Problems of U.S. Health Care Are Rooted in the Private Sector, Despite Right-Wing Claims

[Derechos]

A recent report by McKinsey and Company was seized upon by opponents of health care reform to create a new myth: that President Obama’s health insurance reform (the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act -- PPACA) will cause huge numbers of employers to drop health insurance coverage that they currently provide for employees.

The McKinsey study was soon shown to be worthless, and McKinsey itself acknowledged that it “was not intended as predictive economic analysis.” But the myth seems to not be completely dead yet. For a more reasonable estimate of the impact of the health insurance reform, we can look to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. They estimated that the number of people (including family members) covered by employment-based insurance would be about 1.8 percent fewer in 2019, as a result of the PPACA legislation. Of course, this is more than counter-balanced by the fact that the percentage of the (non-elderly) population with insurance would increase from 82 to 92 percent – the main purpose of the reform.

Right-wingers, insurance companies, and other opponents of health care reform in the United States are always looking for ways to blame the government for the failures of our health care system. But the simple truth is that they have it backwards: our problems with health care are firmly rooted in the private sector. That is why the average high-income country – where government is vastly more involved in health care – spends half as much per person on health care as we do, and has better health outcomes.

That is why even Medicare – which has to pay for health care services and drugs at costs inflated by our dysfunctional private health care sector – has still proven to be much more efficient than private insurance. As Nobel Laureate economist Paul Krugman recently pointed out, from 1969 -2009, Medicare spending per person rose 400 percent, adjusted for inflation; private insurance premiums, also adjusted for inflation, rose 700 percent.

The most effective way to insure everyone and make our health care system affordable would have been to expand Medicare to everyone, while beginning the process of reducing costs through negotiation with, and restructuring incentives for, the private sector. The private insurance companies use up hundreds of billions annually on administrative costs, marketing, and other waste – which is what you would expect from companies who maximize profit by insuring the healthy and trying to avoid paying for the sick.

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/problems-of-us-health-care-are-rooted-in-the-private-sector-despite-right-wing-claims

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[Oceansaway]

2. k & r..nt

[Doctor_J]

3. Duh

rec

[OHdem10]

4. The Health Care System in US is designed to increase prices

almost every year.

Please understand: Almost all Health Care Companies
are on the Stock Exchange.(Wall St). The Drug Comapanies,
the Medical Supply Companies, some Hospital Assoc. INSURANCE
COMPANIES.

Each quarter each company has to submit a report of financial
status. It is expected that each company will have increased
profits and earnings. The RATINGS Companies(Moodys etc)
go over these reports with a fine tooth comb. The Companies
are in fear and trembling of being downgraded. Being Downgraded
is the worst of fears. Companies have been known to cook the
books to avoid a downgrade.

It is simple all companies and groups associated with Health
Care must increase profits and earnings. In most things
associated with HC this means either denying RX or Increasing
Premiums in the end. Drug Prices go up, Insurance goes up.
Tests at Hospial go up, Insurance Premiums go up. Doctors
Fees go up, Insurance Premiums go up. If they get too expensive
the Insurance Co. stops covering or the Premium goes up.

This is the way the current system is designed. NO ONE HAS
TACKLED THIS PROBLEM.

Politicans are rather duplicitous in not being absolutely
clear. Both parties will say the cost of Medicare is going
down with the new System. REPEAT AFTER ME. They are talking
about the cost of Medicare to the Government. They have
never been talking about cost of our premiums.

OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED to INCREASE OUR COSTS
almost yearly. They have a responsiblity to Wall ST to
increase earnings and profits.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. Definitely recommended. Wish I could rec 1000 times. n/t