to 6 million affected at some point in time with pre-existing conditions. I fell into this category myself for a couple of years and it was frightening.
Closing loopholes and biases in existing coverage through legislation, tax incentives and the overhauling of state unemployment insurance benefits to cover health insurance would fix the problems outlined above for most of these individuals. That leaves maybe 5 to 7 million people out in the cold. Should we create a system that could ruin one of the best health care systems in the world for that small increase in coverage. I don't think we should.
There are better ways to accomplish the solutions in much cheaper and more effective ways. Giving billions in grants to FREE CLINICS would be the quickest and it would stimulate the economy. The money to do this has already been appropriated in the stimulus bills passed by congress. It would be much sounder public policy to use if for health care than to foolishly spend it on low priority busy work projects that have not been thought through.
This pattern of CHAOS exists for a reason. It is the proven methodology used by big corporations, big government and big money interests. "The Elitists" for lack of a better term, use this chaos to constantly keep the American people in a perpetual state of inaction and turmoil. These groups do it because they make money and keep their jobs; their interest is not the COMMON GOOD.
We must also understand that our current system has basic flaws that cost lives and wastes resources.Our system is good and has a strong foundation BUT it can and should be better. Better implementation and oversight of basic sanitary controls alone would save thousands of lives and billions of dollars each year. A recent Harvard University study claims that 30% of medical procedures and costs are simply not needed. Tort reform and better oversight are needed at the hospital and clinic level.
One of the reasons that I firmly believe that some kind of public option is not the answer to the health care solution is that I simply do not trust big government to do a good job. I also believe that I am alive and speaking out freely on this blog because of the private American Medical system and the treatment that I received under it. Study the chaos in the National Health system in the UK and you will see glaring evidence that I am correct. Britain's Nation Health system is the third largest employer in the world and the British people have a system that rations mediocre care at best. Canadians come to the U.S. for quality medical care if they can afford it. Instead of rushing into an impossible to impliment major takeover of the already cumbersome and flawed American Health Care System, it would make much more sense to study our aggregate of providers and then use the best of them as models for reform. Only at that point should public funds be used to pick up the slack in the system. Another consideration would be to expand the Medicaid system. It is already in place and this is one publicly funded option that would not play havoc with existing systems.
We need to keep in mind that America still ranks in the top tier of health care systems in the world, even with our admitted problems.
The reforms that I propose here could also be enacted quickly; in months not years. There are billions of stimulus dollars already appropriated by congress to create jobs; that money should be used immediately to help solve the unmet health care needs of Americans. Grants could be given in months to organizations such as The Shriners Hospitals, St Judes Childrens Hospital, The Cleveland Clinics and many other groups that already have a proven record of helping the poor and sick.
As mentioned, I do not think the government is capable of running the health care system. However, I firmly believe in federal and state regulation of the health care industry, medical establishments and insurance companies. We need sensible regulatory principles and that in itself is enough of a challenge for our regulators.
References and Sources
Cleveland Clinic:
www.ClevelandClinic.org and www.my.clevelandclinic.org
FREE CLINICS:
http://freemedicalcamps.com
We invite you to search these topics at US NEWS & WORLD REPORT. The September, 2009 issue of the ATLANTIC MONTHLY.
The Los Angeles Times on the King - Drew debacle.
Comments
Post a Comment