Editor,
Over the years, the cost of healthcare has been rising. In 2002, 13.2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was spent on healthcare in the United States. It is estimated that by the year 2007, 16 percent of the GDP will be spent on healthcare. Many consumers of healthcare are fed up with the increases in premiums, co-pays and decrease in the benefits provided by their healthcare coverage.
However, it is the consumer who controls nearly 67 percent of healthcare costs. There are many solutions to cutting healthcare costs, if consumers are willing to change their current healthcare habits.
Nearly 22 percent of healthcare costs are attributed to the cost and utilization of name brand drugs and antibiotics. Advertising leads consumers to believe that the newer "name brand" medications are the best on the market. What many consumers might not realize is that the new "name brand" medications can cost up to 10 times more without any added benefits. Another extra cost passed on to the consumer is the over prescribing of antibiotics for any sore throat or fever. Stick to the generics and avoid antibiotics unless completely necessary.
The next major category is increasing hospital costs. Much of this can be attributed to the utilization of the emergency department as a primary care setting by the uninsured or under insured, which then do not pay the bills. Hospitals are then forced to increase their overall costs to those who do pay the bills, the insured. Use emergency rooms for emergencies and off-hour clinics for non-emergency situations.
It is sad, but true, that 12 percent of healthcare costs are to pay for fraud, abuse and litigation. Unfortunately, the healthcare industry has been the target of many frivolous and outrageous lawsuits. Even when the provider wins, it costs them time and money. These costs are then passed on to the consumers.
Finally, 15 percent of healthcare costs are the result of consumer demand for unnecessary tests and over utilization of expensive diagnostic tests. Healthcare providers are very well trained on how to obtain a diagnosis without these tests. Diagnostic testing usually confirms what the healthcare provider has already deduced to be the problem. However, with increasing lawsuits and demanding consumers, many unnecessary tests are run.
Don't blame increasing healthcare costs on the healthcare providers or insurance companies. They are running businesses to make money just like any other American. It is the consumer who has increased the demand for services. When the demands increase, so do the costs, and those costs are then passed back to the consumer. Isn't that the American way?
Brian Holdstock RN/BSN
brian.holdstock@nurs.utah.edu