The financial crisis is getting all the headlines and, so it is claimed, occupying all the attention of at least one presidential candidate.
Yet a bigger economic issue is hardly being addressed: the exploding costs of health care in the U.S., where we spend a far greater share of our incomes on health than people in other rich countries. How do other countries avoid having health care attract an ever-growing share of resources under their systems of universal coverage and still produce health outcomes at least as good as ours?
One way was made clear yesterday, when, as a (temporary) citizen of Bonn, Germany, my wife received a letter saying she had been scheduled for a free mammogram at a particular time and place. With a preset appointment, no effort is required to arrange things; this arrangement would certainly not exist for most people at home.
Substituting the small cost of preventive care for the large costs of curative care for all citizens seems like a sensible way to contain medical costs under a universal health care system.
Maybe, as I think will happen, the U.S. will finally provide access to health care for all citizens; and it may be possible to do so without shifting still more resources into this sector.
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you seriously can say “and it may be possible to do so without shifting still more resources into this sector.” when you are talking about increasing enrollment by 10X ? I never, never understand how people can propose this and not understand the MASSIVE cost increase. From 30 million Americans to 300 million Americans. And you think that costs will not rise ?!
One reason for the disparity, which is rarely mentioned, is that the United States subsidizes innovation for the rest of the world. Pharma and MedTech companies spend so much time, money, and effort developing new therapies because they know they can make a profit in the U.S. market. These innovations then spill over to the rest of the world at the reduced prices that they are willing to pay.
I was just complaining about this subject this week!! My teen-aged son injured his knee last week. We took him to the emergency room due to it being 8:00 at night. They did an examination, took x-rays, and determined he needed an MRI. Instructed us to follow up with an orthopedic surgeon.
We contacted the surgeon the next day. They couldn’t get him in until the following Tuesday. The surgeon’s office instructs us to have all of his records faxed to their office.
We go in on Tuesday. The receptionist is very happy to hear that we have BC/BS because we do not have to get approval for any of the procedures.
The doctor is an hour late for the appointment. He spends 5 minutes with our son to tell us he needs an MRI. I asked him why he needed to examine our son and tell us the exact same thing we found out at the ER. He didn’t have an answer for us.
He then instructed us that we can have the MRI done here in town, but there is a 10 day wait to get it done. He also informs us that we can get it done this week at an out-of town-clinic. Doing some research we find out that the out-of-town clinic costs half the amount for the same test because they do a larger volume. The local MRI is the only one around for 75 miles so they can charge what they want.
We get the MRI done, but the doctor would not tell us the results of it unless we came into the office for another visit!!! My husband threw enough of a fit that they reviewed the MRI and let us know there was no other damage. They indicated they still wanted us to come in for an appointment so they could set us up for physical therapy. I told them no thanks, contacted a physical therapist and made the arrangements myself.
People wonder why it costs so much for heath coverage.
That’s great that they schedule preventative care, but what about the actual treatment if they find something? Based on my conversations with friends in Canada, they’ll schedule that too, but it usually is months out, if ever. So I guess they can find that cancer, but good luck in getting in to get it treated.
All British women are offered free scheduled annnual cervical smears and all women over 45 have free scheduled mammograms 3 yearly. The government has just announced that from next year all British residents of 40+ will be offered a free annual comprehensive health checkup, including blood tests and X rays etc where advisable.
We in the UK often complain about our national health service but compared to some countries we have a lot to be thankful for.
Are we counting the additional tax dollars paid towards the cost of the free mammogram?
How about is health care remained completely private but was regulated with a classification system? A “certified” provider’s plan includes all those free preventative tests at the base cost while non-certified plans can provide as little coverage as the participant would like to pay for.
As several posters have pointed out the correlation is questionable. Another reason medical costs are lower in Europe is that health care providers (doctors and nurses) are paid much less than in the U.S.
With the knowledge that a singular experience can be misleading here is one personal experience: A speaker at one of my conferences cut a vein in his leg minutes before he was supposed to do the opening keynote. We rushed him by ambulance to a Berlin hospital. After being initially apprehensive, he came back happy: He got in immediately, the total experience cost him only US$80, he didn’t have to figure out how to make an insurance claim with Blue Shield from Berlin, and seemed fine.
Then on the long flight back to New York, the stitches in his leg popped.
Sometimes you do get what you paid for. Or less.
@ #4 – Have a look at just about any study. Preventative care is massively cheaper than curative care.
@ #8 – Your second point is correct. However, most people aren’t likely to lead a properly healthy lifestyle if not reminded by a doctor. It’s not as prevalent common knowledge as you would think.
@ #9 – Public costs will rise, but private costs will fall. You didn’t know you’re already subsidizing the uninsured? When they get sick, go to the ER, and can’t pay medical bills, hospitals pass along the costs in order to stay in the black. Fees go up, paid by insurance companies. Insurance companies pass along those charges to you and me. Add that to lost revenue from companies that see medical costs as a good reason to not locate in the US (such as Ontario being the capital of auto production in North America–not Michigan or Mexico), and I’d say we’re losing out. Wouldn’t you?