Do You REALLY Want Four More Years of This?
While the President has been busy cutting taxes and reducing Saddam Hussein's wages, and the Republican Congress has been busy "defending" marriage, "defending" the Pledge of Alliegance, "defending" the right to keep and bear arms in the District of Columbia and the right to keep and bear thirty round rifle magazines everywhere else, this is what some very ordinary Americans have been dealing with:
"Health Insurance Costs Rise Faster Than Wages
Tue Sep 28, 2004 10:53 AM ET
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health insurance premiums for workers are rising around three times faster than their wages, and health costs eat up a quarter of earnings for more than 14 million Americans, according to a survey on Tuesday.
While benefits are being cut, health insurance premiums are rising, the report from the nonprofit Families USA found.
"Working families were squeezed by runaway health care costs over the past four years," said Families USA executive director Ron Pollack.
"As a result, workers are paying much more in premiums but are receiving less health coverage, wages are being depressed; and millions of people have lost health coverage entirely."
The cost of health insurance premiums rose by nearly 36 percent on average from 2000 to 2004 in 35 states, said the group, which bills itself as a nonpartisan watchdog on health care issues. Average earnings rose just 12 percent over the same time....
But the number of people without insurance rose last year from 43 million to 45 million and some experts say rising insurance costs are in part to blame....
"In 2003-2004, one out of every three Americans under 65 years of age went without health insurance for some period of time. Over half of these people were uninsured for at least nine months," the group said....
For the report Families USA used data compiled and analyzed by The Lewin Group from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services."
Yes, yes, I know--the President "has a plan", finally, as a part of his "ownership" initiative, where ownership and responsibility are encouraged everywhere but in Official Washington. No Republican Politician Left Behind. So what else is new?
Since this is a democracy, maybe we all ought to be burning while Rome fiddles, since our grand Republican leaders have been fiddling while Rome burns.
"Health Insurance Costs Rise Faster Than Wages
Tue Sep 28, 2004 10:53 AM ET
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health insurance premiums for workers are rising around three times faster than their wages, and health costs eat up a quarter of earnings for more than 14 million Americans, according to a survey on Tuesday.
While benefits are being cut, health insurance premiums are rising, the report from the nonprofit Families USA found.
"Working families were squeezed by runaway health care costs over the past four years," said Families USA executive director Ron Pollack.
"As a result, workers are paying much more in premiums but are receiving less health coverage, wages are being depressed; and millions of people have lost health coverage entirely."
The cost of health insurance premiums rose by nearly 36 percent on average from 2000 to 2004 in 35 states, said the group, which bills itself as a nonpartisan watchdog on health care issues. Average earnings rose just 12 percent over the same time....
But the number of people without insurance rose last year from 43 million to 45 million and some experts say rising insurance costs are in part to blame....
"In 2003-2004, one out of every three Americans under 65 years of age went without health insurance for some period of time. Over half of these people were uninsured for at least nine months," the group said....
For the report Families USA used data compiled and analyzed by The Lewin Group from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services."
Yes, yes, I know--the President "has a plan", finally, as a part of his "ownership" initiative, where ownership and responsibility are encouraged everywhere but in Official Washington. No Republican Politician Left Behind. So what else is new?
Since this is a democracy, maybe we all ought to be burning while Rome fiddles, since our grand Republican leaders have been fiddling while Rome burns.
posted by Joseph Marshall | 9:01 AM
3 Comments:
TO: Joseph Marshall
RE: In a Word?
"Yes".
First off, we have the best medical system in the world. Good things cost money.
Secondly, in a free market environment, barring unfair business practices, which I do not totally rule out in this matter, things will balance out. Sooner or later, people will begin seeking other forms of treatment that will be less expensive. Homeopathy is one thing. Not even the AMA can beat down a virus. But I've been successful in squelching a cold or flu or even infectious colitis with homeopathic techniques.
Thirdly, who's afraid of death anyway? You? If it's going to break the bank, and you are deathly afraid of doing so, why bother? Personally, I've felt like I've been living on borrowed time ever since I wound up NOT going to Nam. Death ain't no big deal. What do you want to do? Live forever?
