Americans Just Not Getting It!

I read an editorial from the LA Times Tuesday where the editorialist was so complementary of the US Health Care system because she was able to have her breast cancer diagnosed and treated immediately. Her argument was that only in the US could such immediate treatment occur, therefore, the US had to have the best health care in the world.

US Health Care is fair, but it is not the best in the world for many reasons: US Health Care, is an inefficient institution that needs better oversight and accountability by the marketplace; US Health Care has incorrect pressures to make it what it is, rather than the 'free hand' of the market dictating pricing, outside economic decisions determine pricing and availability; The actual users of medical services are totally ignorant to the pricing, options and availabilities of medical services; Finally, the way we have designed medical insurance coverage and the artificially low price the consumer ultimately pays for almost every cost imaginable, the 'real' cost is never seen, nor understood by the average consumer.

As a result, inefficiencies have run rampant throughout the industry. How can one say that? Look at the amount of GNP US Health Care consumes each year. Notice US Health Care consumes nearly 17% of annual GNP and is rising. The trend for the increase places US Health Care to soon cost every man, woman and child in the US 20% of all generated dollar.

Compare our current 17% to every other country in the world. Choose 5, choose 10, or carefully choose 50 countries and combine their expenditures on health care and see that it is still under what we spend each year! Next, review national health statistics like infant mortality, life expectancy, obesity levels, diabetes, heart disease and other frequency of disease and see that the US is in a pretty low spot on the overall health of its citizens.

Are you getting it yet? We are not getting our money's worth! All of what I say is evident of an inefficient system. I also agree with the LA Time's editorial writer's opinion that nationalizing US Health Care would only make things worse, because that is what has already happened here! The overly cheapened and largely subsidized health care we receive creates an unreasonable expectation of greater supply than actually exists at a price that is 'artificially' lower than the market really demands.

Now, the concept of artificially lower pricing is based upon those who pay little or nothing out of their own pocket for US Health Care. The previous statement and premise is seen in the complete opposite by those without health insurance or who do not have any subsidized manner for their health care pricing.

( Please see http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=545010 for a look at those who are part of the subsidy for the rest of us because they pay 300% to 450% more for the same medical services!).

Check out the facts in comparison to the rest of the world and ask yourself, can we keep paying a fifth of our GNP to be behind almost every other developed nation in the world in our nation's health? Why is it acceptable to pay so much to be so far below average? Open the eyes! It isn't!