Dr. Brian Casull’s Blog
WELCOME TO THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE GAME OF BASEBALL
Healthcare is not a “system” in the United States. Rather it is like a game of baseball where your perceived and actual coverage is determined in large part by where you sit in the ballpark of healthcare.
Read my posts below to discover … learn … realize … understand what you can do about
American Healthcare in Transition.
Some Notes on a Healthcare Scorecard on Return on Investment (ROI)
There is no ROI bang for our healthcare buck in the United States. The cost of healthcare has increased. The usual way to track the cost of healthcare is either as a percentage of our Gross National Product or per-capita (or per person) spending. Gross national product (GNP) is an estimate of total value of all the final products and services turned out in a given period by the means of production owned by a country's residents. US Health [...]
“Mr. Frodo Look: It’s an Oliphant” – Part 2
“The number of Americans without health insurance climbed to 27.5 million in 2018, according to Federal Data that shows the first year to year increase in a decade (and since the advent of the ACA).”[1] Seema Verma, administrator for th CMS blamed the long predicted and finally occurring increase in uninsured Americans in a decade on the Affordable Care Act. We discussed previously her unsubstantiated claim that the reason for the tick up in the uninsured was higher premiums [...]
“Mr. Frodo Look: It’s an Oliphant” – Part 1
“The number of Americans without health insurance climbed to 27.5 million in 2018, according to Federal Data that shows the first year to year increase in a decade (and since the advent of the ACA).”[1] Seema Verma, administrator for th CMS blamed the long predicted and finally occuring increase in uninsured Americans in a decade on the Affordable Care Act; specifically on higher premiums under the law that have priced people without subsidies out of the market. “The very [...]
Working on a Healthcare Plan For All
The president has had some proposals which were viewed as having merit: require hospitals to post their actual, negotiated prices some strategies to lower drug prices. On the other hand, he has loosened the rules on health insurers to allow sales of what critics call “junk” insurance because they don’t have all the consumer protections of ACA policies, or promoting work requirements for Medicaid recipients.[1] Other administrative activities have included:[2] In October 2018, the Departments of HHS, the Treasury, [...]
Healthcare News: The Issue of Medicare For All
What should we do about healthcare in the United States? In the curent political bruhaha leading to the 2020 elections, the ideas are far apart and accross a wide spectrum of ideas. Not surprising considering the vitriol and random association with evidence based data that passes for health care reform debate. Obama dramatically expanded access to coverage, reducing the rate of uninsured by half — a great start. The Affordable Care Act should have a public option and more [...]
Healthcare News – Declining Death Rates For Seniors
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released the following data for the top three causes of death in the United States in 2013: Heart disease: 611,105 deaths Cancer: 584,881 deaths Chronic Respiratory Disease: 149,205 deaths The following data is taken from the CDC's 2017 report. Number of deaths per year from heart disease: 635,260. Number of deaths per year from cancer: 598,038. Number of deaths per year from accidents (unintentional injuries): 161,374.[1] Not having healthcare insurance can kill you. [...]
Healthcare News: What Are Out-Of-Pocket Expenses?
WHAT ARE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES? “A majority of patients (59%) paid an average out-of-pocket expense between $500 and $1,000 during a healthcare visit in 2018, a marked increase from 39% the year prior.”[1] What are out of pocket expenses? Healthcare 101 will be our jumping off spot. In the United States, health insurance is any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, employer-sponsored healthcare coverage, or a health plan funded by the government. [...]
Current Healthcare News Regarding Out-of-Pocket Costs
OUT OF POCKET HEALTH CARE COSTS “A majority of patients (59%) paid an average out-of-pocket expense between $500 and $1,000 during a healthcare visit in 2018, a marked increase from 39% the year prior.”[1] What are out of pocket expenses? Healthcare 101 will be our jumping off spot. In the United States, health insurance is any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, employer-sponsored healthcare coverage, or a health plan funded by the government. [...]
Some Random Healthcare Topics Currently in the News
Our current healthcare system is frequently in the news. But with the upcoming 2020 election, the healthcare headlines are becoming more frequent. Here are some random healthcare topics from recent news sources: PHYSICIAN SHORTAGES The Association of American Medical Colleges predicted a shortfall of 122,000 physicians by 2032.[1] Physician groups[2] are emphasizing addressing this fact as one of the first steps in reforming our “For-Profit Healthcare Insurance Model.”[3] Drive Drug Prices Down and Increase Supply. Strengthen the Safety Net [...]
What About Chronic Disease and Healthcare Affordability?
What about chronic disease and the affordability of healthcare insurance? Or, another way to think of it is: HOW MANY PEOPLE DIDN’T GET HEALTHCARE BECAUSE OF COST? Does the "NO" category in the chart above relate to patients with chronic disease? The affordability crisis facing people with chronic diseases is yet another example of the UNDERINSURED.[1] On the Health Care Continuum, people with chronic illness form the slippery slope. These chronic conditions are what are also called pre-existing conditions.[2] [...]