What are some of the options available to lower health care costs?

Question

What are some of the options available to lower health care costs?

Answer 1

Address the ACTUAL problems in the system: government meddling and control by large insurers.

Adopt the reforms AND the plan by Cassandra Nathan outlined here:

http://www.booklocker.com/books/3068.htm...

All current plans can exist, BUT there will be some changes:

CONTRACT law must always be enforced--now expensive LEGIT claims are routinely denied with impunity

ANTITRUST law must be enforced--now about half the major markets are effectively controlled by ONE large insurer who sets prices

PRICE TRANSPARENCY must be instituted. The prices are all in the computer BUT the patient is denied access. That is one way cheap games that result in financial disaster for patients occurs.

For ALL non-emergency procedures, the patient should be presented with a statement of HIS financial responsibility. IF he has insurance, they must commit to what they will pay and not find a loophole or just deny the claim for grins as they do now. If they pull that BS, then they are automatically in serious trouble, but the patient is NOT harassed with bills which are NOT his responsibility.

We increase the number of physicians, nurses, and other allied health personnel. This will have MANY benefits, but will reduce the hours they must slave away AND the errors that come from fatigue and too little time with the sicker patients. It will also allow the laws of supply and demand to reduce costs to the patient. It will also allow more US students to have excellent careers. We must allow reduce the cost to the student to educate them in NEEDED fields and reduce their student loans IF they will go where they are most needed (most rural areas are HURTING for docs) or in a field where most needed (such as general practice instead of a specialty).

Then Nathan has a plan that does replace the government programs of

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP and opens the NEW insurance to ALL.

EVERYONE on the plan would get:

one physical with follow up visit per year with co-pay

discounted prescription meds

IF needed one ER visit with co-pay.

After that they pay their own way UNLESS AND UNTIL they hit THEIR "catastrophic expense" level, in which case the plan pays for the necessary med expenses.

It is guaranteed AFFORDABLE because the PREMIUMS, CO-PAYS, and the CATASTROPHIC level are ALL means-tested. If you're a rich guy, you may need to hit $10K, if you're an old poor person, maybe $2K in a year. In other words, the elderly, disabled, and working poor would be VASTLY better off under THIS plan.

Funding IS explained and ends another abuse of the taxpayer.

Answer 2

OK, are you talking about lowering the cost of health care, or health insurance?  Health CARE costs can be lowered by lowering utilization.  Not going to the emergency room for a cold or ear infection.  Not going to the doctor for Chicken Pox.  Taking better care of yourself, by eating healthy, excercising regularly, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight.  

Health INSURANCE costs can only be lowered two ways:  increase deductibles, or cut coverage.

Answer 3

Increasing copays, and deductibles.  Adding hospital copays.  The more the cost sharing of a plan, the less cost in premium.