Reducing the crippling cost of health care!?!
Question: Would it at all be feasible to reduce the demand on our health care systems by:
a] Getting a reduction on your health premium if you submit to a blood test to rule out nicotine abuse?
b] Relieving the load on medical practitioners by the use of high tech devices, placed on the body (such as could be built into a wrist watch) which would keep a log of physiological vitals, such as BP, oxygen/blood ratio, temperature, heart rythym, blood sugar etc. Most of these monitoring 'tests' are within today's technology, and with nano tech just around the corner, many more health monitoring devices could be employed.
Wouldn't it save the system a bundle, if 'preventative' medicine played a bigger part in health care?
Answers: Would it at all be feasible to reduce the demand on our health care systems by:
a] Getting a reduction on your health premium if you submit to a blood test to rule out nicotine abuse?
b] Relieving the load on medical practitioners by the use of high tech devices, placed on the body (such as could be built into a wrist watch) which would keep a log of physiological vitals, such as BP, oxygen/blood ratio, temperature, heart rythym, blood sugar etc. Most of these monitoring 'tests' are within today's technology, and with nano tech just around the corner, many more health monitoring devices could be employed.
Wouldn't it save the system a bundle, if 'preventative' medicine played a bigger part in health care?
On point! 3 for 3 and great responses from the group.
To add: Current US Health Care is also about profitability. Finding ways to make "treatment" less profitable for the 'care providers' may switch the focus of profitability to preventive health care and there we might find a balance of costs to the consumer.
"Treatment" meaning how the health care industry approaches care for the consumer today: more readily to the Rx and procedures (because they can sell and charge for such) than to the holistic or preventative because it will reduce consumer demand.
Going out - maybe... far out in thought: Wouldn't it be beneficial to have a system of health care independent post audit that would fine providers when they overcharge or provide care / procedures outside of reason.
Complicated suppositions because of privacy and individual rights infringements - but a thought. Certainly wouldn't want to head for a Communistic state.
You are right on, but politics get in the way. The AMA is a strong lobby group and will thrwart any attempts to inititiate laws that keep people well.
good for you-you are right-sadly i feel drs do not want preventative medicine (even though they nay say they do)---i mean they make the big bucks.
the prices charged are outraegeous as you know im sure. But i admire you for your ideas
You are correct that preventative medicine in the long run saves a bundle of money--as well as heartache--and keeps productivity of people far higher. Not only the people who would have health declines stopped early, but the loss of productivity as people have to go take care of the chronically ill or dying family members.
However, smokers are addicts. If they're foolish enough to take up the habit (Surgeon General's warning is nearly 50 years old. That means certainly folks 60 and up were WELL AWARE of the sheer stupidity of smoking, yet chose to do it anyway.) the notion that they'd stop because of higher premiums is erroneous. They already pay high taxes on their tobacco products.
The second part of the question also presumes that folks will "care" about the data you want to gather. We already know what causes the bulk of these problems and people have no real commitment to not smoking, not boozing, not drugging (and yes, pot counts), saying no to casual sex, stupid activities (see "Jackass" I owe no apologies), dangerous driving, not getting enough sleep, and carting more than 20 extra pounds around. These are things the majority of the US population engage in (most folks are overweight now; sedentary lifestyle IS the norm, etc.). It's nothing new.
Too many people feel entitled to do anything stupid then go to the doc when they're really sick and say, "Give me a pill to fix me." Not going to work.
This is NOT to say those of us who are very ill all "did it to ourselves." That would be false, but your question deals with changing stupid choices, so that is what I'm addressing.
You can see that flu shots, for example, are quite cheap--$35 wouldn't cover the co-pay and gas to the doctor to get the diagnosis for flu in many cases--then there's the lost pay, the tissues, etc. to try to survive it. Many an employer has the flu folks COME to the work place and give shots--some are even free. ALL Medicare people can have a FREE flu shot. Don't tell me people can't get to the grocery store! They give shots on weekends, evenings, and early hours--plus there is the County Health department and many doctors' offices. Yet, how many folks will get a flu shot? Some will even claim that is too expensive--yet I've seen the price for movie tickets--$10. If you buy any "food" there, that's another $10. If you needed a babysitter or take the kids, that's at least $15. Skip a movie, skip the flu. I mean it IS totally do-able, yet people don't do it.
No reason to believe you can "make" or encourage people to behave responsibly, which is sad, but true.