Problems:
- Consumers feel no responsibility for costs of unnecessary services and do not adequately shop for the cost of their care.
- Providers exercise defensive medicine to protect themselves.
- Insurers buy and then bury technology that could make healthcare costs more transparent.
- Government adds layers of regulation and questionable requirements that add huge financial burdens to the healthcare system
- Prescription costs are well out of reach for large classes of drugs.
Solutions :
- Consumers need to recognize that a new day is coming as the current system collapses on its own weight. Alternatives are going to be extremely costly and, until the finger pointing stops and behavior changes, no options will solve the growing cost problems. Consumers cannot do everything, but unless EACH consumer does SOMETHING the evolving system of healthcare distribution will be miserable for ALL consumers.
- Providers must participate in helping consumers make good financial decisions. The increasing complaints from providers that they are being asked to deal with the cost of care must CEASE.
- Since it appears that insurance company short term profit is more important than the long term benefits of the healthcare system, consumers need to find and share cutting edge tools to control healthcare costs. If not, we will all be at the mercy of the carriers as they gobble up creative companies and bury their technology.
- Government issues seem so far beyond our reach that “vote early, vote often” should be our social mantra. Demanding accountability from our elected officials should be done by calling and writing until they cannot misconstrue or avoid the clear picture of what is needed.
- Shopping pharmacies and comparing alternative prescription options should be automatic for all consumers. It seems we spend more time shopping our groceries in the aisles than we do with an expense of far greater import. Comparing generics vs. brands, checking to see if separating compound drugs into their individual components is possible and comparing costs at websites like www.goodrx.com should be an automatic action for all of us.
Long ago someone said, “I cannot do everything, but I can do something.” I would rephrase that to “We cannot do everything, but we should do MANY things” and I challenge each of us to see healthcare as a product that we purchase with our hard earned dollars. Just as we would not buy the first car we see on the first lot we visit, we should question and research the cost of the healthcare we receive.
Are you discouraged by the increasing costs and problems within healthcare? So are we! But we can help you find ways to protect yourself and your loved ones, while saving as much money as possible. Give us a call and we will help.