| We are facing a healthcare crisis in America. | | | | in your home? No of course not. And why? |
| But it may not be the one that everyone's | | | | Because those everyday expenses are |
| talking about. Much has been said in the news | | | | affordable, we expect our insurance to cover |
| lately and in political campaigns about the | | | | only the catastrophic expenses - except when |
| health insurance crisis in America, and the | | | | it comes to medical insurance - we expect it |
| problems of the 47 million and growing | | | | to pay for everything - and why is that? |
| Americans without access to affordable health | | | | Because the cost of everything in healthcare |
| insurance coverage. Now these things are a | | | | even what should be reasonable and affordable |
| problem to be sure. But let us take a minute | | | | expenses like doctors visits and medicine are |
| to look at the problem another way. It is not | | | | astronomically high. And why is that? |
| really the costs of health insurance that is | | | | |
| the main problem in the country's health | | | | There are many reasons, and they go well |
| system; it is the cost of healthcare itself. | | | | beyond a simple article like this one. |
| The cost of healthcare in this country is | | | | However here are a few of the tops according |
| ridiculously high and skyrocketing. If | | | | to economists. In other industrialized |
| medical insurance fees are also astronomical | | | | nations, healthcare costs are kept under |
| it is only a reflection of the actual high | | | | control through government regulation. But |
| costs of healthcare. True healthcare reform | | | | here because of the influence of powerful |
| should be targeted at reducing the cost of | | | | lobbying groups for the insurance and drug |
| healthcare, and not necessarily the costs of | | | | industries the government has done very |
| health insurance. | | | | little to regulate or place any ceilings on |
| | | | the costs of healthcare. We also live in one |
| Consider this. What is the purpose of | | | | of the most litigious societies on the |
| insurance, any insurance? Forget about health | | | | planet. Lawsuits against doctors and |
| insurance for the moment. Think about other | | | | healthcare organizations filed by |
| insurance you have in your life, such as auto | | | | class-action attorneys looking for million |
| and homeowners. Those insurances have been | | | | dollar payouts terribly drain the system. In |
| designed to protect us from financial ruin in | | | | many states, high malpractice insurance costs |
| the event of an unforeseen crisis like a car | | | | cause physicians to raise and raise fees, and |
| accident or a major windstorm. Similarly that | | | | have driven doctors out of practices all |
| was the intended original purpose of medical | | | | together, causing shortages in certain |
| insurance, but somewhere along the line that | | | | specialties. Supply and demand - less |
| got skewed. Some states have recently enacted | | | | practitioners in a given specialty drives up |
| plans the require persons to purchase medical | | | | costs. Fear of lawsuits has also encouraged |
| insurance, much like all states require you | | | | the practice of "defensive" medicine, where |
| to purchase car insurance - so that is a good | | | | doctors will often order additional tests or |
| thing. However once again do you expect your | | | | procedures to avoid litigation. And it goes |
| car insurance to pay for the gasoline you put | | | | on and on. If we really want to solve the |
| in your car or the routine maintenance you do | | | | affordable health insurance crisis here in |
| like oil changes? Do you expect to have your | | | | America we must first make healthcare in |
| homeowner's insurance pay for every time you | | | | general more "affordable. |
| re-paint your walls, or replace a light bulb | | | | |