Great Local Take on Healthcare in the D&C
This writer sums it up pretty well. I like reading letters from local people I don’t know, who are right on the money on these issues:
Market system’s health is failing
It was interesting to read recently about the difficulty people are having getting CT/PET exams through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and Preferred Care (”Insurers, doctors at odds,” Nov. 11). I wonder if the same difficulties exist in the “socialized” systems of Canada, Britain and France. The “market” system in the United States appears to be more interested in profits.
Perhaps if money paid for policies did not go toward paying the CEOs’ and top managers’ million-dollar salaries, or toward naming athletic arenas, or toward advertising in the media about the benefits of their policies, there would be more money available for actual medical care.
Yes, the “market” works and our high standard of living is dependent on it. However, the “market” does not work well in all human endeavors. The “market” in American medicine continues to fail in so many ways. It is far more expensive than government-run programs. It impinges on the doctor-patient relationship. It drives up the costs of products we buy, actually hurting our economy. It doesn’t cover millions of people.
The bottom line is this: for-profit healthcare makes the most money by paying out the least for healthcare. The bottom line shouldn’t be money. It should be people’s health. It’s a public safety risk if large numbers of people are potential pathways for disease just because they can’t afford healthcare.
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What’s worse is that they spend 20 million dollars for the naming rights on a sports arena, and then get to deduct that 20 million spent on advertising.
HMO’s (and most insurance companies as a whole) need special rules on what they can and cannot spend and/or deduct. Since fees support services, it should be run more like the State Insurance Fund. When’s the last time you saw a commercial for them or a building with their name on it?
I had a strange experience at the doctors office, where, unfortunately, the diagnosis was that I needed an MRI. I was wondering if someone could explain this to me.
My doctor explained to me how the insurance companies are causing a “slow down” — in other words, the insurance companies are playing doctor and they will not authorize as many MRIs as the doctors think are necessary (just as the D&C reported). Then, the doctor asked me what insurance I had.
Here’s the strange part, and I’m hoping someone can explain this. I told him Preferred Care, he asked me if I worked at Kodak (yes I do) and then he said “Oh, Preferred Care Kodak, there’s no problem. Those always get approved”. What’s the deal? Why is that?