Public's View Of Healthcare

Introduction

I have examined the public's view of healthcare. Along with that I have analyzed how their perception was shaped by the primary actors within the U.S. healthcare system. The primary actors are the insurers, the provider groups, and the purchaser's. Following that I conclude with my own thoughts and views.

The Public's View of Healthcare

The public is not content with our healthcare right now. An extensive survey was conducted by ABC News; the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent non-profit research organization that specializes in health care issues; and USA Today on the public's attitude on health care. Surprisingly enough one aspect of why the public is not content with the healthcare system is apprehension about the future because of the rising costs of healthcare. According to Langer & Sussman (2006, October 16), "A minority of Americans, 40 percent, are dissatisfied with their own current health care costs. But, given rising rates, six in 10 insured people are worried about being able to afford their premiums over the next few years. And nearly as many worry they could lose their insurance because of the loss of a job." Another aspect of why the public is not content with the healthcare system is the quality of care. According to Langer & Sussman (2006, October 16), "More than half, 54 percent, are dissatisfied with the quality of health care generally in the country and 89 percent call the number of uninsured Americans a serious problem or worse, including 52 percent who call it "critical."" As an American I believe that healthcare cost too much and that quality of care is slipping with these high costs which makes the future very uncertain right now.

How the Primary Actors Have Shaped the Public's View

1) The insurers:

The perception of healthcare costing too much has been shaped through the rapid increase of health insurance that is employer- based. Sixteen percent of healthcare spending in 2003 was paid by the consumers that pay out-of-pocket and the public and private insurance's paid the rest. The heavy reliance on insurance and the cost of medical treatment being pushed on third parties has made it to where doctors and patients make unrational and unethical decisions about spending. The public's perception has also been shaped through the increase of fiscal and political attack on the Medicaid program. Let's not leave out the long-term solvency problem of the federal government that has also shaped their perception. The delivery of insurance and the delivery of care are predominately ran by players who add cost without adding value such as private insurers, for-profit hospitals, and other players.

2) Provider groups:

The perception of healthcare costing too much has been shaped through limiting resources through the new model of managed care, higher insurance premiums, and strained hospital budgets within the provider groups. The payment methods in this area for different scopes of service are fee-schedules and sometimes capitation. That of course still depends on preferences of the plan and the willingness of the provider to assume the risk for specified sets of services. Individual facilities are the primary contract plans for hospitals. These plans pay them on per diem per case and sometimes capitation. Provider groups are having financial instability problems which are caused from large numbers of large physician organizations and the low utilization and premium rates. This problem has left little room for the delivery of care to be economized.

3) Purchasers of healthcare:

The awareness of the healthcare system and the changes has shaped the perception of the public's view. Purchaser's now have the power to pick