Krugman: Ailing Health Care

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/11/opinion/11krugman4.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

Those of us who accuse the administration of inventing a Social Security crisis are often accused, in return, of do-nothingism, of refusing to face up to the nation's problems. I plead not guilty: America does face a real crisis - but it's in health care, not Social Security.

Well-informed business executives agree. A recent survey of chief financial officers at major corporations found that 65 percent regard immediate action on health care costs as "very important." Only 31 percent said the same about Social Security reform.

But serious health care reform isn't on the table, and in the current political climate it probably can't be. You see, the health care crisis is ideologically inconvenient.

<snip>

First, America's traditional private health insurance system, in which workers get coverage through their employers, is unraveling. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that in 2004 there were at least five million fewer jobs with health insurance than in 2001. And health care costs have become a major burden on those businesses that continue to provide insurance coverage: General Motors now spends about $1,500 on health care for every car it produces.

[Fovea]

1. I suspect I will die from inconvenience then.

And I will choke on the irony that I worked in medicine for almost a dozen years.

[Warpy]

6. I worked as an RN for 20 years

and for 17 of those years, I had no health insurance. I was forced to work per diem because nobody would hire me on staff with my health history.

I was just another worker who couldn't afford what she produced.

The system is in crisis. Every time a nurse like me drops out of the profession, it gets worse.

Every time a nurse like me drops out of the profession, some bean counter gets a pat on the back. Short staffing is now mostly by attrition.

My advice to all of you: Don't get sick.

[stevebreeze]

2. this is a problem for Conservatives since it is the "free market"

aspect of our health care that is the main cause of our problems/ Single payer works much better in every country it is in.

Medicare and Medicaid are have far less bureaucracy then private insurance agency's.

The problem is no one is stuffing politicians pockets for an efficient system, they bribe them to increase profits regardless of what happens to the general public.

[MrModerate]

3. One thing I don't quite buy in Krugman's article . . .

Is attributing increased costs almost entirely to innovation. Sure that's a major component. But the other factor -- (which he addresses later in the article) the inefficiency in the system (i.e., greed) fostered primarily by insurance companies and drug companies -- is increasing even faster.

Drug companies need to be nationalized and medical insurers put out of business. The old saw about lack of innovation from state-owned companies isn't especially compelling when the private sector has substantially priced its services and products out of the reach of its customers.

Do you think it's preposterous to pay $1500 for the health-care costs of making a car? I certainly do.

[OETKB]

11. Only the first installment

Paul Krugman stated there is more to come. In the meantime a single-payer system addresses the inefficiencies you stated. My post is below to take action, at least here in Mass.

[Skittles]

4. they're always addressing how to pay for healthcare

how about addressing why the F*** it costs so much? The reasons they give too often do not pass the smell test.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Coastie for Truth]

10. Himmelstein and Woolhandler (Harvard Med School)

have studied the costs - and say that 25-30% of the costs - minimum - are fraud, waste, abuse, duplication, and bureaucracy (and about 1%-2% - not 20% - are associated with malpractice insurance, claims, and "defensive medicine").

I gave a link below, but go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi
and search on Woolhandler and/or Himmelstein.

[Elidor]

5. The key point in this article:

"The United States has the most privatized, competitive health system in the advanced world; it also has by far the highest costs, and close to the worst results."

Free market policies suck.

[OETKB]

7. Time For Action

Like all major societal issues, it is now time for action. Here in Massachusetts, universal health care is on the legislative agenda. We must immediately start advocating for a single-payer health plan. Organizations like PNHP(Physicians for a National Health Program) have been educating professionals, but now is the time for a grass roots movement, IMHO. Most other organizations are taking a piece-meal approach trying to avoid the necessary institutional changes. Businesses, hospitals, insurance companies have their own selected agenda. We can not afford to let them set the legislative solution. This belongs to the people. The quality of our lives is in the balance. The people's lament:

"Am I covered for this problem?"

"Do you give health insurance with this job?"

"Is my doctor in this plan?"

"How much is the deductible?"

"This much for my co-pay?"

"My insurance has changed now."

"My premium has gone up again!"

"This will bankrupt me."


If you are from Mass and quite frankly even if you are not, would you consider emailing the President of the Mass Senate, Robert Travaglini, to demand consideration of a single-payer system. Maybe Mass(along with Vermont) can be the first in the nation to show that not only is it possible to have efficient health care for all, but it will bring obvious benefits to our people. Who knows what will happen next? Maybe decent, affordable health care for all of us. Let's put our efforts where our mouth is:

<[e-mail]>

[Coastie for Truth]

9. Some more backup

Go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi and search on Woolhandler and/or Himmelstein. They are the docs that Krugman loves to quote.

Also, check out MarketWatch: Illness And Injury As Contributors To Bankruptcy, Himmelstein DU, Warren E, Thorne D, Woolhandler S., Health Aff (Millwood). 2005 Feb 2;
PMID: 15689369 for the observation that:

In 2001, 1.458 million American families filed for bankruptcy. To investigate medical contributors to bankruptcy, we surveyed 1,771 personal bankruptcy filers in five federal courts and subsequently completed in-depth interviews with 931 of them. About half cited medical causes, which indicates that 1.9-2.2 million Americans (filers plus dependents) experienced medical bankruptcy. Among those whose illnesses led to bankruptcy, out-of-pocket costs average $11,854 since the start of illness; 75.7 percent had insurance at the onset of illness. Medical debtors were 42 percent more likely than other debtors to experience lapses in coverage. Even middle-class insured families often fall prey to financial catastrophe when sick.

]

[silverweb]

12. I just discovered PNHP.

Found the site accidentally while looking up something else. The organization is doing a very good job of publicizing the need for universal health care and it was gratifying to see the many, many doctors who signed in support of their proposal.

http://www.pnhp.org

Something has to give. Our health care system is critically ill and it's appalling.

[grasswire]

13. just got a bill today for an ER visit...

....$1600. No insurance. I'll be paying on that until the day I die, probably. The ER physician earned $350 for the few minutes he spent with me. He was treating half a dozen others at the same time. Pretty good hourly wage, I'd say. Six times $350 is $2100 per hour.