Healthcare in the US is jam packed full of some high quality practitioners and professionals. There truely are some great individuals who can significantly impact a person’s well-being. We also have some of the most high quality technical advancements in the world to help with a myriad of diseases and injuries. We have a tremendous amount of research at highly prestigious Universities making significant breakthroughs daily.
Chronic Diseases and Early deaths
What is unfortunately the truth is that for the most part, we are one of the most unhealthy developed countries in the world. Our country is drowning in preventable chronic diseases. We are by far a world leader in obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. We spend more of our GDP on Healthcare, but yet have one of the unhealthiest populations in the world.
Why Are We So Unhealthy
Well that is the million dollar question. Why is a country so advanced as ours spend the most money yet have the least amount of wellness? There are many possible answers to that question. Some have some legitimate answers and some you would need to grab your tin foil hat to believe them.
Is it our food?
There has been lots of research performed on the food we eat. Unfortunately we injest way too much processed foods that are full of bad ingredients and chemicals. Yes it is cheaper and has a long shelf life. But what good is it if the food we eat outlines us on the shelf? There has to be a reason for the life longevity and healthiness in old age from those that live in the Mediterranean regions and eat natural fresh foods.
Is it our Lifestyle?
As we have progressed with technology we have become more sedentary. We are no longer being active all day tending to livestock and crops. We are sitting in a car in traffic commuting at least an hour everyday. That lack of movement is quickly followed by 8 hours sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Relatively few people get the moderate physical activity recommended for our well being.
Is it a lack of Access to care?
This can be a very touchy subject for some people. The biggest gold star of our version of a Healthcare system is the ability to get any type of care we feel is needed. Many of the biggest complaints of other countries Healthcare is there are long waits for services. But if we look at what our Health insurance has done over the years, it has made it relatively impossible to even get care.
High Deductible Health Plans
Throughout the years more and more of high deductible health plans have emerged as the general consensus of employer sponsored healthcare plans. Reason number one is they are cheaper to obtain.
Unfortunately as these plans have gotten more and more popular, the access to care has progressively gotten worse. What good is being able to chose to be healthier when you can’t afford to go to a doctor? When your health plan has no coverage for visits that are not deemed “preventative ” are out of pocket “at the adjusted rate” until you reach an astronomical deductible, how is that a health care plan. Other than some simple general preventative cases, if you have the beginning of an issue, you can’t afford to take care of it.
Seems Ironic That Healthcare Providers have the worst insurance
Through personal experience I have progressively seen my healthcare coverage steadily go from a decent service back in the 1990s to practically catastrophic coverage now.
When it is more expensive to go to a sick visit at your doctor than you pay for groceries for a week for a family of 4……..I think we have officially hit the point of no access to care. Our only saving grace is full coverage of prevention. Unfortunately there is currently legislation being looked at in North Carolina that says in order to cover anything new as prevention, something has to be removed as prevention.
Pre-authorizations and denials of care
More and more services are being required to have pre-authorization in order to proceed. Unfortunately there is a percentage that will be denied based of some algorithm or one person’s opinion of it being necessary. Many times it takes so long for authorization, the person just gives up and prays for the best.
So I ask again…..Do we have the best healthcare in the world?
So do we truely have the best Healthcare in the world. Have we gotten to the point where it is an illusion of access to care, but really is a revenue generating monster of a conglomerate of for profit Health Insurance companies. I know for certain it sure is not making us providers rich.
