Tuesday, September 08, 2009

What Could Be the Last Word on Healthcare

Having drawn attention to the perverse system of disincentives embedded in America's present system of paying for healthcare and the even more perverse set of disincentives provided by Obamacare, we now declare a Last Word. As if such a thing were possible.

The Atlantic this month carries an extensive article by one David Goldhill, a business executive prompted to consider the American healthcare "system" after the death of his father from an infection contracted at a major hospital. Goldhill notes meticulously and clearly how the present system discourages and prevents consumers from evaluating healthcare options from a cost/benefit standpoint, unlike virtually every other area of a rational economy.

His proposal involves a transition to mandatory catastrophic insurance, health savings accounts, subsidies for the poor, and reorganization of healthcare providers into more cooperative, efficient systems that don't rely on fee-for-service but allocate costs on bases that incentivize providers to give effective care.

It is completely unlike what the present party in power proposes.

Goldhill's most telling point: if folks think that such a system is unlikely to provide what they need when they need it, they simply should ask what they would do if handed $1.7 million to provide healthcare over their entire lifetime. That's a good approximation of the present cost per patient.

This is a longish article, so settle down for a good read.

2 comments:

Brate said...

This is quite an astonishing result, especially for those taking medicine without the prescription of doctors. Many a times, the combination of two medicines can also cause some harmful effect on the health. Many people used to take inderal and paxil together. This sometimes has caused great heart problems. From the article you provided, I was quite shocked knowing that mere pain killer can be a carrier of so severe problems. Actually, because of the advancements in the technology in medicine, it has become quite necessary for us to consult a doctor. I have been doing so as I am having the facility for that. I can contact the doctor any time 365 days, because of the prevention plus plan(www.elitehealth.com/prevention_plus_health_plan.php) of Elite Health (www.elitehealth.com). They certainly help me taking a complete health care. Such wellness programs also help maintain your health by a constant monitoring of your dietary habits also.

Jim Shoes said...

Well, if you want a nanny, you can pay for one. But why should I be compelled to pay for one if I'm willing to take responsibility to monitor my own diet and ask my own pharmacist about drug interactions?