Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Build a Health Care Bill: Problem 6 – Rapidly Rising Costs

What problems do you think should be solved by a health care reform bill?

Problem 6:
Pretty much everyone has experienced the ever rising cost of health insurance premiums. Most employers increase employee co-pays and deductibles every year by amounts that exceed the annual inflation rate. This year Medicare premiums will increase even though inflation has been negative.

Some of the increases in health care costs come from new procedures and drugs curing and controlling illnesses and injuries that were untreatable just a few years ago. Some of the increase is due to violence and drug abuse and some from our increased longevity. Some portion of the cost increases are related to the growing number of medical malpractice lawsuits and their ever increasing punitive judgments. And some portion comes from state legislatures and insurance regulators requiring that health insurance cover non-traditional conditions.

There are other sources of health care cost increases. To identify each one and develop mitigation strategies without limiting improvements in medicine or medical care to individuals – that is the problem.

If you have health care pet peeves write them in the comments section.

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