Historically the United States has focused on the loose concept of prevention while the private sector focused on treatment. Prevention is to keep something from occurring while treatment occurs after the fact and can increase cost. There are three types of prevention- primary (averting occurrence), secondary (halting progress) and tertiary (limiting impact) that could result in reducing the need to provide costly treatment that could have been avoided (Williams & Torrens, 2008). In addition, the history of the health care system has not been supportive of preventative measures for chronic conditions but paid physicians on a fee-for-service model that did not progress the need for long-term preventable health metrics (Williams & Torres,
It is no secret that the cost of American healthcare is becoming increasingly more expensive. However, the issue of the rising cost of healthcare and its severity needs to be recognized as a major problem. Health prices are steadily increasing in the United States, and there is no sign of it stopping. Since 1970, spending on American health care has grown 9.8%, which is a rate that is growing faster than the economy (“New Technology”.) Furthermore, health insurance premiums are also increasing at a rate five times faster than American salaries, which makes it difficult for families to afford health care coverage (Zuckerman 28). Therefore, it has become an obligation to address why the cost of American health care is soaring and to seek out a solution to lower the cost. Many would jump to the conclusion that the United States simply charges too much for their medical services, but there are deeper influences that need to be analyzed. The causes of the rising cost of health care are people not using preventive health care, the development of modern technology, and the treatments being overprescribed. A possible solution is to have preventive health care services available in clinics of low-income areas.
Capitation and fee-for-service has been an important part of managed health care for reimbursement for several years. The background history of capitation involves determining the patients’ eligibility, the density of geographic areas of PCP’s and payment amounts from sub-specialists. On the other hand, fee-for-service involves high costs, and more manipulation occurs with the fee-for-service (FFS). There are tangible reasons behind both payment services and the disadvantages surrounding them. Various authors offer insight and valuable opinions of the pros and cons of fee-for-service and capitation that need to be addressed.
In our first week of class, we have looked at the first three chapters in, Health Care Delivery in the United States. The first chapter talks about how the health care system has moved from a mindset of restoring a person’s health, into the phase of preventative medicine, which we see now. This has resulted from measurement of how the health care system is working, and with research looking at patients throughout the years. We now know, that any problem, disease, or condition, should be treated early or prevented if possible. The health care system has been working with public education to make citizens aware of what tests and preventative programs will be of assistance to them. (Knickman & Kovner, A., 2015).
This essay is about the universal refugee experience and the hardships that they have to go through on their journey. Ha from Inside Out and Back Again and other refugees from the article “Children of War” all struggle with the unsettling feeling of being inside out because they no longer own the things that mean the most to them. Ha and the other refugees all encounter similar curiosities of overcoming the finding of that back again peaceful consciousness in the “new world” that they are living in .
Not only has the cases of preventable chronic diseases increased over the years affecting half of the U.S population, they account for 86% of the health care costs. Programs and policies that address risk factors and causes of these diseases at their roots would not only promote public health but reduce the cost of health care both in treatment and hospitalization.
“Doesn’t the world see the suffering of the millions of refugees of Palestinians who have been living in exile around the world or in refugee camps for the past 60 years? No state, no home, no identity, no right to work. Doesn’t the world see this injustice?” (Ismail Haniyeh). This is how many of the universal refugees feel. There are millions of refugees all over the world in similar situations. This is also similar to how Ha feels in the book “Inside Out and Back Again.” Ha’s life mirrors the universal refugee experience because many lives are turned inside out, they have to get used to their new living arrangements, and they have to adapt to a new world.
Furthermore, late diagnoses and untreated diagnose are costly for Americans, because untreated and extended lack of treatment cause for expensive medical procedures to ensure quality of life for people. Research by McWilliams (2009) supports, in its comprehensive study of the health consequences of uninsurance, Care without Coverage: Too Little, Too Late, the Institute of Medicine in 2002 found that uninsured adults in the United States have less access to recommended care, receive poorer quality of care, and experience worse health outcomes than insured adults do (IOM 2002) (Para 5). However, America’s public health reform may have a negative reflection with the latest implementation ACA, but there is some positive reflection.
Preventable causes of illnesses like smoking and obesity were left unaddressed, depleting precious resources and increasing costs of care. From the patient perspective, cost sharing measures for preventive services like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance deterred individuals from undergoing essential preventive services like cancer screening, immunization, and counselling. Ultimately, $277 billion dollars were spent on treating illnesses which could have been prevented by broad based prevention programs, and we incurred a loss of $1.1 trillion dollars due to lost productivity as a result of chronic illnesses.
