Will I Be In Business Tomorrow

We have a new President and administration, and they would like to reform the health care delivery system. I agree, it needs reform. The question is, what changes are necessary. When compared to the rest of the world, we lead in new Rx development, surgical proceedures, and technology. Don't get me wrong, I am not an elitist. Developments happen in the rest of the world, I am just saying that we lead the way disproportionately. It is also known that people with means who are ill in other parts of the globe most often choose the USA for treatment.

I think the real issue is just cost. We have not been able to contain the increase in the cost of health insurance, which is a reflection on how much the cost of health care is rising too. If it wasn't rising, then neither would the premiums for the insurance.

I played tennis with a MD tonight. He says his reimbursement from insurers is getting lower. So I asked him what he thought, and said he thinks technology is a major player. I am sure that he is right, along with cost shifting from the uninsured, and from providers looking to be paid more than what Medicare (govt run health program) pays.

It has been a downer of a day for me. Most of my insurance practice is in the health insurance marketplace, and I get the impression that the new Pres would like me out of business, and a Canadian type health care system in place, eventhough he says not so. Stimulus is probably not coming my way, so I truly hope that the folks in our industry don't get a double whammy of loss of business due to the economy, and then a push for big government to take over the whole health care delivery system. We have problems, but keeping the system private will keep us with a better quality of health care eventhough some of us think the quality is not always so good. We are spoiled and expect the best, and if we want the best, a private and not public system is best. If you don't like public housing, then don't expect public health coverage to be an improvement, or necessarily cheaper. Medicaid is expensive to run. Medicare is not, because the government lets private carriers administer it, medicaid is administered by government agencies.

Maybe I just want to feel needed. Anyway, let me know your thoughts on this.