Response to the Problem with Healthcare

Introduction

Many problems in the health care system have made their way into the public eye, and slowly but surely the American people are starting to take action against them. The problem with the United States healthcare system is that everything seems untouchable, and it basically is. The sixth biggest problem in health care today would certainly have to include how little the health care companies inform their clients of the policy they are holding, as well as the excess money that is being lost by the clients. The lack of knowledge that is provided about health care is substantial enough to make any family feel uneasy about the quality of care they are getting. American families absolutely have the right to feel slighted by their healthcare plans as well. Especially due to the fact that the money they spend on the plans, usually goes to someone else. Meaning, if the money paid yearly doesn’t apply to the person paying, (by not having any emergencies all year or not going to the doctors), the excess of money most certainly goes to other places, and health care companies swim while the clientele drowns. Unless there is a massive campaign to change something, nothing is ever fixed; and even after large campaigns, it seems that there is no profitable way out of a system that takes advantage of people every day. In response to Leah Binder's column, her points are well made and accurate, specifically when she talks about the waste of money.

Excessive Spending Lead to Excess

In Binders' article, she makes valid points, which include “unnecessary care, avoidable harm to patients, wasted money, perverse incentives in how we pay for care, and lack of transparency” (Binders, 2013). She speaks predominantly of early elective childbirth, which serves as an excellent example. This is a great illustration of why the healthcare business is profiting but not substantial as to why everyone trying to get healthcare is floundering. Large amounts of money are being spent on numerous issues surrounding the healthcare world, and not being appropriately dispersed to afford the proper care to the people who are paying for it. When they do take on a healthcare plan, it is usually outrageously expensive and most of the money that is paid monthly for a health plan, will not even go to the person paying it.

Naturally, it is upsetting to spend money and receive nothing in return. The only peace of mind that health insurance brings, is that if someone were to need it, it is there. However, a good example of the excess of money is a person who has health insurance, but perhaps hasn’t gone to a doctor or had an accident for a year. Even returning a partial amount of the money paid into their plan could help a family financially, as well as stimulate the economy. If a return policy were put into play, it could significantly benefit the economy. One of the places that this overflow of cash is going to is most certainly early elective childbirth. According to The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2010) is that “nearly $1 billion per year” is spent on early elective childbirth alone, it is baffling to think about how much money has been wasted on other unnecessary health aspects and operations.

The amount of money that is being asked for to hold a policy is astronomical. An article written on the expenses of health care by Bruce Japsen (2013) suggests that “the total share of the overall costs continues to mount, surpassing other household milestones like food and a year’s worth of gas.” That means that on average an American family is spending far too much money on health care and probably not even receiving the best care that they can get. Unfortunately, the reason why the payments are so high is that health care is a requirement, and the private companies have the ability to ask for large sums, knowing that they will get it.

Lack of Knowledge in Healthcare Plans

It’s true that early elective deliveries are taking up mass amounts of health care payments money, but it certainly isn’t the only problem in the health care system. Binders touch on a more important subject in her article that can be applied to many other issues when she states that “Billions of dollars are being wasted” (Binders, 2013). The amount of money that people spend on healthcare far outweighs the actual use of it. The American people pay soaring amounts to keep health insurance, and finding a policy that a working-class citizen can afford is extremely hard to do, growing increasingly difficult as the years pass.

What is even more disturbing than paying so much money, is the lack of knowledge that is brought into the healthcare plan. As stated from the Milbank Quarterly, "The concern about quality arises more from fear and anecdote than from facts; there is little systematic evidence about quality of care in the United States. We have no mandatory national system and few local systems to track the quality of care delivered to the American people" (Schuster, McGlynn, Brook, 2005, p.843)

Unfortunately, this means that although you are required to have health insurance, nothing is being done to ensure the quality of the care being provided. This makes for an unstable and fearful society, as people are shelling out money for something that they are not even being educated on. The authors go on to state that “More information is available on the quality of airlines, restaurants, cars, and VCRs than on the quality of health care”(Schuster, McGlynn, Brook, 2005, p.843). This is an extremely disconcerting statement to make, and the fact that it’s true is even more chilling. Although the article was published in 2005, before the act of Obama care was signed, the amount of knowledge the people have about their health care coverage is just as minimal.

Conclusion

Binders did an excellent job describing the five biggest health care problems. In a broad but concise essay, she was able to clearly define what is making up our healthcare system today and pinpoint exactly what needs to be done in solving the problem. She speaks for millions of Americans who are overpaying for insurance and getting scammed while thinking they’re being helped. The one thing she does not identify is the lack of knowledge of the entire idea of healthcare. The more informed people are about a certain problem, the more likely they are to want to try and fix it.

If the American people could be more educated on what they are actually spending a pretty hefty part of their yearly income on, they would naturally be more informed and able to make better decisions. This would also allow the convenience of a family being able to pick the exact plan that is right for them, as well as a payment plan that they can afford without having to feel like they are breaking the bank. It is true that American families work hard for their money, and shouldn’t have to wonder where it goes or who it goes to. Unfortunately, the government seems to be taking advantage of one of the biggest money-making businesses and turning it into an impersonal production. Healthcare is one of the most personal matters that families have to deal with, and being so disconnected makes it feel like the companies are scamming everyone. If Binders could have included anything else in her essay, it should have been that education on healthcare would absolutely make a difference for families everywhere; because then the American people could stand up for themselves. American people deserve to have personal connections for such a personal subject. That knowledge would allow them to fight for better coverage and a better, healthier, life in general.

References

Binder, L. (2013, February 21). The five biggest problems in health care today. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/leahbinder/2013/02/21/the-five-biggest-problems-in-health-care-today/

Japsen, B. (2013, May 11). Ad spending on Obamacare may make don draper blush. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2013/05/11/ad-spending-on-obamacare-may-make-don-draper-blush/

Robinson, C., Villars, M., Johnson, D., & Simpson, K. (2010). Timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery at term and neonatal outcomes: A cost analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 202(6), 632. Retrieved from http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(10)00364-9/abstract

Schuster, M., McGlynn, E., & Brook, R. (2005). How good is the quality of healthcare in the United States? Milbank Quarterly, 83(4), 843-895.