Article to read. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/one-simple-solution-to-skyrocketing-medical-costs/
Fixing The Medical Care Facility Expense Problem Saving the System A private healthcare system being employed by the government to care for the medical needs of the poor and under insured became very expensive. Mostly because of (minor) healthcare visits to medical facilities set up to provide care to the wealthiest population on earth. Expenses came into play when making decisions on how to provide for the poor and uninsured. Because of costs and cost transference within the system, the cost of program expenditures rose exponentially. Over the years since the end of community based ( non profit) care facilities. funded through tax dollars locally, the overall costs associated with basic treatments and the real costs of visits continually rose.
It is necessary to understand that transferring people from community based non profit facilities into private care and specialized care was more expensive. But the greater costs associated with policies was transference of costs from basic care upon visits to other treatment and care giving within the facilities and hospitals. Even small locally ran community hospitals could do a lot of things just as well as larger and more expensive private (for profit) operations.
The promises of the government, that the private system could be used to provide universal diagnosis and treatment to uninsured and poor patients was a false promise to begin with. The private system was never meant to be used specifically, alone, for the welfare of the poor. Insurance rates climaxed and the working poor also found insurance rates out of their budgets range. Many people depended on Medicaid to cover them when they did not have insurance. And that is the way providers got money for treating the uninsured. The rest of the bills were sent to the patients in hopes that they would pay the remaining balances on the bills.
When profit based systems are used to provide care for patients with money to purchase insurance policies, the matter of convenience and luxury, comfort, aesthetics, and such come into play to keep the customers satisfied. Many expenses are incurred that would normally cost far less for simple care and visits. If you look at the real cost per visit and the real costs for basic care in a not for profit setting verses a profit based setting the differences are staggering. With respect to real costs. Just think of a person going to a higher cost facility to be checked for a cold in the winter, a patient with the sniffles. The cost to see that patient may be as much as three thousand dollars! Just to check the patient for a cold. The bill is three hundred dollars instead of three thousand dollars. The other money is spread around to cover the actual costs of the visit. But it’s a matter of convenience and a matter of luxury that is paid for.
The inconvenience of going to a non profit based facility for basic needs is bankrupting the system Mandates of using non profit facilities by everyone with certain needs is the answer to the cost problem. The savings to the system and government would be enough to insure that everyone gets fair treatment in the system. Without modifying the private system to incorporate some non profit based care facilities the costs will continue to rise unchecked. The cost of using the profit based system for all needs is what keeps the system from being used and operated as a universal healthcare system.
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