Health Care Insurance Problems - Don't Just Blame Obama
In just a few weeks Donald Trump will be our new President. He'll work with the Republican Congress to repeal Obamacare and all our problems will be solved...Correct? Well not exactly. The Health Care Crisis didn't start overnight and it certainly won't be fixed overnight.
First, in order to solve the problem, America and it's elected officials must actually take the time to identify the real issues that have resulted in skyrocketing Health Care costs. Second, once we identify the problems we actually have to take ownership in the fact that we (and that means you and I) are part of the problem. Finally, since we are partially to blame we must be part of the long term solution.
The reason you can't just blame Obamacare is because insurance is just a small portion of the problem. By definition, insurance is a means of protection from financial loss or a form of risk management. Auto, Life, Home, and Disability Insurance all operate just fine as a means to cover you and your family in case of a catastrophic situation. A fire, an accident, basically any un-expected event. The big exception to the definition of insurance has been Medical Insurance. People have been using medical insurance not for the un-expected but for the expected. As a result the medical professionals and the medical insurance companies have been taking advantage...with our help!
For the last few decades, we have all been consuming medical services the same way. We visit our favorite doctor, present our health insurance card, pay the $30 co-pay and walk out. If we never see the actual bill we're happy. In some cases we will get a bill mailed to us months later. Most of us don't even look at it. After all, it's just a bunch of numbers, codes, and words that we don't understand. On a few occasions, we will take a look. Especially if we received the same bill more than once.
For those of us who look at the bill, we're often shocked by the amount. However, that initial shock is followed by relief when we see that insurance covered a large portion of the amount due. THIS IS WHERE WE MUST ACCEPT THE BLAME! It is because so few of us actually challenge the value of the product and services we have received, we have given the medical industry and insurance companies permission to keep raising our rates.
We have accepted that a simple doctors visit costs between $250 to $500; the cost to have a baby is $20,000; and prescription drugs are $25 to $250 per pill. We have consented to these prices as long as insurance covers it. The real question is would we consume other products and services this way. Would you pay $500 for an oil change? How about $5,000 per night to stay at a Hotel? What if that Hotel had uncomfortable beds and horrible food like most Hospitals?
Because so many of us spent the last 8 years focusing on Obamacare and all of its issues, we have ignored the actual definition of insurance. Therefore we have given medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance providers the licence to overcharge consumers. Don't blame us they said, it's Obama's fault. Really! Do we blame All State or Nationwide for the price of our car or home?
