In my opinion the health care crisis can be directly attributed to doctors, and their abuse of health insurance.
Doctors padded their costs, did unnecessary procedures and tests to increase their revenue, and in turn, the insurance companies had to increase their rates to compensate for it. and it became an out of control, runaway situation.
Doctors used to be aware of their patients financial situations, and did what had to be done to accomplish healing. The physician worked a little harder and longer, but got results at reasonable costs.
Advances in technology are also to blame. High priced equipment had to be purchased by hospitals to stay abreast of the advances. Additional people had to be hired and trained to run the equipment, hospital staffs became larger, more services, more departments.
Hospitals had to convert patient rooms to office space, and then expand the size of the hospital.
Doctors, hospitals, technology, expanded staffs in the hospitals, expanded staffs in the physicians offices, all contributed to the problem. In many cities, hospitals expanded by buying doctors offices and practices, that increased their size and overhead.
In our case, our doctor sold his office and practice to the hospital. He has retired, but we still go to that office, owned by our hospital, and staffed by hospital doctors, nurses and staff. Their actions, in some cases, are dictated by the management of the hospital. I used to visit my doctors office when I needed him. Now in order to get a prescription refilled, I have to visit the office, and get billed accordingly. The visit is generally followed by needed testing, just to fill the prescription. More billing.
I think this leads to more unnecessary tests and procedures, the doctor becomes a puppet for the hospital, they are employees of the hospital, rather than independent physicians, who can make their own diagnosis and prescribe the necessary tests and procedures to achieve healing. In my opinion, doctors are "encouraged" to see that certain tests and procedures are performed. If the BOSS tells you to do it, YOU DO. They are no longer "independent."
Healing should be the goal of a physician. Increasing the QUALITY of life for a patient. This should be accomplished without any outside influence. When you have an EMPLOYER with millions of dollars of equipment and a tremendous overhead, possibly exerting pressure to get their equipment used, I don't think healing is the only criteria. Medicine then becomes a business, and everything gets out of proportion.
1950:
A hospital bill from 12/50 for the delivery of a baby, 5 day stay and all necessary medications,, dressings, circumcision and all ................. $86.33
Their insurance paid........................................... $62.00
Out of pocket ................................................. $24.33
TODAY:
In the US, at a hospital, for a vaginal delivery, around 5000-7000. For a c-section, about 12,000-25,000. C-section babies often need NICU care and that can be upwards of 25,000. Prenatal care with a doctor is separate and runs around 1200-2000. Anesthesia (epidural) is also separate and runs about 500-1000. A pediatrician at the hospital will need to examine and "care" for baby and that's another 250-500.
And, the end result is the same, you come home with a baby .........
In 1950 you could not buy a car, for the cost of a delivery.
Today, you can.
