Sensible Health-Care Reform (Part 3): Health-Care Costs Drivers

This is the third of a series of commentaries examining the state of health-care including the serious problems with health-care delivery, the underlying root causes of those problems, the looming government fiscal catastrophe secondary to health-care entitlement spending, the failure of the recently passed health-care “reform” to address the grave problems facing our nation related to health-care delivery, the harm the recently passed health-care “reform” will cause to our seriously ill economy; and a proposal for a framework to truly, effectively, and sustainably reform our health-care delivery system. This report beigns the discussion on the underlying cost drivers of our health-care system.

The author feels obligated to disclose underlying bias: 1. this analysis reflects the author’s strong belief in the efficiencies and fairness of truly free markets as well in the individual’s right and responsibility of self-determination and of self-reliance. 2. I have 3 daughters, 3 nieces, and 9 nephews who deserve their opportunity to live the American Dream – a dream made possible by the protection of our unalienable rights endowed by our Creator


Health-Care Costs Drivers – Most Advanced Care and Superior Access to Care

Recognizing that true legitimate health-care reform must first control costs, we must then first understand the reasons for the accelerating health-care cost growth in order to develop effective policy solutions. There are several significant drivers underlying this growth. First, our American society values good health and, thanks to our free market economy, has the economic luxury to spend a significant portion of our GDP in the pursuit of better health. We have the most responsive health-care system of any nation in this world. We not only have rapid access to care for serious and life threatening illnesses but also for painful conditions and conditions that restrict the quality of our lives. For example, a young woman, who loves to run, tears her knee cartilage and is unable to run –not a dangerous or even a severely disabling problem but rather a quality of life issue. She likely can be seen by an orthopaedist, have an MRI done, and have surgery all within a couple of weeks. In contrast, that same scenario in Canada or England would take a year or more (MRI wait times alone can take 2 to 4 months). Obviously, rapid access to health-care makes our health-care expenditures greater but most of us believe such access is a key component to making our system the most responsive in the world and is worth the expense.

Our pursuit of good health has also lead to significant investment of resources to develop unprecedented medical care and technological advances. Private sector US medical companies have been at the forefront of medical care progress. These innovations have improved the quality of our lives and extended the lives of our citizens as well as those of other countries. The development of drugs to combat AIDS is one such life changing example. Although significantly contributing to health-care cost, these technological advances have been worth every penny. Moving forward with the health-care our country urgently requires, reform must control unsustainable cost growth, but must not and does not have to ration or decrease our access to heath-care. Reform must not discourage further progress and innovation in health-care. And reform must not discourage the best and brightest from going into health-care.

The next Dr Right installment will examine the principle health-care cost driver – the 3rd party payer system.

Call to Action: Though passed by an appalling political process and with complete disregard of our Constitution, though containing ineffective and even harmful policy, though disregarding the inalienable rights given to us by our Creator, the passed health-care reform bill is not the end of the debate but rather a new beginning. It is an opportunity to contrast irresponsible policy with prudent policy, to contrast misconceived policy with thoughtful policy, and to contrast policy that places government in the center with policy that places the individual in the center. Get in the fight and stay in the fight. We have learned, the hard way, the consequences of leaving it up to the career politicians. Contact your legislators and demand they exercise the privilege the voters gave them to represent us to effectively address health-care delivery and the other problems facing our states and nation. Learn about the issues and talk to others about the issues. We must join and financially support conservative think tanks that promote traditional American economic principles, personal freedoms, and values; and that shine the light of accountability on irresponsible or faulty government action and policy. Those organizations include The Heritage Foundation, The State Policy Network, The Commonwealth Foundation and your state’s conservative think tank (see SPN for your state’s organization). We must join and support our local grass roots organizations like the York 9-12 Patriots, York County Action, York Campaign for Liberty, and others, so we can take back the political process that has become corrupt and ineffective. We must work to bring up, from the grass root level, candidates – principled persons (Republicans, Democrats, and Independents) who will actually solve problems, who will respect the Constitution of the United States, and who will honor the “consent of the governed” entrusted to them by the citizens of our counties, states, and country.

God Bless and God Bless America