Now, I do suspect there is some unfair business practice activity going on in the health industry. And I think we have government agencies that could tackle such. Indeed, I think the wheels are beginning to turn, with respect to the IRS's recent announcement that it was going to start looking at all these 'non-profit' organizations. I've got a big one just across the street from me here. The second largest employer in this city of 100K; Parkview Medical Center, a non-profit par excellant. And they are something of a problem in the community too. Act a lot like King Kong; knocking down historic buildings the day before the city council is to vote on their being declared an official historic site. And without asbestos abatement, inspite of the obvious presence of such insulation around the old steam heat system pipes. All on video. We're looking at getting the EPA after them.
All in all, there's plenty of blame to go around on this. Not the least of which is the health insurance industry. I recall a discussion with some wise old sage of that business who could plot out how the growth of the medical industry correlates with the inception of the Major Medical health insurance policy. It's a blue-sky project for any doctor and/or hospital.
Just some initial thoughts on this business.
It is no different today than it was during the Clinton administration. So...why are you whining so much today if you were silent then? Politics? For shame.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
P.S. After I left active service, I did time selling health insurance. Was one of the best agents in my nation-wide division. Had a great policy that would cover pre-existing conditions at a reasonable cost. Had one client who was a leper. His compnay could not find anyone else that would even sit across the table from him.
Left that business when the state decided to compete using taxpayers money to subsidize the premiums.
"First off, we have the best medical system in the world. Good things cost money."
Really? Three times better than anything else we buy, so its costs should rise three times faster? So good that it should take ever more of everybody's income? That's real, real good!
I will put the case of what I think plainly: I think that given the relatively inelastic demand for health care (no not absolutely inelastic, but much more so than buying oranges or new cars) a "free market" permits considerable inefficiency and duplication of effort among the caregivers without a corresponding economic penalty.
Much of the rise in costs comes from here. I don't have them handy, but I have even heard of studies showing that many hospitals cannot accurately determine the true cost of their OWN procedures.
But beyond this, and what needs fixed ASAP, is the inefficient procedure of insuring select populations of small size (everybody at your job, let's say) instead of attempting to combine coverages for as large a premium pool as possible.
Fix this first, then we can take a long careful look at what the caregivers are doing before we try to improve it.
TO: Joseph Marshall
RE: Once Again
"Really? Three times better than anything else we buy, so its costs should rise three times faster? So good that it should take ever more of everybody's income? That's real, real good!" -- Joseph Marshall
As I said, you don't have to use the system. Who is holding a gun to your head and demanding your money? Nobody. You have only yourself to account for using the system.
Of course the alternative is the ultimate test of your faith in your religious beliefs. Is there a problem with that?
RE: Free Marketeering
"...a "free market" permits considerable inefficiency and duplication of effort among the caregivers without a corresponding economic penalty." -- Joseph Marshall
And therein may be part of what I was addressing when I suggested that there might be some unfair business practices going on. Can you say "monopoly"? E.g., only one MRI in a city of a certain size. Sure, they're expensive pieces of hardware. But, not so expensive as to break the bank of a hospital that gets one. They make plenty of money off of them. Get enough of them into the system and their cost will go down through competetion. But, if you don't get enough of them in the system, the cost will stay high.
RE: In A Word...
"...I have even heard of studies showing that many hospitals cannot accurately determine the true cost of their OWN procedures." -- Joseph Marshall
...hogwash. The first time a hospital said that, I'd have the GAO audit their a--. Whoever said that probably worked for the UN's Oil-For-Food program.
And I think that's the lead in.
RE: The Insurance Providers
There was an interesting article up at TCS just this last week....
You Call This Health Insurance?You might like to take a look at it. The gentleman has some good points regarding this aspect.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
P.S. In the end, socializing the medical system is NOT the solution to the problem. It just changes the problem, for the worse.
Last week, an outspoken critic of England's socialized system was killed by a doctor. It COULD have been an accident, but considering the nature of the death, I have serious doubts.
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