01-06-2016, 02:58 PM
(01-06-2016, 02:18 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Getting people insured is a huge accomplishment, but keeping it affordable for 'meaningful coverage' is a healthcare reform act shortfall.
I don't know if you see it in your area, but where I live (Northern Kentucky) we have one organization, St. Elizabeth, that owns every medical service - hospitals, doctors, labs. The only competition is if you cross the river into Ohio, and when you do that you must remain in the network your insurer has established. No real cost control that one can see; just a monopoly. And that's an aspect that bothers me the most. No cost control, and no opportunity to shop around in the community in which I live.
Another cost aspect is the over-charging that occurs from St. Elizabeth, one that I personally experienced. After auditing a bill with the hospital. it went down over 20% after eliminating multiple charges for the same item, and eliminating line items for services not rendered.
Making healthcare available to all, plus establishing minimum coverage that makes sense are but two items that are necessary. Affordability for services and pharmaceuticals have yet to be addressed, at least not effectively. If you ever do get to see the detailed costs, it won't be a pretty picture regarding the impact on the average citizen.
We used to have a local hospital that was independent and while they had centers in areas that maybe lacked access to healthcare, most of the physicians and whatnot in the area were independent of the hospital system but had admitting and visiting privileges. So if you had to go in for something, your GP could come in and check on you.
A few years ago, Sentara purchased the independent hospital. Sentara is a sizable 'non-profit' based out of Norfolk that covers areas in most of Virginia. Now, all of those independent doctors can no longer come in to see their patients and some of the more 'mom and pop' feel has been lost (though in truth it was lost when they moved from the building my office is currently in to their new campus, yes I work in a former hospital). The staff haven't been too keen on it as there is a much larger focus on efficiency and what not. All of that being said, I can't speak much to the cost since I've only really started going to the doctor regularly and have been treated for things since the buyout, but I have found it overall not so bad.
We have enough competition here for the outpatient stuff that it keeps them more on their toes, I think. We also have independent lab companies, so that helps. Me personally, I actually utilize Sentara RMH services for all medical stuff because I like having my record more easily accessible between my GP and any specialists I may have to see.
All of that being said, what you point out in this post is getting at my issue all along with the "health care reform". It's not really reforming health care, it's just getting people insured. It isn't addressing the fact that the costs for these goods and services are what the real issue is and why it costs so much more for us than some other countries. It's exactly what doctors do to something they don't know how to cure, they treat the symptoms, not the disease itself. But we really need to start focusing on the disease.
