The end of a dream?
The California Department of Health Services is moving to revoke the license of Martin Luther King Jr-Harbor Hospital (aka King-Drew, aka Killer King), effectively shutting the place down.
If you're new to the story a woman died in a pool of her own blood as a janitor mopped around her and as her boyfriend desperately called 911 for assistance while they were in the hospital. The kicker is that most of this is backed up by video and 911 tapes. This article goes into the unfortunate story.
My point with this article is the Killer King is a public hospital set up with the best of intentions. Originally, it was built as a response to the Watt's riots after one study finding was that lack of access to medical attention was one of the reason's for the riots. Another public hospital set up with the best intentions, Walter Reed recently made some news of its own. While there are many public hospitals that don't mock you as you die on the waiting room floor, nor do they put you in moldy rooms. However, I guarantee you that overwhelmingly, in any city, the public hospital is the least preferred option. This is a very important nugget to remember as we head into an election season where Universal Government Run Health Care promises to be a big topic.
Government's are not set up to run your health care. At best what governments do is big picture, broad strokes tasks. The finer points of addressing your particular medical needs is simply something it cannot do. For all the well meanings and best intentions there is no escaping the idea that the government is the sledge hammer trying to work on your health care microchip.
Its morally compelling to want to use the resources of the government to provide health care for all, no way does any caring person really feel that all US citizens deserve the best medical attention possible. The government has a lot of money and power, and surely should be able to make this happen. Right? Wrong. It's just not the right tool, and all the money and power won't change that. History is rife with military examples of this point, and many believe it is happening right now in Iraq. Good intentions, money and power do not guarantee success, not even close. The right idea, the willingness to do it get you there much faster. I know that we, as Americans, have the willingness, so the goal now is to find the right idea. Turning everything over to the feds is not it.
I don't like having an only "not so" post, I prefer to offer solutions rather than pure criticism. I'm making an exception here. One, because I don't want any solution offered up to take away from my focus on the idea that the Feds can't do it. And two, sometimes deleting an option by itself is helpful. Ask Sherlock.
Posts
1 comment:
This caring person believes that ALL Americans should have access to quality healthcare.
Ask the over 40 million uninsured Americans...most of whom are not indigent. Ask a tax-paying American who has had their savings wiped out by health bills. Over 50% of all personal bankruptcies are caused by catastrophic healthcare costs. Ask a tax-paying American who has had to forgo medical tests and medical care that would have prevented a more expensive and life-threatening illness. Ask a parent who has to forgo their own medical care to pay for the medical treatment of their children. Ask taxpaying Americans who cannot afford basic preventive medical care for their children.
Why isn't affordible healthcare available to our citizens as it is to citizens of most of the other major industrialized nations? ...and ours is the wealthiest.
Whether or not the state, local and/or federal government can pay for healthcare, provide healthcare or subsidize healthcare and hospital costs is not a question. The real question is how to make it more efficient, cost-effective and available. Our government currently provides payments to healthcare providers and subsidizes healthcare through Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans benefits. Both public and private, for-profit and non-profit hospitals currently receive payments from the federal or state government.
The situations at Walter Reed appear due to mismanagement and indifference. I am not familiar with the details of the King hospital episodes. However,contrary to these examples, in many cities in the U.S. the best healthcare may indeed be available at public hospitials. If a large public hospital is affiliated with a medical school, the medical expertise may be superior to private hospitals. There are many examples of public hospitals providing excellent care and some private hospitals falling short.
Private hospitals, both for-profits and non-profits could remain private. They would simply be more assured of payment. The health of the entire system would benefit.
Those who decide to seek higher level elective healthcare not covered by taxpayer funds could still receive it and pay the difference. That is the case now for those covered by current plans.
Private health insurance industry administration costs far exceed public administrative costs as a percentage of total expense.
Yes healthcare delivery systems and resources must be managed properly and there has to be accountablity and QA for the use of public funds. It can be done. In many cases, it is being done.
Making quality healthcare available and affordable to ALL Americans is simply the right thing to do. It is probably the very best investment that taxpayers can make...the health of our nation and it's citizens. The dividends far outweigh the costs. It affects us all, now and in the future.
Post a Comment