• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • 1
    CommentGo Back
Download
 
James Green04/27/09English III HonorsU.S. Healthcare CompaniesResearch Paper U.S. Healthcare Companies: Corrupt and ExpensiveHave you seen the movie Sicko? Sicko is about the United States Healthcare System, theinsurance companies and our country’s leaders. The movie describes the horrible antics of thecorrupt and expensive system that the two-hundred and fifty million of us have. With suchexpensive healthcare, one would think people would be treated like royalty. According to theWorld Health Organization, the U.S. Healthcare System ranked 37
th
in the world, only two placesahead of Cuba. (par 37) In order to understand how the healthcare system arrived in it’s currentstate, one needs to understand the corrupt nature of healthcare providers and insurers, the ever-rising expense to the public, and the government’s inadequacy in dealing with the matter.The healthcare providers and insurers use their persuasion in the government to keeptheir companies from being raped for a universal system. In an article on the Michael Moorewebsite, insurance providers paid over $100-$300 million to stop Hilary Clinton’s universalhealthcare plan in the 90’s. (par 8) Hilary Clinton remains one of the top recipients for donationsin the U.S. Senate, by the healthcare groups. (par 22) Many healthcare providers like Cigna, BlueCross Blue Shield, Aetna and HCA Inc. have paid over one billion dollars to the United Statesgovernment for civilian penalties and damages from false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. (par 13-17) Cigna, a healthcare company, has paid the least amount for lawsuits with a total around$85 million, followed by Blue Cross Blue Shield at $117 million. Aetna paid $120 million,
 
 placing it the second most lawfully wrong company, which leaves HCA Inc. at $1.7 billion infalse claims, penalties and criminal fines. These companies have taken money from thegovernment programs designed to help citizens who cannot afford healthcare and havesignificant medical needs. In an article by Ali Frick, insurance companies have denied healthcarecoverage to one to eighteen percent of Americans. A person in the United States can be deniedhealthcare for pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease, high cholesterol,epilepsy, or even yeast infections. (par 4) Furthermore, Michael Moore states, “Every resident of the United States must have free, universal healthcare for life.” (cite) Insurance companies pick and choose the citizens they want to insure; the healthy-none risk patients. The providers andinsurers in the United States do not wish for “healthy citizens,” just the pay check at the end of the month. Minimum coverage for maximum profit is a strategy of healthcare providers likeCigna, HCA and Blue Cross Blue Shield use.Healthcare costs today range from hundreds of dollars to thousands, depending on whatcoverage one has and what pre-existing conditions affect that person’s life. The United StatesHealthcare costs are the greatest in the world. In an article on the Voice of America website,Professor Grogan said, “You would think we would be perhaps closest to the prices in Canada.We are three times higher. The fees that are paid, the actual prices for procedures and what we pay to providers, are three times as high as in Canada.” (par 5)According to the Kaiser Education website, 30% of the costs of Healthcare were spent onhospital care; while 21% of the premiums paid consist of Physician and Clinical visits. (par 4)Insurance companies have many reasons for the ever-rising cost of healthcare. One may consider the intensity of the services provided, including but not constrained to; longer life spans, preventive care, potential at risk patients for diseases and chronic illnesses. (par 6) Prescription
 
drugs and technology are other facts that play apart in the expensiveness of healthcare.Prescription drug costs have increased tremendously in 2006. Costs have increased because of the Medicare Part D benefit, which is a system used to help pay for prescription drugs for theelderly, and the cost of the state of art technology used during procedures preformed by doctorsand surgeons on a regular basis according to the Medicare Advocacy website. Insurance will onlycover to a certain amount then afterwards it’s up to that person to pay the amount left. Citizensshouldn’t have to rely on there income to pay their entire healthcare costs. (par 1) Thegovernment could have tremendous influence on the healthcare system, but instead, politiciansare paid off by healthcare providers to stop any universal healthcare system from rising.One would think the government could control all healthcare plans and insurancecompanies, but, in fact, the insurance companies control the government. The United Statesgovernment have tried many times to introduce a universal healthcare system to the public butfailed. The government has failed because the corrupt healthcare providers have paid politiciansto veto the bill. On the Michael Moore website, there are, as of 2005, 2084 lobbyists registered inthe federal government. That is about three lobbyists per politician in congress. (par 22) Thegovernment has also denied healthcare to the 9/11 rescue workers and have refused to pay themfor the duties contributed to the country. Over fifty-two million dollars of tax payers money havegone to the 9/11 volunteer’s fund, which in fact, is also corrupt. The Department of DefenseEmergency Supplement Appropriations for Recovery has provided a total of $175 million to thevolunteer compensation plan. The thousands of volunteers cannot access the funds which theydeserve. The government thinks the volunteer’s are not part of the federal system and are nottheir responsibility. (par 52-55) People are dying everyday and the government can stop this byintroducing a universal healthcare system.
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
samto_kun

Alat anggota gerak bawah

reply02 / 12 / 2010
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...