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People’s Exhibit # 1

By on March 25, 2012

Steve Lopez

Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez tells the story of a man who took his 11-year old daughter to the Emergency Room in Tarzana California to be seen for a stomach ache. He called their pediatrician’s  office and was advised to go to the ER just in case the problem might prove to be appendicitis. He had a privately purchased insurance policy replacing the employer-supplied coverage he lost when he was laid off. It had a $5000 deductible.

The link to the complete article follows, but the upshot was that she went to the ER, had an ultrasound and ‘routine’ lab tests that ruled out appendicitis, and he had to come up with the entire $5000 for what was a comparatively simple and short visit. http://www.latimes.com/health/la-me-lopez-medicalcosts-20120325,0,6538717.column

The cost for just walking in the door was slightly over $1200. This represented his share of the costs of the technical equipment that was standing there at the ready if it was needed and his share of the salary of those on duty at that time, which was probably considerable– billers, coders, nurses, technicians in  addition to the doctor. Increased requirements for documentation and added watchdogs of patient safety have added recently to that cost.

The upshot of the man’s experience is that it costs more to make sure you are not sick than many people sitting at home realize. Actually getting sick could bankrupt you. Newer enhancements to care delivery are being added constantly. Consumers will demand these but may not realize the costs.

The 2009 Health Care Reform Bill does not squarely address the problem above. It should have. But caving in those beating the drum to over turn “Obama-care” for their own selfish reasons does not address it either. More needs to be done, not less. The public stands the most to lose here.

Health Reform rose to the top of the priority list finally because so many people in the US who consider themselves middle class cannot afford to get sick. They were agitating for help and The Reform Bill of 2009 was the best that a divided Congress could deliver to help them. I believe our current president made it his number one concern, at some peril to himself politically, because he remembered the suffering of his own mother, battling cancer and needing help to pay her bills.

We need more and better reform, not a sidetrack to a time when complete medical coverage will be a privilege of the wealthy, when health care is rationed out based on the ability to pay. This is a not an issue that should be etch-a-sketched for the fall campaign. A healthy work force is a requirement if the US is to compete successfully in the world marketplace. The CEO does not make the widget himself.

 

Tom Godfrey

 

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