Questions #1
[A] According to the video and articles, the one of the reasons that we do not have the best health care is because medicine has become a business. It is designed to turn a profit, therefore the quality of care diminishes. It is designed to protect the interests of the hospitals, doctors and insurance companies rather that the patients. Another reason would be that the access to health care is diminishing. For instance, because primary care is the lowest paying specialty in healthcare, there is a shortage in primary care physicians. As a result of the shortage, patients are forced to wait before they are able to actually see their physician. In addition to the shortage in primary care doctors, these individuals are forced …show more content…
Another reason would be the advancement in technology that we have. The US has access to a great deal of medical technology. As a society that is intrigued by technology, a lot of these technologies are used just because they are there. In addition to that, with the idea that technology would equal a cure, we are less inclined to take into account ways to improve public health and more inclined to determine ways to improve technology. Also, medicine has become a ground for competition. Providers are more concerned about being the best at certain things than they are about the wellbeing of their patients. [B] Physicians that overcharge insurance companies, Medicaid and Medicare should not only be banned from practicing medicine, but they should be charged with fraud. Overcharging for services is a form of stealing and it has adverse effects on the patients. These doctors should be held to the highest extent of the law in order to let others know that this type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. As a result of these doctor’s poor decisions, the premiums for health insurance are driven up and ultimately cost those who are covered to either pay more money or lose coverage because it …show more content…
Insurance companies are paying an extensive amount of money for treatments that are not necessary to wellbeing of the patient. The patients also suffer in these situations, because they are placed at risk for developing more complications. [B] Placing a limitation on the number of tests given is seemingly impossible; however, requiring physicians to get a pre-approval for the tests could assist with the reduction of unnecessary treatment. As a result of this, it could assist in reducing the amount of money the insurance companies spend on treatment, and reduce the cost of health insurance all together. On the contrary, it can have an adverse effect on the industry and cause a rise in fraudulent claims. Also, if physicians are forced to get a pre-approval for a certain treatment, they may be more reluctant to treat the patients because it will take up too much time. [C] The hospital board, other physicians, and medical personnel contributed to Dr. Moon’s reckless behavior by not reporting him to the proper authorities. The hospital board swept the claims of the patients under the rug, and not only allowed him to continue to practice within their system, but they put him at the forefront of their operations and sent him to other medical centers to do the same thing. If someone had reported him as soon as they were able to see that this