The first major conference on health policy I ever attended, organized by The National Journal in Washington sometime in the late 1970s, focused on the rising cost of health care, which then absorbed close to 8 percent of gross domestic product and was threatening the unimaginable: to claim 10 percent or more of G.D.P.
Governors, senators, members of Congress, business executives, the heads of trade associations and leaders of unions representing health care workers made presentations, and all of them agreed that the growth of health care spending had to be curbed -”“ by what now is called “bending the cost curve….”
Over the decades, the mission has been a failure, naturally….
I am starting to think that part of the reason that medical costs are so high is because of the advent of health insurance. Perhaps if there were no health insurance at all, prices would be forced down across the board. Perhaps, doctors and hospitals couldn’t charge so much because no one could pay them so much. Perhaps fewer people would burden the system with frivolous trips to health care providers. Perhaps universities couldn’t charge so much for the educational process because folks going into medicine wouldn’t have any reasonable expectation of ever paying it back. Perhaps, city, county, and state governments would subsidize health professional’s education in return for a service contract of a set number of years.
Naah, it will never happen.
Any time someone else pays the bills, demand is detached from cost, which means cost increases do not concern those creating the demand. You have seen and will see more of the same thing as college loans become gifts and tuition becomes even more detached from those consuming college.
The best (only) way to lower cost is to increasse supply.
All the other tinkering only increases costs in the long run. The history of the last 30 years proves it.
The big cost increasers are malpractice, AMA, government(s), and, yes, insurance companies. But most of the problems with insurace companies are as a result of the meddling of governments
Don
As to STN, utilization would likely decrease if insurance were returned to being insurance and not indemnity. Cover major med and preventive, with the rest all or mostly out of pocket.
Don’s factors do affect cost. But the overwhelming factor, which the article completely skips, is lifestyle choices, making an estimated 75% of healthcare costs self-imposed. E.g., one recent study found that only 5% of Americans get a minimum level of exercise. Add overeating, drug/alcohol abuse, promiscuity, and it is easy to see how the single most effective way to reduce health care expenditures is chaning behavior. It is not the fault of government or insurance companies that 1/3 of americans are obese and another 1/3 are overweight; however govt and ins cos might help by being more proactive about healthy lifestyles.
4. Bill Matz:
I heartily agree! As a Christian I am not in favor of wealth being used to cover up our sins of the flesh, neither by insurance, wealth, nor government. We live in a society, however, that wants government to be the judge of all things moral (by law) and for its citizens to be free from all liability as long as they remain within the law. This is the logical outcome of a godless society.
Don
#4 Bill,
I agree somewhat, but I want you to consider something. Recently, I have been forced by health issues to look very closely at my food choices and carbohydrates in particular. The other day, I found myself at “McBurgers” with my young kids. Not to worry though, because I had researched viable and relatively healthy choices before hand so as to be able to cope. At the last minute, I was asked if I wanted a sauce with a menu item. I gave the matter a few seconds of thought and selected hot mustard. I like hot spicey food and mustard, so it seemed a safe choice that would not impact my carbohydrate consumption.
I learned a hard lesson that day. After consuming my meal, including the hot mustard, I had a few minutes to wait while my children were playing with their toys, so I read the ingredients list on the mustard pack. The very first ingredient listed (which means it is the largest component of the “hot mustard” sauce) was high fructose corn syrup. That one little packet of hot mustard had 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fat. I had had a 17% increase in my planned carbohydrate intake because I wanted hot mustard on my chicken! I had consciously not chosen the barbecue sauce or the sweet and sour sauce, etc. in the mistaken belief that hot mustard would be a safe choice.
Who puts fat and sugar into mustard?!? McBurger does! I had had a salad with skinless grilled chicken, a “wrap” sandwich, and some chicken bits…all carefully calculated to allow me to have a precise amount of carbohydrates. I NEVER dreamed that someone would make a “hot mustard” sauce would have sugar as the primary ingredient. In fact, their hot mustard is almost entirely sugar. No other ingredient even comes close. I might as well have dumped sugar and fat all over my food and been done with the illusion! BTW, I had read the nutrition facts printed on the back of the place mat, and I did not see the hot mustard sauce listed. I should have been more cautious.
So, yes, there is individual responsibility. Yes, I am responsible for my own health. I am responsible for my food choices. Yet, if I do not have the information to make an informed choice…if sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup is put into a significant number of the foods available, it is like walking in a nutritional minefield. I may step carefully and pick my path with caution, but there is no guarantee I won’t step on a mine by accident no matter how hard I try.
I am not alone. As far as I am concerned, HFCS is poison and it is everywhere. It can kill me if I am not extremely careful. For the record, I walk 5-6 times a week for 30 – 50 minutes minimum. People hiding HFCS in foods might as well take a knife and slash me in the pancreas. HFCS has also been shown to fuel cancer cells better than regular sugar. Is it any wonder that we have had obesity, diabetes, and cancer epidemics happening along side the increased usage of HFCS in a huge number of foods?
High fructose corn syrup…it’s what’s for dinner!
STN, we agree. Choice only works if it is informed. The food industry has done a good job of defrauding the public. You can bet that McBurger won’t be posting honest reviews by (e.g.) Consumer Reports That is why this is one area we cannot allow pure free market; consumers have no way to evaluate the invisible toxins present in most processed food.