The Other Side of Healthcare Reform
Say what you will about the government's healthcare system, recent surveys show that most people approve of it. It was discovered that 56 to 60% of people gave government-run Medicare a 9 or 10 rating out of a scale of 1 to 10. Guess what proportion of policy holders gave that high a rating on their private insurance plans? Only about 40%. Hold on, it gets better (for the government, that is). 68% who have Medicare policies feel that their interests are given the priority whereas only 48% of those holding private insurance plans feel that way.
It seems like the government is doing some things right in healthcare after all, despite many people's grouses.
Case in point, consider the hospital system for the Department of Veteran's Affairs. It is the largest integrated healthcare system in the US. It is fully run by the government and one of the best in performance and most cost-efficient part of the American healthcare system. In truth, the veterans at the veterans hospitals receive better diagnosis, screening, treatment and follow-up than a national sample, according to a Rand Corporation study conducted recently. This was especially true in preventive medicine where veterans were almost 50% more likely to receive recommended care than the average American in a non-veterans hospital.
In the case of Medicare, when it comes to expenditure, it was found to spend as little as one sixth as much as private insurers in administrative costs; although comparisons like this can be too simplistic and rarely gives a true picture of how efficient or effective each healthcare system is.
The main grouse against privately run insurance schemes is not inefficiency or effectiveness but unfairness. If you are considered a high-risk prospect, you would be hard-pressed to find a private insurer who would cover you. They might, but only at a substantial loading of your premium or under very stringent terms and excessive exclusion clauses in your policy. Or, if you were healthy when you got your policy but had the misfortune to fall seriously ill thereafter, these private insurers would find a way to terminate your policy.
Many Americans rely on their employer's healthcare insurance schemes. Some are inherently flawed. There are cases where a worker is diagnosed with cancer and the terms of the insurance may only pay disability benefits for a specified period, say 90 days, after which the policy ceases to be in force.
In conclusion, despite the hesitancy many have over the government's proposed healthcare reforms, let's take a closer look at what's in store lest we should throw the baby out with the bath water.
Darrin T. Mish is a veteran, nationally recognized tax attorney who has focused on providing IRS help to taxpayers for over a decade. He regularly travels the country training other attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents on how to handle their toughest cases with the IRS. He is highly ranked among the top attorneys in the country, with an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a perfect 10 on Avvo.com. Martindale-Hubbell has also honored him with a listing in their Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He is a member of the American Society of IRS Problem Solvers and the Tax Freedom Institute. With clients on every continent but Antarctica, he has what it takes to solve your IRS problems no matter where you live in the world. If you would like more information about his practice and how he can help you, please call his office at (813) 229-7100 or toll free at 1-888-GET-MISH.
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