It’s an Independence-day Grand Rounds at Rangel, MD:
Welcome to my second go ’round as host for Grand Rounds of the Medical Blogosphere! I know it’s not really proper to discuss a person’s problems on their birthday but in this forum I thought that we should take the opportunity to focus on the problems with the US health care system and ponder any solutions.
First off, my editor’s choice goes to Dr. Henochowicz who appears to have the perfect top 5 list of things that need to be addressed. 1). Enact compulsory health insurance. 2). Promote primary care. 3). Fund the National Health Information Network. 4). Encourage consumerism. 5). Encourage physician involvement and leadership in health care policy. ABSOLUTELY! Every physician should have this “to do” list in his/her pocket.
Fixing the medical liability system…
Yet another excellent Grand Rounds.
Oh, and I’d like to second the above 5 recommendations!
I cannot believe that on Independence Day you’re going to advocate compulsory health insurance. We now have a tax on existence? If not, all that statement really means is the government will continue to subsidize people who can’t afford insurance or healthcare – which is what is already happening.
Exactly right, I think people should have to be responsible for themselves, and their bills.
While every analogy breaks down at some point, I think of this like car insurance. Everyone is required to have auto insurance to drive on public roads, because if an accident occurs, we’ve discovered that it’s a lot easier to get your car fixed if an Insurance company is covering the cost rather than trying to sue money out of someone not responsible enough to carry auto insurance on their own.
So, why do I get to work for free (and my hospital provide free care) for those who aren’t willing / able to get insurance? (I realize individual insurance isn’t cheap or easy to get; I presume there would be measures taken like those in Mass to level the field). I’d refer you to one of Dr. Rangel’s on-target rants: healthcare isn’t a Right; it stops being a right when someone else is forced to work for free for your right.
I see this purely as personal responsibility, and nothing is more independent than being responsible.