Comments on: How the health reform debate needs to be re-framed http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/how-health-reform-debate-needs-to-be-re.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/how-health-reform-debate-needs-to-be-re.html/comment-page-1#comment-88754 Anonymous Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:31:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/12/how-the-health-reform-debate-needs-to-be-re-framed.html#comment-88754 Myth. Most uninsured people avoid the ER seeking care with private physicians or walk-in clinics. The ones who go to the ER for non-emergency care are not the temporarily unemployed but the work allergic Maynard Krebs of the world who have never paid any bill anyway and don't care.<br/><br/>There are lots of similar myths that have risen to the level of common knowledge but are not supported by the facts. If we make decisions based on these falsehoods the results will be severely disappointing. <br/><br/>Another popular one is the notion that people with unhealthy lifestyles drive up healthcare costs. Dutch data shows lower lifetime costs for smokers and the obese than for the non-smoking normal weight--for the simple reason that they die younger.<br/><br/>Saves a lot of SS payments too.<br/><br/>A third is that "45 million American's are uninsured". Not entirely true. About 40% of the healthcare provided to Americans without health insurance is covered by other insurance--workers comp or auto liability. The other part of the falsehood is that nearly 40% of that 45 million are not even legal residents of the country. They are Mexican's, Hondurans, visa-jumping Pakistani's etc whom the government is obligated to deport, not support.<br/><br/>A fourth is that people who are uninsured are either too poor to buy it or irresponsible bums. Often it is a very reasonable risk to take. If you look at the history of successful small companies in America--the ones that create jobs, provided services, pay taxes and donate profits to civic organizations in your hometown without asking for bailouts--you will often find that the founder was able to start the company only by taking a wide variety of risks and doing without a lot of things that we think ordinary--like for example health insurance. Myth. Most uninsured people avoid the ER seeking care with private physicians or walk-in clinics. The ones who go to the ER for non-emergency care are not the temporarily unemployed but the work allergic Maynard Krebs of the world who have never paid any bill anyway and don’t care.

There are lots of similar myths that have risen to the level of common knowledge but are not supported by the facts. If we make decisions based on these falsehoods the results will be severely disappointing.

Another popular one is the notion that people with unhealthy lifestyles drive up healthcare costs. Dutch data shows lower lifetime costs for smokers and the obese than for the non-smoking normal weight–for the simple reason that they die younger.

Saves a lot of SS payments too.

A third is that “45 million American’s are uninsured”. Not entirely true. About 40% of the healthcare provided to Americans without health insurance is covered by other insurance–workers comp or auto liability. The other part of the falsehood is that nearly 40% of that 45 million are not even legal residents of the country. They are Mexican’s, Hondurans, visa-jumping Pakistani’s etc whom the government is obligated to deport, not support.

A fourth is that people who are uninsured are either too poor to buy it or irresponsible bums. Often it is a very reasonable risk to take. If you look at the history of successful small companies in America–the ones that create jobs, provided services, pay taxes and donate profits to civic organizations in your hometown without asking for bailouts–you will often find that the founder was able to start the company only by taking a wide variety of risks and doing without a lot of things that we think ordinary–like for example health insurance.

]]> By: Dr. K http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/how-health-reform-debate-needs-to-be-re.html/comment-page-1#comment-88731 Dr. K Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:02:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/12/how-the-health-reform-debate-needs-to-be-re-framed.html#comment-88731 If we don't cover the uninsured costs are certain to rise. People who are working are usually healthy and insurance companies and medicare count on their premiums/taxes to help pay for the healthcare of the sick. When jobs are lost it only forces a shift of costs to working people. When the unemployed or their family gets sick they visit the ER because they have no insurance, which really escalates costs. If we don’t cover the uninsured costs are certain to rise. People who are working are usually healthy and insurance companies and medicare count on their premiums/taxes to help pay for the healthcare of the sick. When jobs are lost it only forces a shift of costs to working people. When the unemployed or their family gets sick they visit the ER because they have no insurance, which really escalates costs.

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