Healthcare costs 3

Nothing is free. We made our lives in such a way that only the air that we breath is free. (Now we are wearing masks which may be a permanent fixture if we do not take care of air pollution. If we do not stop the rampage on mother earth, our woes will continue to increase). Even the water, we are not able to drink from the source. It must be processed before we drink!! How can anyone expect the healthcare to be free?!

Everything mentioned in the previous posts, is in an ideal situation where everyone is well trained and has wide experience, tries to minimize the cost, and uses the facilities judiciously. Doctors are heavily dependent on ancillary services and staff. People have not come out of the mindset of doctor treating by checking the pulse!! There is always an element of over investigation and treatment as people do not want to take chance in a patient who is critically ill.

In addition to the above one needs to add costs of medical audit and research to deliver the healthcare properly. The equipment needs to be replaced periodically. If one adds the greed and inefficiency of the system and individuals, the cost will escalate further.

Someone must pay for all these facilities and services. One way of funding is the socialized medicine, where the government pays for everything. Sufficient funds are allocated in the budget or special tax is levied which is used for healthcare provision. A country like UK is struggling to maintain this model as the costs of healthcare have gone up in recent years. Another way of funding is where the patient pays himself or herself. This sometimes can ruin the patient and their family financially. The way forward is to fund the healthcare through insurance or a combination. This model has its own problems and is struggling in the US. One main problem in this model is the increase in the amount of paperwork as everything needs a code for charging purpose.

Governments have come up with various popular schemes, but these cover the cost of specific treatments only. If the disease or treatment is not listed, it will not be covered, and the patient must make his/her own arrangements. Tariffs of these government schemes and a host of employee health schemes may not be viable to hospitals, resulting in various ways to compensate the loss.

The government must strengthen the existing public sector healthcare infrastructure and try to incorporate all the diseases in the ambit of insurance. Government and private hospitals must be stratified depending on the level of care they can provide and the cost of treatment. There should be more transparency as per the cost of treatment and remuneration to doctors. Not all the money charged in the name of a doctor is paid to the doctor. Majority of the times, the money goes to the hospital and the doctor receives a fixed sum from the hospital.

We need to understand the problems and try to create systems that are robust. All these things are not so easy to implement. The government and bureaucrats must have the vision to create healthcare infrastructure and policies that will last long rather than till the next election. Government should never loose grip over health, education and health education. Unless we make a start, we will never be able to do and will remain in this mess forever…