What is the #1 healthcare problem in the USA?

jenpstudentrn · Jun 13, 2005

What is the #1 healthcare problem in the USA? A lack of affordable healthcare/ health insurance. As of 2004 there were 44 million uninsured Americans living in this country.That is equal to the combined populations of Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Mississippi,Kansas, Arkansas, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, West Virginia, Nebraska, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, Hawaii,Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming. 8.4 of the 44 million are uninsured children. Sure, some of these people can afford health insurance, but choose not to be insured. The bulk of the 44 million uninsured, however are uninsured because the price of health insurance is too high. It effects individuals health and public health, it effects the economy. Whenever you hear about layoffs conducted by by big companies (like the recently proposed layoffs announced by General Motors last week...) the companies conducting the layoffs cite rising healthcare costs for their employees as one of the primary factors for the layoffs. Social security in crisis? HA! It's the lack of affordable healthcare that should be on the front burner of the Bush administration.

live4today, RN · Jun 13, 2005

.................................in your very own opinion, what is the single most important problem with our healthcare system, and
what would you like to see happen to improve it?

The single most important problem with our healthcare system is GREED! THAT is an ILLNESS in and of itself throughout all of society, but the healthcare system is hit so hard by it, it will take a miracle to eradicate it. :rolleyes:

The thing I would like to see happen to improve it is for people to step back and do some soul searching about what part each of us plays in the making of our good ol' U.S. of A. The corporate structure of this country gets away with wayyyyyyyy too much, and seems to be delegating from its wallets how people in this country are going to receive treatment...........who gets seen and who doesn't.....when in need of healthcare. malpractice insurance, doctors wages, health insurance companies cut in the entire mix, hospital corporate heads, even down to our federal government all seem to taking care of their own needs and wants to live "the good life" while not caring about our country as a whole.

Sometimes being knocked down from one's own crown of glory does a person good because it usually isn't until that happens that change for the better comes into play. It knocks the selfishness and greed right out of a person's soul. Our country is in desperate need of an entire reorganization from the top brass down to the middle managers who are the "yes boss" people who know there's a problem, yet do nothing in mass numbers to call attention to the white collar crime in this country.

We each have a responsibility to our country to get rid of the greedy partakers for the benefit of today's and tomorrow's generation.

Problems in our healthcare system go wayyyyyyyyyy deep. And nothing will be done as long as the greedy ones run the country, the states, the cities, and the towns we live in. Politicians know full well how to solve many of the financial woes of this country, but they also know that would mean getting paid less, and perhaps not having all the perks they have been enjoying for years now. :stone

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2005

I was going to say gross stupidity, but I think that Deb put it a bit kinder.

Noncompliance and non-participation in health maintenance and total disregard for our our own health. I think most problems stem from these things.

PJMommy · Jun 14, 2005

The cost of end-of-life care in patients/families without the foresite to have discussed personal desires in end-of-life issues.
Physicians over-prescribing for procedures, tests and medications.
Lack of personal involvement/accountability/participation in overall health and lifestyle areas of the public.

I was wondering if anyone was going to mention end-of-life issues. At any given time in our ICU, we have 5-6 patients for whom everything we are doing is futile - they will never leave our unit. Yet families say "do everything for gramma" (who is 90 y/o with terminal lung cancer). So people "live" on ventilators and with the support of numerous meds for literally weeks on end before finally transferring to Heaven.

Docs do everything - order all the daily labs and x-rays, get the EKGs for every instance of ectopy -- all because they are terrified of being hit with a malpractice suit.

High costs lead to high insurance premiums which means many are uninsured -- and don't even think about insurance companies paying for preventative things like smoking cessation programs or Jenny Craig.

Fuzzy · Jun 14, 2005

Lack of affordable healthcare for people who are not covered by insurance. Also lack of healthcare in general in rural areas.

Fuzzy

Princess74 · Jun 14, 2005

What is the #1 healthcare problem in the USA? A lack of affordable healthcare/ health insurance. As of 2004 there were 44 million uninsured Americans living in this country.That is equal to the combined populations of Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Mississippi,Kansas, Arkansas, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, West Virginia, Nebraska, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, Hawaii,Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming. 8.4 of the 44 million are uninsured children. Sure, some of these people can afford health insurance, but choose not to be insured. The bulk of the 44 million uninsured, however are uninsured because the price of health insurance is too high. It effects individuals health and public health, it effects the economy. Whenever you hear about layoffs conducted by by big companies (like the recently proposed layoffs announced by General Motors last week...) the companies conducting the layoffs cite rising healthcare costs for their employees as one of the primary factors for the layoffs. Social security in crisis? HA! It's the lack of affordable heathcare that should be on the front burner of the Bush administration.

