This is when you know reform is needed:

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

The Economist praises the Swedish health care system over the American on issues of incentives.

Article linked here:

http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13899647

Also....an image worth keeping in mind for defenders of the broken system:



Now, there's something wrong with this picture. See if you can tell me what it is.....

X-posted from my own LJ.

Comments

[dwer.livejournal.com]

uh... ER care may be expedient, but it is not "high level care". High level care includes things like, you know, regular examinations and preventative care.

[redheadrat.livejournal.com]

that a ton of people get in ER

also did you notice how little medicaid pays for regular check-up, anyone can afford that, they just need to explain to doc their situation

PS: In Philly there are free clinics as well.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

none of that is comprehensive, and you can't just walk into an ER and say "I'd like a yearly checkup". No, you cannot.

And you, the tax payer, and I the tax payer, pay for it anyway.

[redheadrat.livejournal.com]

you say: I cough - you get a checkup (usually after the people with more serious conditions are taken care of, but they cannot throw you out).

Still the care is there.

Yes, and I blame my government for legislating in a way that the costs to the taxpayers have exploded without little real benefit to taxpayers.

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

If your life is not in distress, actually they dont have to treat every cough and sneeze.

A hospital is only responsible for stabalizing you, and giving a cursory exam (as in basic of basic to ensure you're not in distress) to ensure they weren't negligent -- not for *having* to treat every cough and sneeze.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

I would argue that regular examinations and preventive care are what drive up the cost of insurance. At my age I am glad(?) that is included in my insurance program, but 20 years ago I would have prefered "catastopic" insurance, and paid for the other stuff myself....using the moderately decent example of car insurance. Would I have saved and invested the difference, probably not.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

You could argue that, but you'd be wrong. Preventative care and regular checkups are what keep costs DOWN, because they find problems early.

Which is cheaper, regular checkups of diet and acid-reflux medicine, or surgery for ulcers?

Which is cheaper, regular out-patient mental health checkups, or commitment to a state institution?

Which is cheaper, regular treatment of asthma symptoms or emergency room treatment of asthma attacks?

What's cheaper, regular treatment for the symptoms of heart disease, adjustments to diet and cholesterol drugs, or quadruple bypasses?

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Probably.