Complexity Of Healthcare
This week’s reading left me with a sense of confusion at the complexity of the healthcare system. Teitelbaum and Wilensky (2013) the lack of a unified healthcare system makes health care overly complicated and obtuse. There are many players and a lack of coordination allows for unnecessary redundancies and is costly. In 2009, the United States spent the equivalent of $8,086 per person on healthcare, moreover, this represents a 4% increase over 2008 spending.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) set out to control health care costs by providing health insurance to low-income citizens. Having health insurance improved access to preventable health care, screenings, and appropriate care of chronic conditions. Often the health care uninsured individuals
access are costly and do not provide for continuity of care. (Teilelbaum & Wilensky, 2013).
Poor continuity of care creates unnecessary expense since people with complex needs account for a disproportionate share of acute care spending. The ideal care model is person-centered care and addressing the health goals of the individual; which required attentive care coordination and documentation. Health care tends to be delivered in silos, which does not support continuity of care or coordination of services (NCQA, 2015).
According to the Kaiser Foundation (2017), the impact of being uninsured is higher health care costs. Frequently, hospitals charge uninsured patients much higher rates than the insured, moreover uninsured individuals are more likely to go into bankruptcy over medical bills than individuals with insurance. The cost of not having health insurance is high in human and financial costs. “Going without coverage can have serious health consequences for the uninsured because they receive less preventive care, and delayed care often results in serious illness or other health problems” (Kaiser Foundation, 2017, p. 7).
I understand the debate is a free market but the poorest people are paying the most for health care, and having worst outcomes. The remaining question is: How can the US continue to justify not having a unified health care system with universal coverage, particularly when there is so much evidence about the poor outcome for the uninsured?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) set out to control health care costs by providing health insurance to low-income citizens. Having health insurance improved access to preventable health care, screenings, and appropriate care of chronic conditions. Often the health care uninsured individuals
access are costly and do not provide for continuity of care. (Teilelbaum & Wilensky, 2013).
Poor continuity of care creates unnecessary expense since people with complex needs account for a disproportionate share of acute care spending. The ideal care model is person-centered care and addressing the health goals of the individual; which required attentive care coordination and documentation. Health care tends to be delivered in silos, which does not support continuity of care or coordination of services (NCQA, 2015).
According to the Kaiser Foundation (2017), the impact of being uninsured is higher health care costs. Frequently, hospitals charge uninsured patients much higher rates than the insured, moreover uninsured individuals are more likely to go into bankruptcy over medical bills than individuals with insurance. The cost of not having health insurance is high in human and financial costs. “Going without coverage can have serious health consequences for the uninsured because they receive less preventive care, and delayed care often results in serious illness or other health problems” (Kaiser Foundation, 2017, p. 7).
I understand the debate is a free market but the poorest people are paying the most for health care, and having worst outcomes. The remaining question is: How can the US continue to justify not having a unified health care system with universal coverage, particularly when there is so much evidence about the poor outcome for the uninsured?