Health Care Crock

The Albuquerque Journal guest column Wednesday by Dr. Barry Kracow* is entitled, Reforming Health Care Takes Smart Shoppers.  It is a rambling indictment of a public option in health care legislation in the snarky tone of an AM radio listener.  The Doctor suggests that obtaining health services should be more like shopping. 

By distorting our usual act-of -paying experiences, we no longer utilize our immense power to restrain costs. Instead, we continue to engage in a perverse system that minimizes our obligation to assess the costs of these services as with normal shopping experiences. In contrast to the spirit that founded our unique country, we handed over too much responsibility for the management of health-care costs to the government, insurance companies, lawyers, doctors and the workplace. The public option can only increase the perversity of this system. (...)[omitted trite Pogo quote.]

Because we as health consumers do not or will not regularly or directly contemplate the costs of our personal health care, we distance ourselves from the economic facts for any and all health-care services. When more serious health-care problems arise, we feel entitled to care, because the system fosters entitlement. Eventually, some need a rescue (a bailout) because the system never encouraged saving for a rainy day for 10, 20…or 50 years.  [my bold.]

That's his answer.  Shop and compare!  It's a service.   Remember this before you dial 911 if you have an accident.   When you're sick or injured it's a perfect opportunity to learn about all the possible procedures, treatments and their costs!  This will constrain service costs for everyone and make the system work!  Why, it's just like how you always shop for other services like water, sewer and electricity.  Right?  Right? 

What a crock, Kracow.  

*Yes,  that Barry Kracow.  Yes, it is a small town.

 

Comments

[Inky Ink, Inc.]

Kracow? Isn't that the second largest city in Poland?

[Hunter]

In fairness to Dr Sleep Disorder (but not defense) this seems to be the essence of the opposition in the current debate. Medical care is not a necessity and people should buy what they can afford, just like a car or a house. This ignores the fact that there aren't "cheaper" X-rays. What this also conveniently ignores is that the costs of health care for the wealthy are already subsidized by the government.

"Cadillac" health plans, typically available only to higher paid, senior management are fully deductible to the employer. Compare to Cadillac employee life insurance which is taxed for the amount over $50,000.

Similarly, the deductibility of medical expenses is only useful if you can itemize. Lower income taxpayers, especially renters, pay 100% of non-covered medical costs with no deduction benefit. High income filers, after taxes, get a 30% or more "discount" on their uncovered costs, courtesy of government run tax policy.

[buy soma online]

As the past years of Health Care system in our country continuously burning down to a level of being a wealth care system. Tough times for now regarding our health care policy but what can we do? We don't have the power and all we have to do is to follow. We are just ordinary people and hoping for a better future for our children's health care system.I hope our president will realize what do we really need and not what their pockets want.