New Research Findings of Policy Models on American Healthcare are Shocking and Forecast a Disaster in The “Reform” Attempt
The Foundation for Truth in the Affairs of Democracy has announced the results of the work of one multidisciplinary team and the intention to form others to build policy models to solve America’s most difficult and dangerous problems. From comprehensive research the full facts are gathered and amalgamated into prospective public policy in substantial detail. In the first model of healthcare policy begun in 2001 FTAD has produced the most thorough examination of the US healthcare system ever published. The facts emerged from a thorough study of peer reviewed research of segments of the American system and comparisons with other nations, principally the next nine largest industrialized democracies. A review by a senior executive in the insurance industry further showed how a new role for health insurance companies could benefit American healthcare
Hawley, PA (PRWEB) November 9, 2009
FTAD points out this is usually the other way around in lobby dominated Washington where opposing policy positions are adopted with research used to justify them. The FTAD mission is to provide the media and public with alternates to lobby propaganda and inadequately informed Congressional or Administration policy efforts. On their agenda after healthcare are energy policy, education, and government reform.
The critical facts missing in the Congressional debate of healthcare make a costly disaster the almost certain outcome of the bills now being considered in the Senate and the one just passed in The House:
It is assumed 45 to 50 million Americans are without access to basic healthcare. The reality is over 100 million are mostly outside the system. Of uninsured Americans, 47% report unmet medical needs. Of those on “government insurance”, mainly Medicaid, 32% have such unmet needs. The Census Bureau considers them to be ”insured”, the degree of which varies by state. Extending Medicaid will not rein in cost increases or provide much primary care. Of those with private insurance 14% have unmet needs. “Underinsured” is a critical and overlooked category.
Treating unmet medical needs or worse, unknown medical needs, after they manifest to illness accounts for over 20% of the total American healthcare costs. Establishing universal healthcare which allows access to preventive medicine will ultimately eliminate such costs in a projected seven years.
In potential years of life lost to disease before age 70 the US is 38% higher than the average of the nine comparison nations. Related statistics defy the common belief that the American diet is responsible for high health care costs. It is lack of care which also contributes to loss of life.
The joker in the healthcare deck of cards is that 5% of the people use 55% of the resources. Creating very sick people through lack of care quickly gets very expensive, particularly if they become disabled.
The costs of “covering” the 100 million uninsured and underinsured is over $300 billion per year, triple the estimate Congress is using.
Excess administration, defensive medicine and legal concerns in comparison with other nations accounts for 15% of the total American costs. These costs, which could be immediately saved by the right reform, would provide the funds for taking every one into a universal system.
The financial situation of the health insurance industry is dismal except for the two largest companies. The concept of creating more competition is hopeless. Not-for-profit companies have been doing this for decades.
That costs will rise at the same rate or faster with the proposed legislation can be expected. They will fall only when access to universal preventive medicine is made possible by universal care and “care denial induced illness” is eradicated from American society.
FTAD models a single payer insurance system supported by progressive taxation used in 19 of the 25 industrialized democracies as the only means to stop cost escalation. Only two of the remaining six nations have government run systems for universal care. Three have universal care with “multi payer” systems under which insurance companies are heavily regulated. The FTAD model positions a National Healthcare Authority in the United States at the level of The Federal Reserve which would regulate and finance healthcare as “The Fed” does with banks and financial institutions.
The analysis shows that with the national authority Americans wind up with total freedom of choice. Physicians stay independent with improved compensation. Hospitals stay in their present ownership. All are relieved of administrative and legal burdens; the latter by scientific review of all claims prior to litigation. With progressive tax funding American businesses and individuals are relieved of paying insurance premiums,
FTAD also describes the business interests in healthcare delivery including Wall Street and the plaintiff lawyers. It is reasonable to conclude that Wall Street would like to get out with its money. Provisions are made in the FTAD model for both Wall Street to escape whole and the insurance companies to play a role, contribute to the new policy, and stay whole.
The plaintiff lawyers logically have another problem. With universal healthcare they lose opportunity to sue for future medical expenses. The large prospective amounts of money affect settlement negotiations. To preserve that source of incentive funds they have been opponents of universal care with heavy contributions to the Democratic Party. That hundreds of thousands of their countrymen sicken and die from lack of care seems of no concern to the lawyers or the Democrats that take their money. Theirs is the unheard voice, but a dominant influence in the present debate.
The Chairman of FTAD board is Professor (Emeritus) Theodore R. Marmor of the Yale University School of Management. The Vice Chair is Dr. Elinor Christiansen former President of the American Medical Women’s Association. The CEO is Gerald P. Balcar who led the research project which embraced eight disciplines. He is a former corporate vice president of an American multinational company, entrepreneur and business consultant. The web site is www. ftad. org. The FTAD findings are presented in the book Healing America’s Healthcare, The Facts and a Model. Most important it explains that single payer insurance is not government run healthcare. It may be purchased on the web site or from book sellers. Contributions may be made through the web site and contact made with the principals. A speaker’s bureau is available.
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