As our country advances in the medical field, the costs of American healthcare expenditures are drastically increasing and the number of people purchasing medical coverage is declining. The United States healthcare system in contrast to others is recognized to be the most expensive and as a result more than fifty million American citizens are left uninsured, given the low income rate (Garson 1). Those who, in fact, purchase coverage are not properly protected, therefore other individuals do not bother wasting their money and purchasing healthcare. As soon as individuals are in need of medical attention, they happen to struggle with the preexisting conditions they suffer from because they cannot afford the desired aid. It is safe to say
Total health care spending in 1975 consumed about 8 percent of the U.S economy in 1975. Today it accounts for nearly 16 percent of the gross domestic product and is projected to reach nearly 20 percent by 2016 (Orszag, 2007). One of the reasons for rising health care costs is due to costly new medical technologies. Some of these new medical advancements allow for physicians to treat previously untreatable conditions. It is unclear as to whether these new options are cost effective. Most people believe that more expensive care equates to better health care. There is significant evidence to support that more expensive care does not necessarily mean higher-quality care. This suggests that there may be an opportunity to reduce health care spending without impairing outcomes The most compelling evidence of that opportunity comes from the substantial geographic differences in spending on health care within the United States-and the fact that they do not translate into higher life expectancy or measured
If the value of preventative care is evaluated solely on cost versus return, health economists argue that all preventative services are not necessarily cost effective. Cohen, Neumann, &
America's healthcare system is extremely fragmented which contributes to limited access, poor quality and escalating costs. People are living longer due to the advancements in technology, medical deliver and technology. As the population ages, there will be more people that with chronic conditions. Pre-existing conditions and chronic health conditions contribute to the rising cost of healthcare. Some of these conditions could be prevented if caught at an early stage. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) address some of the disparities among Americans, one being preventative services. Insurance companies are now required to insure patient with a previous health condition under the ACA. Research has shown that evidence-based preventive services can
The introduction and implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act has put the insurance industry and healthcare costs under the public microscope. As politicans, insurance executives, doctors and consumers scutinize every cost associated with healthcare, Preventive Health Care has become a topic of debate. Preventive health care saves lives and contribute to a better quality of life by diagnosing medical conditions at early more treatable stages. This paper examines the effectiveness of preventive healthcare in containment of health care costs and overall health benefit of consumers. After a brief introduction to preventive health care, the paper provides evidence of prevention activities that generate significant cost saving to
Absolutely, the issues relating healthcare affordability and access remains the most pressing concerns. Nonetheless, this has been the case for the most part of 20th century. Perhaps a fresh look at the system to which emphasizes on the special needs of a complex society can bring the most positive change. In systematic terms, the problem with the current structure is that prevention takes time, whereas, political progressions are short-range (McLaughlin & McLaughlin, 2008). Therefore, incentivizing prevention under the current system is almost impossible for the reason that when individuals engage in preventive programs, the continuation of accrued benefits will most likely be compromised or written out in its entirety. Such dilemma is the main concern; hence, cultivating a more consistent preventive care system is the most pressing need (Wyrwich et al., 2012).
Seven in ten deaths in the United States, are attributable to chronic disease (“Leading Causes” 1). These diseases are not on account of bacteria or viruses, which could be treated with an appropriate prescription or vaccine. Chronic conditions are developed through unhealthy lifestyles and behaviors such as a lack of exercise, poor nutrition, poor sleeping habits, and substance use (e.g. tobacco). Consequently, seven in ten of every death can be prevented with changes in lifestyle. The CDC states that these conditions, “are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems” (“Chronic Disease” 1). Although these conditions have clear and definite causes (knowing the exact reason and “cure” for them), they are becoming more prevalent rather than domesticated. According to Wu and Green, “Between 2000 and 2030 the number of Americans with chronic conditions will increase by 37 percent, an increase of 46 million people” (1). This increase comes with an increase in health care costs: the CDC reported that the U.S. spent three trillion dollars on health care in 2014 (“Health Expenditures” 1). 86% of these costs was associated with these conditions (“Prevention” 1). Despite there being a range of causes of why patients make these choices, one issue that may be less familiar to others is the lack of knowledge in preventative medicine among health care professionals. Current training standards are not adequately educating or equipping health care professionals