Fight On Healthcare Reform Misses Core Problems

Politicians and policy makers are fighting over new health reform proposals. This debate misses the core problems in US healthcare. Look at this graph from the Our World In Data website: From Our World In Data website It shows that Americans pay too much for lousy health outcomes. Fixing the problem on that graph should be the focus of reform. I am no policy wonk but here are some obvious problems and potential solutions with our delivery system: I – Profit-driven healthcare must go. As long as health is big business, it will be impossible to control costs. Fee-for-service (FFS) payment models favor doing more things to people. The more you do, the more you and your employer (usually the hospital) make. Some might argue new payment models are moving away from FFS and towards value-based compensation. These new payment reforms are a joke. First, quality measures do not reflect real quality. Most doctors who touch patients feel quality measures reduce quality. Second, the new models favor gaming the system. In the past, an AF doctor would document AF as the problem addressed. Now, most AF doctors will list numerous other diagnoses, such as overweight, stress syndrome, high blood sugar, hypertension, sleep apnea etc. Why? Because the new game is to make patients seem complicated. II – Speak Hard Truths. Someone needs to say that our country cannot afford to keep delivering low-value care. Doctors know what low value care is, but we keep delivering it because we are paid to d...
Source: Dr John M - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: blogs