Health Care Overuse

Today, some more comments regarding the health care situation we discussed here yesterday. This time I want to mention one component of the mess here that few people mention- overuse of health care in AmericaReports are the cost of health care here is slowing down "due to the economy". I am not surprised and I think it may be a good thing that Americans are using (wasting) health service less than previously. I have always suspected that a large portion of health care cost is abuse of the insured, who are addicted to doctor's visits, drug medications and who have been convinced they are 'sick' way more than they really are.

Today people rush to the doctor for things as minor as a cold, and they demand drugs for any pain they feel or imagine. Some may say this is a nation of hypochondriacs, created by HMO's, the drug companies, advertisements encouraging the concept of medical care as a panacea. And ironically, the doctors lose in the system as they have become the Wal mart caregivers of the day.

The old indemnity insurance was far superior way of receiving health care. Under that the patient goes to whatever doctor he or she wants for whatever ailment they have or imagine they have, but pay 20% or so out of pocket to the doctor. This discourages waste, and doctors are able to spend far more time than they are forced to give now under the mass care for anything system we have..

If more patients were treated at home via phone calls from physicians the system would be less clogged with senseless doctor visits. Of course, doctors would have to be compensated for their phone care services, but overall, fewer procedures would be needed and medical costs would decrease We all are aware of the common use of a particular intervention for a patient when the benefits of the intervention don't justify the potential harm or cost. Prescribing antibiotics for a probable virus because the patient wants or thinks he or she needs it is one example. Reducing doctor visit would curtail that sort of waste.

In health care, more is not always better. More spending and treatment does not translate into better patient outcomes and health. For example, when used appropriately, MRI’s and other imaging exams are valuable. But MRI’s often don't change the treatments prescribed or a patient's outcome, in which case the technology used is an expensive wasteful frill.

The health care system today would benefit if it encouraged people to act more like “consumers” when it comes to health care, so they can create demand for high-quality care rather than the current often ritualistic doctor visits. In the same way that consumers buying a new car compare prices and features to find the best value car, and then make their purchase from a place that provides good customer service, they must take similar action with health care..if the system will allow it.

But that is the rub. Real medical care overhaul is not the disgraceful charade that politicians are pushing on us. Reconnecting patients and doctors/hospitals through that most elemental vehicle, the direct payment for services, will restrain costs more effectively than anything the politicians are pushing today. When patients have to think about costs of their treks to the doctor, they will think harder as to whether the visit is really needed.