Question

if the government decides to make changes to health insurance coverage in the u.s what program would you change and why ?

Answer 1

changes i expect from US government are as follows -

1) Healthcare has become synonymous with health insurance, when the two should be mutually exclusive. Health CARE is the act of caring for our health, and we the patients are primarily responsible for that. I don’t insure my car for oil changes, gas fill-ups, washes and waxes, batteries, or windshield wipers – why should health insurance cover the cost of regular maintenance for humans?

2) Patient accountability for health is nominal, at best, amongst the majority of the country – as evidenced by obesity rate statistics. As a society, we continue to grow ever more obese, more sedentary, more drug-addled, and live longer due to extraordinary measures and technological advances. Yet, we don’t expect our healthcare costs to rise in accordance with our refusal to moderate our behavior.

3) All the other things that are typically listed as the biggest problems in healthcare today.

How do we fix it?

Demands on healthcare change due to various reasons, including the needs of patients. Every year, new cures and treatments help manage common diseases. Each such development affects the entire healthcare system as much as it has a positive impact on patients. As illnesses become more common, our healthcare system must adapt to treat them. Patient care needs will also evolve as the population ages and relies more heavily on resources such as Medicare and Medicaid. Patient empowerment is expected to increase with advances in technology.

Illness Trends

The bubonic plague is a good example of a disease that can drastically change the healthcare system by quickly shifting all resources to handle an epidemic. In the Middle Ages, the Black Death spread so quickly across Europe that it is responsible for an estimated 75 million deaths. It may be surprising that the bubonic plague still circulates today. In fact, according to Center for Disease Control data, there were 11 cases and three deaths in the U.S. within five months in 2015.

Although the bubonic plague is not near the threat it once was, other diseases and conditions of concern are on the rise. The following seven conditions are on the rise and can be expected to have an impact on healthcare in the near future:

1. Sexually Transmitted Infections: Chlamydia and gonorrhea rates have increased, and syphilis rates rose by 15.1 percent from 2013 to 2014.
2. Obesity: Obesity continues to be an issue in the U.S. with 78.6 million adults and 12.7 million children affected. Obesity rates have increased 17 percent in the past five years.
3. Autism: For every 100,000 people, 1,470 are diagnosed with autism. This number continues to rise annually. Recent increases may be due to awareness as doctors become more familiar with the symptoms of autism.
4. E. Coli: Within 10 years, cases of E. coli have increased by 472 percent. Many E. coli cases are the result of food contamination.
5. Liver Cancer: Incidences of liver cancer have increased by 47 percent in a recent 10-year timeframe.
6. Kidney Cancer: Healthcare practitioners have treated 18.6 percent more cases of kidney cancer in the past 10 years than in previous years.
7. Whopping Cough: The 10-year increase for whopping cough is nearly 146 percent. This may be due in part to parents opting out of whopping cough vaccinations.

The healthcare industry has identified these previous conditions, preparing to handle further increases with supplies and resources. However, a new threat is always possible. If something similar to the Ebola virus spread across the country, this would have a drastic impact on patient care and healthcare facilities.

Population Shift

The current baby boomer generation, which initially consisted of 76 million people born between 1946 and 1964, will be coming to retirement age and will increase federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid by an average of 5.9 percent in 2018 and 2019.

Advances in Technology

Healthcare technology trends focus heavily on patient empowerment. The introduction of wearable biometric devices that provide patients with information about their own health and telemedicine apps allow patients to easily access care no matter where they live. With new technologies focused on monitoring, research and healthcare availability, patients will be able to take a more active role in their care.

Conclusion

From policy to patients and everything in-between, the healthcare industry is constantly evolving. Aging populations, technological advancements and illness trends all have an impact on where healthcare is headed. Since it is crucial to pay attention shifts in society to understand where healthcare is headed, consider dedicating time each day to reading recommended industry literature that you will find in our list of 25 books for every healthcare professional.