Yep! You hit it on the nose. The cost of health insurance is a HUGE problem.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jun 14, 2005

Hello! I think most of us can agree that healthcare here in the good ol' U.S. of A is lacking in some areas. In fact, many think that we are facing a crisis.
My question for you is, in your very own opinion, what is the single most important problem with our healthcare system, and what would you like to see happen to improve it?

A system that does not provide insurance coverage for every citizen. The middle class citizens are often the meat of the sandwich.

CritterLover, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2005

i'm sure it has been said already, but i think it is the lack of people taking responsibility for their own health care.

diabetics/hypertensives that don't take their medication or watch their diets. people who come to the emergency room but never follow up with their pcp or specialist. people who are discharged home from the hospital but never fill thier dc scripts. people who are scheduled for outpatient education but never show up.....i could go on and on but it is time for me to leave for work.

these things are a real drain on the healthcare system. the drive the costs up, because they are most likely to come to the er frequently and/or be admitted frequently.

we have one patient, a crack addict, whose visits are so cyclical in nature you can predict her visits with ease: she is dc home, leaves, hits the crack house, calls 911, comes back in with respiratory distress, gets adimtted to icu on a vent, gets weaned and sent to step-down, gets better and is sent to the floor, then gets dc home again....

every time ems brings her back in, she cries for help in getting off the crack. when she stabelizes and social services offers it to her, she wants nothing to do with it. her care is costing a fortune, and she will never pay a dime for it. so frustrating.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2005

A system that does not provide insurance coverage for every citizen. The middle class citizens are often the meat of the sandwich.

I think as a middle class citizen this bothers me the most. I see middle class citizens told by their insurance companies to get out of the hospital earlier than those without insurance who stay until they are well, or long past.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2005

Pharmaceutical companies playing on the general public's desire for medications for everything and their political power.
Overuse of the medical system by some (must see provider to get Rx for desired advertised drug, for every bug bite, for a child who coughed once, for "fear of flu", etc.).
The cost of end-of-life care in patients/families without the foresite to have discussed personal desires in end-of-life issues.
Physicians over-prescribing for procedures, tests and medications.
Lack of personal involvement/accountability/participation in overall health and lifestyle areas of the public.

I agree. I would add at the end of your sentencer about physicians over-prescribing "and a general public that expects and demands them do do so."

goingCOASTAL · Jun 14, 2005

Whenever you hear about layoffs conducted by by big companies (like the recently proposed layoffs announced by General Motors last week...) the companies conducting the layoffs cite rising healthcare costs for their employees as one of the primary factors for the layoffs. Social security in crisis? HA! It's the lack of affordable heathcare that should be on the front burner of the Bush administration.

Not to mention that this means thousands of new uninsured dumped into the medical system when the layoffs do happen. I don't think universal insurance will happen in the next few years -- there is a great trend underway that is bankrupting the middle class, while both the rich and the poor continue to grow. In an administration that is heck-bent on getting rid of existing safety-nets, I don't think true healthcare reform will happen in the next three years, and if it does, it will simply undo previous reforms, or further cripple the working class.

kwagner_51 · Jun 14, 2005

The number ONE problem in healthcare is GOVERNMENT involvement in our lives.

Number two is INSURANCE companies.

Let me explain:

My husband has what is considered the best insurance in the country. He has Anthem BCBS major medical, dental, and vision. Right now he doesn't pay for his insurance the company does.

My 13 y/o had a T & A last May, I had a bladder repair done in July. The insurance finally paid my bill in ...JANUARY 2005!!!

My youngest son [10 y/o] knocked out parts of his front teeth in January this year. The dental part paid $140.00 My husband and I have paid $1000.00 out of our own POCKET!! :angryfire The total bill is $2649.00 because the dentist had to rebuild his teeth, do 2 root canals, and made a mouth gaurd for him so he can play baseball. Major medical is supposed to pay the rest because it was an accident.... not one word and absolutely no money has been forthcoming.

The government is just as bad...they tell hospitals and doctors what hoops they have to jump through to get a pentence from the government.

Next time you go to your PCP look around. How many nurses do you see?

Now look again...how many workers are there filling out all the insurance claims?

I do not understand why we insist on paying a middleman [insurance companies, government] to go to the doctor/hospital.

Would someone PLEASE explain this to me?

Everybody knows that to lower costs you always eliminate the middleman and go straight to the 'horse's mouth' so to speak.

Thanks!!

____________________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!