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Dr Shapiro completed his undergraduate education at UC San Diego earning a B S in Biochemistry and Cell Biology and a B A in Political Science He furthered his education at UCLA where he earned a Masters Degree in Public…
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Health Care Reform: Has the Time Finally Arrived?
Simply put, I believe so.
And how can I so easily say this to be the case? Well, two reasons...the first being President Obama has clearly made this one of his top priorities. All one has to do is listen to the words he spoke to a joint session of Congress just a couple of nights ago to realize how devoted he is to improving health care in the United States..."the budget I submit will invest in the three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future: energy, healthcare, and education." And one could certainly palpate the pride he felt a bit later in his speech when he described how Congress had just passed a law providiing health insurance to 11 million American children whose parents work full time as if this was just the tip of the iceberg of things to come.
But what has probably convinced me even just a wee bit more that the time has come for health care reform is that the people are now speaking...and not so much by what they are doing but rather by what they are not doing. You see, according to a recent eye-opening poll performed by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans are clearly skimping on their own health care these days secondary to the costs involved. Specifically, some of the disturbing but not terribly surprising results found in this poll include:
- Greater than 50% of the Americans polled said they or a family member living with them skimped on their health care in order to save money over the past year.
- Approximately 1/3 of the respondents either relied on home remedies or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs instead of visiting a physician.
- Approximately 25% postponed a recommended medical test or treatment and 15% cut pills in half or just skipped doses of medicine altogether.
- Over 15% postponed surgery or visiting their physician for a chronic illness and nearly 20% each skipped a doctor's routine visit or a visit for just a temporary illness.
- 13% said they used up all or most of their savings from trying to pay off large medical bills over the previous year.
- And 7% described problems of receiving appropriate mental health care.
And in regard to the question of whether it's important to reform health care right now despite the current economic crisis, over 60% of the respondents said yes.
So I ask, what say you?
Dr. Jeremy
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A wealthy American friend suffered a heart attack at Heathrow airport, on arrival to the uk.. He was whisked to hospital, given emergency treatment, nursed back to health and given all the necessary drugs on being discharged.. When leaving he and his wife were concerned that they had not received a bill for the treatment and made enquiries.. Guess what??? It was free.. So for the poorest unemployed, for our children, the elderly and even for the richest visitors to our country.. the NHS is FREE.. The rest of us pay a relative pittance for the security of the knowledge that we, our loved ones, our neighbours.. and everyone else will receive the best treatment available under the NHS.
There are so many myths bandied about by incredulous folk with regards to failings of the NHS.. Yes there are failings.. there always will be in any and every health care system. The constant, evolving advances of medical science and ever changing health care needs and expectations will ensure that this is always the case.. There are abuses of the system.. and for as long as the system addresses the needs of all the individuals in a society.. there will always be abuses, by those that have some need to abuse, patients and employees. These are issues that are constantly being tackled and will be till human nature has evolved to the extent that all are in tune with the value of acting responsibly.
All these things become insignificant at the point when you yourself, or someone that you care for faces an incident in their lives where they need to access medical care. We do not spend out lives worrying about the fact that 'if' we become ill we might not be able to afford to be treated adequately.. so have already avoided a great deal of personal stress that can often lead ill health.. We go to see a doctor without worrying about the financial consequences.
We are not told what doctor to go and see.. we would already have developed a relationship with our local GP practice. I have been visiting the same practice for for thirty seven years. If necessary the GP will refer us for further diagnostic tests, scans etc.. and then to a consultant. NHS patients are able to choose which specialist to see and in what hospital anywhere in the country. Generally we will go to the one recommended by our GP, as obviously he/she will be better informed to make this choice. If we do not agree with the findings of the specialist or are in any way uneasy about the diagnosis, we are able to access and second and, guess what? even... a third opinion. The option for three opinions is a statutory right for all NHS patients.
Once we are satisfied that the diagnosis is correct.. WE choose the hospital which we wish to be treated in. I have ovarian cancer and having felt that the treatment offered at the local hospital, cancer department, was not what I felt comfortable with, opted to go to The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. This is one of the worlds leading cancer research hospitals, there is no better place for me to be treated. I even get the travel costs paid for.
