Costs have put health care on life support
To the editor:
It may seem wrong to castigate our medical system but people need to be aware of how devastating it is. There is constant rhetoric from the blue party to spend more money on medical, a system that is now awash in money. Money will only accelerate our out-of-control medical system.
I read a story recently about a couple who were skiing in France. Wife broke her wrist severely, was operated on the next day, went back home in a week. Cost $1,500 for everything. When they were home, doctors were not available to remove the pin for six weeks.
The difference in medical systems was immediately made known when the doctors charged $9,000 for the simple pin removal. Two doctors were included in the charges. Why two? Only took one Frenchman. Oh yes, the doctors were blown away by the excellent surgery by the French.
My friend had a recent stay at a local hospital after hitting her head when she fell. Spent three days in the hospital. No surgery. Cost was $150,000. Bill was packed with doctors just stopping in for a minute. Thought it was a friendly visit. It wasn’t.
Upon release, the hospital repeated a test that was given on arrival that cost $13,000. Excessive precautionary tests and medication is common, another opportunity for profit. Of course, the hospital did not offer a listing of the charges. Too embarrassing, I presume.
Recently I visited a dermatologist and he removed a few “pre-cancer” items on my skin. It took less than 5 minutes. Cost $1,200.
America’s medical cost twice the average of other wealthy countries according to Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Yet our longevity is one of the worst and medical error is the third largest reason for deaths in America. Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, conducted a study that indicates misdiagnosis of disease or other medical conditions lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths and permanent disabilities each year in the U.S.
Prescription drug use by Americans is 50% greater than the next highest country according to World Population Review. 61% of adult Americans take some form of medication. Although America makes most of the drugs used worldwide, Americans pay much more. The very same insulin that cost $412 in America cost $55 in Greece according to HHS.com.
Why? Could it be that no one is in charge of pricing? Each hospital, doctor, lab, and pharmaceutical company can set their own prices. Insurance allows everyone the false belief that they are controlling these high prices even though insurance premiums are becoming too high for many. Our insurance faith is a major reason we don’t insist on better prices.
Buying medical services is difficult for the consumer? How do you shop when you can’t evaluate? That allows the medical system to use redundant and unnecessary testing, surgery and medication at extreme prices.
Medicare and Medicaid fraud are rampant from non-medical people such as the Somali $9 billion fraud in Minnesota and the medical systems who manipulate charges. CNBC estimates this fraud exceeding $100 billion.
What is the solution? I don’t know but we are in a suicide cycle. In 2010 Americans spent $2.6 trillion on medical. In 2025 it was $5 trillion and rising, almost as much as our federal government that spent $6.6 trillion.
Isn’t it great to read facts instead of someone calling Trump names?
John Benedict
Cape Coral