The Affordable Care Act May not Be Affordable
A recent paper submitted to the Journal of American Public Health, the premier outlet for the The American Public Health Association looks at how the Affordable Care Act may not really be affordable to Americans. The rising premiums, deductibles and co-pays are just some of the problems mentioned. However there are more serious problems for small business people who have over 50 employees. They have to pay for the healthcare for their workers which comes at a very expensive price. The ACA(Affordable Care Act) mandates that all physicians have put in place EMR(electronic medical records). EMR has 3 real and potential problems. One, it is extremely expensive to doctors to purchase and maintain with up to date software annually. Secondly , there is the potential threat for hacking into patient's records and thirdly, many feel that the electronic device aspect of mandating EMR is a segue for other electronic devices such as microchips.
In essence, this system could very well bankrupt America or add to economic demise of the nations budget. America already spends $2 Trillion dollars for healthcare and has an overall $19 Trillion debt. What it means is that Americans can not keep up with the rising costs of medicines, home healthcare, EMT, emergency room visits or anything else. With an increasing number of baby boomers living longer and a generally growing population the math can not balance out to costs.
The JAPH article proposed that the U.S.A must go to a single-payer/universal care system. This proposal initiated by Himmelstein et. al. frightens not just the Insurance/HMO companies , but the entire Medical Industrial Complex which thrives on CEO's of insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, nursing home facilities, major hospitals and healthcare lobbying groups to make millions of dollars in salaries. This was noted when the top lobbying representative group for physicians , the American Medical Association(AMA) staunchly opposed the proposal creating a single payer system.
This take on healthcare being sold, traded and bought on the markets as only a commodity is the fundamental flaw of the ACA being truly humane or altruistic. Himmelstein proposed that insurance companies be eliminated altogether with their multi-million dollar CEOs and be incorporated into a truly legitimate healthcare system which heals the people.
Dr. Marcus Wells worked for the U.S. Health & Human Services in the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Wells' tenure was as a clinical associate in the National Heart, Lung & Blood Center at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Wells has served as a medical officer in the U.S. Commissioned Corp and has a Master's in Public Health from Emory University with special emphasis in Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine.
In essence, this system could very well bankrupt America or add to economic demise of the nations budget. America already spends $2 Trillion dollars for healthcare and has an overall $19 Trillion debt. What it means is that Americans can not keep up with the rising costs of medicines, home healthcare, EMT, emergency room visits or anything else. With an increasing number of baby boomers living longer and a generally growing population the math can not balance out to costs.
The JAPH article proposed that the U.S.A must go to a single-payer/universal care system. This proposal initiated by Himmelstein et. al. frightens not just the Insurance/HMO companies , but the entire Medical Industrial Complex which thrives on CEO's of insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, nursing home facilities, major hospitals and healthcare lobbying groups to make millions of dollars in salaries. This was noted when the top lobbying representative group for physicians , the American Medical Association(AMA) staunchly opposed the proposal creating a single payer system.
This take on healthcare being sold, traded and bought on the markets as only a commodity is the fundamental flaw of the ACA being truly humane or altruistic. Himmelstein proposed that insurance companies be eliminated altogether with their multi-million dollar CEOs and be incorporated into a truly legitimate healthcare system which heals the people.
Dr. Marcus Wells worked for the U.S. Health & Human Services in the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Wells' tenure was as a clinical associate in the National Heart, Lung & Blood Center at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Wells has served as a medical officer in the U.S. Commissioned Corp and has a Master's in Public Health from Emory University with special emphasis in Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine.
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