With a suspected cancer all the the stops are pulled.. there are no waiting lists.. you get treated as a priority and it is the same with any other life threatening or emergency condition. There are government led initiatives and targets set for all hospitals to see patients within specified waiting times for all conditions and these are now largely being met.. My son had a routine, knee operation cancelled due to a patient being admitted who needed emergency surgery due to a car accident.. There are those within every society who would complain about such an action being taken.. but they are clearly, idiots. My son told the hospital that should they have a cancellation for a surgery that he would be happy to come in at short notice. He was operated on the next day.. unbelievable that people are booked in for routine surgeries or even specialist consultations and cancel at the last minute.. many of these don't even bother to cancel.. they just don't turn up.. They are not penalized and can rebook. I would hasten to bet that many of those people would be the first to complain about the failings and abuses of the system.. I know these things from personal experience as I have worked as a receptionist in many departments of our local hospital.
As far as not treating people because they are considered to be too old goes.. on the contrary.. I have often been concerned and alarmed at the severity of treatment given to very old and frail patients. Decisions to treat or not to treat are, rightly, taken by their specialist care team.. money is not an issue.. the patients well being is.. yes mistakes are made and processes are in place to address these.
Drug rationing.. For as long as drug companies charge extortionately high prices for new treatments, rationing has to be in place. For as long as limited funds are available some form of rationing has to be in place. In my experience over nine years of cancer treatment.. I could have received a drug that would have meant I would not have lost my hair, but it was too expensive for the NHS to fund.. so I lost my hair.. and it has grown back now. but they did not scrimp on the drugs to ensure the best possible medical out come.
There are and always will be cases where patients disagree with or feel they have to fight for the treatment they believe they require, we are a democracy and there are procedures in place for us to appeal to and to have our disagreements heard. These are cases that make the headlines, but are actually extremely rare and inevitable in any national health care system.
There will never be a perfect system of national health care.. to strive for that is the best that any society can do.. and that is what we in the UK and most other civilized countries are doing.. so come on America.. pull your fingers out of the fat honey pot, join the real war raging in your communities.. don't knock others for being ahead of you in this.. but rather show us how to do it better.. You know you can..
I think every country should be responsible for the health and welfare of it's citizens. Who cares if it comes out of taxes.
I would much prefer to see taxes spent on health, than what most of it goes on these days.
#38, if the Canadian health system is so great, why are Canadians flocking to the U.S. to treatment? http://www.liberty-page.com/issues...#canada
I could go on with examples from Europe and other countries but no one cares because they are obsessed with the idea of "free" health care. "Free" health care is not free. Somebody has to pay for it--whether it's through your tax dollars or mine. And do you really all want Uncle Sam sticking his nose into your family's medical business and telling you which doctor to see, and when, and whether or not it's worth curing you? Wake up, people!
To me, the idea of having to pay for your health is vile and disgusting. It is a basic need for all people and should be provided for all people, not just those who can afford it.
I happily have Kaiser Permanente where I can get an appointment almost immediately and they are not afraid to test me nine ways to Sunday.
There is a problem when they send you for an MRI and handle intake through the emergency room and the wait can be hours...fortunately that is once in a blue moon.
My health record is an on-line secure account and I can revisit what my reports and results say. I can e-mail MY physician and she gets back to me quickly, its pretty cool.
The doctors have all been great, they listen and are not stressed over paying their student loans AND the overhead of their clinic.
I pay almost $400 a month and a $25 co-pay. Usually I take my prescriptions to Wal-Mart.
PPO Doc discovered Melanoma three years ago...have had Kaiser Permanente for a year now...I have to go in for my Melanoma scan tomorrow...kinda nervous that I have another spot. No health care reform for me thank you.
But, guess what - most of us who have stocks or mutual funds are also to blame because we want profit performance (this stock market is a matter for discussion at another time).
I don't really know what the answer is, but it certainly isn't to continue along the same road. I never thought I would say this, but I really think national healthcare (which some would call socialism) is necessary. Nevertheless, government can be ezpected to screw things up too if industry lobbyists still have open access. One thing I am certain of is that TV and radio advertising of prescription products should not be permitted for all the obvious reasons - not the least of which is the fact that the consumer/patient ultimately pays for it in the price of the drug.