Relationship between Healthcare and Justice? Is there one?
February 2, 2007 | General
The so-called Baby Boomers are aging quickly. The current system—if we have affordable access to it — is extending our lives through more effective (and much more costly) treatments in almost every area. In fact the healthcare industry, particularly the pharmaceuticals, is driven by the enormous profits available from selling drugs that maintain some semblance of youthful performance in the face of aging. (I believe I read quote form Hugh Hefner on his 80th birthday that with Viagra, “80 is the new 40”). This extension of both length and quality of life for those with wealth diverts resources and talent into those areas, diverting them from health care to the poor—both here and in developing nations.
I’ve read a number of studies that document the rather profound gap between rich and poor in this country on measurements of quality of care and heath outcomes. Much of this is because our healthcare system is based on treating disease in a free enterprise model. Treating the diseases of the affluent aging is the most profitable. We have a very under-developed and under funded Public Health System, and very little infrastructure to implement community health approaches to health care.
Our current system costs about 16% of GDP (2-2 ½ times that of other developed countries with more effective systems overall), in the context of 47 million uninsured and increasing numbers of immigrants placing more pressure on this system.
What can or should we do about this? What is the relationship between healthcare and justice? What would it take to move toward public health models that are more just, given that the multi-trillion dollar health care industry is based on the treatment of disease for those who can afford it?
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Comment by Eileen Martinez February 9, 2007
Our healthcare system has been disease based long before the so called Baby Boomers started to age. I agree that there is enormous profits in the selling of anti-aging wonder drugs etc. but most of those services are not covered or should not be covered by insurance. I believe there is a place for what I call cosmetic medicine but it should be all self funded.
The problems with our Public Health System need to be laid at the feet of the American voter. Currently, our poor participation in the voting process allows the election of officials who are in the pockets of the very institutions that profit from the status quo.
If you are thinking that the development of a national government run healthcare system is the answer you need only to look to England as a model. All national healthcare does is reduce the quality of care for an even larger group of citizens and the rich still opt out. I used to work for Humana many years ago when they had hospitals. We had two big facilities in England that were not within the national system that catered to the wealthy.
My mantra is now and has always been that if you remove the consumer from both the intellectual and financial responsibility for their own healthcare you are left with a system run amok.
So to answer the question What can or should we do about this?
1 American voters must take responsibility for the mismanagement of our government programs that should provide for those that cannot afford private healthcare.
2. American voters must demand a Public Health Care System that provides for the public welfare.
3. The healthcare for the increasing numbers of immigrants in America needs to be placed at the doorstep of the employers that hire them.
Comment by JP February 11, 2007
The ability to impact the healthcare delivery system is going to be one consumer at a time. The HMO lobby is not going to sit by and allow consumers to demand to have a system that is cost effective and quality based. There is no money in it for them. We are the voters that need to take responsibility and accountability for our healthcare. We are the consumers that need to focus on prevention and cost effective ways to get the best care we can. We are the consumers that need to demand the Medicare and Medicaid is not used by the large healthcare firms to cost shift to the American public.
Comment by Robert Knechtel November 16, 2007
I just stumble across this article and would like to observe that, having been on Medicare for a number of years, I have not personally witnessed a diminution in the quality of care. A few of those years I remained with the HMO I had before turning 65, and I could discern no change in the quality of service just because I had Medicare. Of course, I was using Medigap insurance, as well, and there certainly are many older people who cannot afford it. Nevertheless, I’m not one of those affluent seniors discussed above. I do have the means, however, to afford the insurance. If that’s affluence, I’ll take it.
Beyond that, I feel that I’m entitled to Medicare, having paid for it, and because I still work, I’m still paying for it. Also, a premium for Medicare is deducted from my Social Security benefits monthly. So, I’m not so sure there is a massive cost shift by health care firms to the American Public.