by J. Mostroller, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota
In order to solve the problem of high costs for medical care in the United States, we need to go straight to the roots of the problem. The medical care crisis has been created and supported by more than on institution: from the manufacturers of medical supplies to the cost of attending medical school to insurance companies. These are just a few of the combined efforts, leaving scars on many American lives. Sine the free market system if failing to meet the needs of the public, the state and federal government needs to step in and take control of the high prices.
Why are medical bills so expensive? There are two main reasons: the high costs of new medical technologies and the system through which the government and insurance companies pay for the medical bills. These, combined, pay for about seventy percent of the six hundred billion dollars spent in the United States, each year, on medical bills; according to the 1992 edition of "Current Issues." The rapid advancement in technology has become expensive for clinics and hospitals. The equipment is costly to purchase and often requires highly paid highly trained operators. If on hospital has a machine that attracts new patients, every hospital in the same area wants one. The excessive amount of paperwork and the tedious process of paying bills by insurance companies and the government is overly time-consuming. This process also allows doctors and hospitals to charge high prices and perform unnecessary, costly tests.
Patients, generally, are unaware of this because they trust their doctors and they know their insurance policies will cover it.
There are also minor costs that add to the overall spending. As stated in the 1990 edition of "World Book Encyclopedia," for a student to graduate with a four year doctoral degree, the cost is averaged at $60,000. This cost does not directly affect the consumer but it may give some reasoning behind high doctor bills. The need for doctors to carry liability insurance against malpractice suits has increased sharply in the recent years. According to the 1992 edition of "Current Issues," American doctors pay more than $4 billion annually for malpractice insurance. These high rates are usually passed down to the patient in the form of higher fees. This expense is partially brought on by the large monetary awards given out by our judicial system. While our national government is struggling to solve the huge budget deficit and trying to fight back the recession, every American home is feeling the squeeze of inflation. While medical expense continue to rise, consumers are having less to spend. If the government is having trouble paying for medical bills, how can the American public be expected to?
Today the Medicare program is facing a dilemma. The government has reduced and limited the benefits Medicare patients can receive. These cutbacks are not allowing elderly patients to receive adequate health care. The government has tried, and failed, to expand Medicare coverage with the Medicare Catastrophic Act. The Act was repealed one year after it was passed. Although the Act covered the costs of prescription drugs and doctor's bills for illnesses that required more than sixty days' hospitalization, it raised elderly recipient's premiums as much as $800 per year.
The effects of high costs are leaving many Americans out-of-luck. Illness is often put aside until the problem has become too serious to ignore any longer. By this time treatment is even more expensive and the healing period is increased. When a family member becomes ill, other needs are sacrificed to afford proper medical care. People shouldn't have to go through such desperate situations just to receive good health care.
One possible solution to charging "appropriate fees" would be to have varying rates according to the patient's income. If bills were set at what a consumer could afford, patients or insurance companies would pay only that fixed amount. This would allow insurance policies to be more affordable and available to everyone, regardless of wealth. President Harry Truman believed that "financial means should not determine the quality of medical services a citizen receives." Whether a person was rich or poor, they could have access to health care. This system would not necessarily decrease a doctor's salary. For, if more people could afford medical care, there would be a higher demand for medical services. A higher demand would mean more work and more work would mean more money. It is the government's responsibility to provide for the welfare of the people. They should ensure that everyone receives proper health care. Since the free market system is only making some people very rich and leaving others without a prayer, the government needs to intervene. By placing regulations on the cost of medical care, it would keep the bills within a reasonable range. The govern- ment and the American public would have less to pay for.
By helping to prevent illness, we all can help to trim medical bills. By taking better care of ourselves, we can reduce the chance for illness to occur and enjoy healthier lives. Prevention can save us from needing costly medical treatment later on in our lives. Taking advantage of free or low-cost screening programs is also a way we can keep medical expenses down.
Without regard to a person's wealth, we all have the right to good health care. The government needs to maintain adequate, affordable health care for the American people. This could be done by using a system that would cut back the costs, not the care. Until the nation's crisis is solved, every American will have to suffer through its consequences.
