Opus 2017-101: Getting on with the Health Care Conversation

We need to continue the conversation on health care.  I would prefer that the federal government get out of it totally but, since that isn’t going to happen, I am sure I can come up with other ideas.

How would health care be different if regular office visits were removed from the insurance coverage.  Sometimes this is called catastrophic coverage.  It is the kind of coverage that young people preferred and which they were willing to pay.  I would recommend it for everyone.

Some would say that it would cost more because regular check ups are a way of avoiding bigger problems.  People would not go if they had to pay.  That is possible but it leaves the decision up to them instead of forcing everyone into one size fits all plans.

We would also need to demand a serious co-pay for the Emergency room.  Too any people use it as their GP.  We could refund any charges if the problem turns out to be a genuine emergency.  Of course the issue then is defining genuine emergency.  It might be set at the level of being admitted to the hospital.  I remember one time I went because I thought I was going blind.  I never saw a doctor.  The triage nurse took one look at me and said, “Pink eye.”  What I thought was an emergency, and it was after hours so I had an excuse, should have cost me the going rate for an office visit and a few bucks for a generic prescription.  It should not have socked my insurance $800.

So there are a couple of ideas.  I know there are a lot more out there.

homo unius libri