(1) What factors have led to increasing health care costs?

(1) What factors have led to increasing health care costs?

There are many factors that continue to contribute to health care costs and their exponential rise in the United States. The largest contributing factors are related to inefficient health care and poor personal maintenance of health[1]. Furthermore, the rapid increase in technology and the cost of research and production for medications contributes to the end cost of health care as well. While the Affordable Care Act was enacted to reframe the “financial relationship between Americans and the health care system” it resulted in the exact opposite and many of its internal policies drove the cost of care and insurance premiums beyond a point of “affordable”[2]. Specifically, the Affordable Care act required that those who are not sick incur the cost for those who are as well as for those who cannot afford health care of their own volition. This was accomplished through tax-payer funded subsidies, higher insurance premiums based on income (similar to a tax bracket) and more insurance providers pulling out of the markets due to inability to maintain profits[3]. While some of these factors have quelled, they all continue to contribute to rising costs for those seeking health care in the public sector.

(2) What are some ways to control these costs? As you discuss solutions, please acknowledge potential criticisms of your proposal and offer counter-points for consideration.

Since I’m assuming this question is geared towards a personally developed solution I’d like to start by offering that all members of the House and Senate should be required to utilize the same plans available to the public. While in 2014, the Affordable Care Act did much to alleviate this by moving members of the House and Senate into the DC Health Link exchange4, but they are also afforded free or low-cost coverage through the Office of the Attending Physician in conjunction with outpatient care that is available to them through military facilities5. Many of the members of Congress and the Senate have not served and no other government agency is provided medical care at a military facility with the exception of Department of Defense personnel.

Aside from their drop in the bucket cost for care I think it’s also important to assess the viability of opening the drug market such that manufacturers of medication can no longer patent medication resulting in a free and open market for regulated production of medications without competition driving costs up. Another matter to look into that could provide significant increases would be to reduce the administrative (legal) procedures required for filing claims such that laws clearly define how insurance companies are able to allocate policies as well as capping the premiums that may be charged[4]. While I’m not a fan of government subsidized health care I would argue that States should be required to establish legislation for the financing of health care for lower income individuals based on tax filing status. Furthermore, a failure to file taxes would result in a loss in state benefits until the taxes owed were paid along with a penalty. For those who require emergency care that would incur a cost beyond their affordability the States should also be required to provide financial planning and possible subsidization for the costs. This allows the markets to be competitive at the State level. Much like anything else cost of living related, the more successful states will draw more residents. This results in more representation in government, the possibility of better GDP at the State level, and an overall increase in quality of life for residence of those States with more appealing and affordable plans. Of course, the challenge here is reversing our entire system such that responsibility is no longer with Federal Government subsidies, but at the State and individual voter level. I’d also argue that this requires more responsible and informed citizens who will need to understand their governments budget and executive level processes.

References

Bloom, Ester. "Here's how much members of Congress pay for their health insurance." CNBC. July 25, 2017. Accessed October 25, 2017. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/25/heres-how-muchmembers-of-congress-pay-for-their-health-insurance.html.

Cornell, Ada. "Health Benefits for Members of Congress and Designated Congressional Staff: In Brief." Congressional Research Service. January 13, 2017. Accessed October 25, 2017. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43194.pdf.

Goodell, S., and P. Ginsburg. "High and Rising Health Care Costs." Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. October 2008. Accessed October 25, 2017. https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2008/10/high-and-rising-health-care-costs.html.

Mongan, James J., M.D., Ferris, Timothy G,M.D., M.P.H., and Thomas H. Lee M.D. 2008. "Options for Slowing the Growth of Health Care Costs." The New England journal of medicine 358, no. 14: 1509-14, https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/docview/223921308? accountid=8289.

Rosenbaum, Sara. "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice." Public Health Reports 126.1 (2011): 130-135. Print.

Swendiman, Kathleen. "Health Care: Constitutional Rights and Legislative Powers." Congressional Research Service. April 5, 2010. Accessed October 23, 2017. http://www.ncsl.org/documents/health/legpowers.pdf.

"The Affordable Care Act in 2017: Myths and Facts || CMA." CMA. Accessed October 25, 2017. http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/the-affordable-care-act-in-2017-myths-and-facts/.

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[1] Goodell, S., and P. Ginsburg. "High and Rising Health Care Costs." Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. October 2008. Accessed October 25, 2017. https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2008/10/high-and-rising-health-care-costs.html. [2] Rosenbaum, Sara. "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice." Public Health Reports 126.1 (2011): 130-135. Print. [3] "The Affordable Care Act in 2017: Myths and Facts || CMA." CMA. Accessed October 25, 2017. http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/theaffordable-care-act-in-2017-myths-and-facts/. 4 Cornell, Ada. "Health Benefits for Members of Congress and Designated Congressional Staff: In Brief." Congressional Research Service. January 13, 2017. Accessed October 25, 2017. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43194.pdf. 5 Bloom, Ester. "Here's how much members of Congress pay for their health insurance." CNBC. July 25, 2017. Accessed October 25, 2017. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/25/heres-how-much-members-of-congress-pay-for-their-health-insurance.html. [4] Mongan, James J., M.D., Ferris, Timothy G,M.D., M.P.H., and Thomas H. Lee M.D. 2008. "Options for Slowing the Growth of Health Care Costs." The New England journal of medicine 358, no. 14: 1509-14, https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/docview/223921308? accountid=8289.