What has happened with health insurance lately? Why is there such huge jumps in our premiums while there is a very noticable cut in offered and covered services? Insurance companies blame the greedy trial lawyers. Lawyers blame the bumbling doctors. Doctors blame everyone else. The truth seems pretty evident at least to me. They are all to blame.
Let's look at Doctors first. Now for the most part they are a competent lot, but as with every profession there are a few bad apples in the barrel. The problem here is these quacks don't get their license pulled until they have screwed up repeatedly, harming their patients and costing the insurance companies millions of dollars in pay outs. I really do not think the solution is to limit awards in these cases. The solution should be to yank the license and quickly. Don't let these goofballs go on harming their patients until finally the local medical board decides that it is finally time to take action. 1 or 2 mistakes is ok after all everyone is human but come on some of these guys have screwed up 5 or more times and are still practicing. Kind of scary if you ask me.
Next let's take these greedy lawyers. Now before I get bombarded with tons of hate mail from all the nice lawyers let me remind you that in every profession there are a few bad apples. Not all lawyers are bad, let me say that again NOT ALL LAWYERS ARE BAD!!!!!!! There are some however who will take any case regardless of whether it has any merit and the Doctors will likely settle because the cost of settling is small compared to defending it in court. I say let's run all the cases before a State review board to see if they have any merit. Those that do let them proceed. For those looking to get rich quick from the Doctors, lets make it hurt them a little. Force them to pay a fine and make them have to apologize publicly to the Doctors whose reputation they have tried to destroy.
Lastly let's set our sights on the insurance companies. Oh boy now here is a great example of GREED!!!!!!!! These companies declare millions upon millions of dollars in profit each year, they bestow huge, multimillion dollar bonuses upon their executives and then turn around and say " we have to raise the premiums or else we will go broke." I figure any insurance company that makes more than let's say 40 million in profit should not be able to raise premiums at all. For those under the 40 million cap they can raise rates but only at the same rate as inflation. So no more huge 20% or better rate increases.
One more rant here on Drug companies. I realize it does take money to research new drugs, but if it costs roughly 40% less in Canada then here in the U.S. something is truly wrong. Why should we subsidize the rest of the world? These are the exact same drugs from the same manufacturers but they can be sold for less in another country than what they get here. Maybe it is time to amputate the politicians from the deep pockets of the industry. Or better yet kick the politicians off their cushy, tax payer sponsored, health program and force them to pay what everyone else is. That would probably get it fixed in no time flat.
Then again maybe I have been smoking something besides my Marlboros or maybe the pollution has finally seeped deep into my brain and is affecting my thinking. I don't know. All I know is it sure ishell with health insurance.