The health workforce shortage has long been on the radar of those who pay attention to medical issues in the U.S..
But I'm just starting to see the connection to tax-supported health care. As mentioned in this article published at the Detroit Free Press. "About 25% of Medicare patients seeking a new primary care physician already have problems finding one, according to MedPAC, the commission that advises Congress on Medicare."
This problem isn't going to go away easily.
The bigger the population, the less physicians who will have access to them? I'm guessing its probably not going to be the people holding tax-funded health insurance cards.
While most of us are too young to have really thought much about Medicare, this will affect us too. Here is a loose explanation:
Medicare is not only for the poor. The original idea behind Medicare is that we would pay a little into the system with each paycheck and then when we retire we have health care. Sounds good to me. But people began realizing that Medicare didn't cover as much care as they needed. for instance it doesn't cover things like nursing homes or extended care facilities in general. So those who can afford to do so put their money into other retirement health plans.
There has already been much debate over how to fix Medicare.
Under the Republican administration changes were made to privatize both the Medicare and Medicaid providers systems. (Basically this meant that if you had Medicare or Medicaid you could chose between several HMO type companies to be your health care provider.)
But, surprise, "Medicare Audits Show Problems in Private Plans."
According to the New York Times article written by Robert Pear, "The problems, described in 91 audit reports reviewed by The New York Times, include the improper termination of coverage for people with H.I.V. and AIDS, huge backlogs of claims and complaints, and a failure to answer telephone calls from consumers, doctors and drugstores.
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5 comments:
Medicare is an entitlement program, just like Social Security benefits. So wealthier people don't opt out, but they do bolster their Medicare coverage with so-called supplemental plans.
The shift from "traditional" Medicare to privately administered plans was the first big windfall for insurance companies and managed care organizations. The second was the advent of Medicare Part D, drug benefits run entirely by private insurors.
The NY Times story that Christy cites in her post vividly illustrates that money sticks to the fingers of everyone who handles it. Read this story and imagine that it's your grandparents unable to purchase drugs or obtain answers to life and death questions.
I have always had access to health care, and have never realized until this class that there are such serious problems with it. I hope that I will be covered when I'm older. It seems ironic that it's difficult to have reliable coverage closer to the end of your life when you will most likely need it more.
I think most people don't realize there are such serious problems with our health care system until something happens that personally affects them. I heard a lot of stories about the Medicare system when I used to work at a church. I'm definately investing in retirement funds in case I make it to a ripe old age!
Like First Amendment rights, medicare benefits have continued to expand through the years.
First passed in 1965, it was extremely limited. In 1972, disabled persons under age 65 were added as well as those with end stage renal disease. In 1982, hospice benefits are added. In 1988, mammography, catastrophic illness and prescription drugs are passed, but the latter two were repealed the next year. 1989 adds pap smears. 2003 adds prescriptions.
We have grown accustomed to this program, but if the projections are correct Medicare may unravel along with Social Security Benefits.
We all should be making other plans for our long term care.
I know I've mentioned this before, but, like Tabitha, I didn't realize some of the major problems with health insurance and medicare until the Sicko documentary. The problem with privatized medical insurance plans is that blocking claims (i.e. finding loopholes in customers plans) is often incentivized. Reminds me of a car company finding loopholes in a warranty guarantee.
The vast majority of businesses can't afford to operate like this, but privatized health insurance companies (with slews of shrewd Washington lobbyists) have thrived for decades.
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