Will Health Care Reform Increase Life Expectancy?

andtckrtoo

andtckrtoo

Cathlete
I don't want to raise a controversy about whether or not we need health care reform. I don't think it really matters in this discussion, so if you can, please leave that out of any response. But I found the ideas of this article interesting and I'm not sure I agree with them - http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/11/life.expectancy.health.care/index.html

I think if you look at the countries with the highest life expectancy, you'll find better attitudes about diet and exercise. I do truly believe that what we eat and how often we move affects our life in so many various ways, including life expectancy. What are your thoughts?
 
Yes I think it could increase life expectancy for those w/o coverage. There are many people who don't go to the doctor, have annual checkups and /or screenings because they have no insurance and can't afford the expense of a visit. Many wait until it is too late before seeking help. I think many more would go if they knew their insurance would cover it.
 
Very good point, although I do know people who are fully covered and still don't go, but I think those are the exceptions and not the rule.
 
I know that Obama's plan focuses some on primary care and prevention. This will increase life expectancy. The US has the best "disease" care in the world, but we are REALLY low when it comes to "health" care. Focusing on primary care and prevention will help us a lot.

I do disagree with one statement in the article. It said that the growth in life expectancy is primarily related to health care. That simply isn't true. Life expectancy improves as hygiene improves. Once we had safe water and sewers, along with handwashing, life expectancy improved.

I must disclose that I am a primary care physician and believe that having a strong, intelligent primary care doc is much more important than a myriad of specialists...it is just that the current system doesn't reimburse this way. The current system reimburses specialists more and reimburses more for surgical procedures and injections than it does for prevention. Many primary care docs send patients out to specialists way to quickly (sometimes because they'll get kickbacks from the specialist) causing patients to lose faith in the diagnostic ability of the primary care doc. That should stop.
 
well said Becky!

I'm also in the medical field (nurse practitioner) and it's always amusing to me when someone moves to our area (rural Iowa) and is surprised when I tell them that we care for the entire family-from OB/GYN care, to health promotion, to cardiac and diabetes care, ....-the list goes on!
I'm watching these developments as well, I definitely believe that access to affordable health care is a must costs must be thoroughly evaluated. When I first learned how Medicare reimbursement was set up years ago, I believe that it rewarded inefficiency in some states and when other states were frugal it gave them lower reimbursements.
General family practice providers are getting harder to come by. My physician colleagues have said that medical enrollment is declining, and family practice programs are taking the biggest hit.
Health promotion and prevention are, IMO, keys to containing costs as well as organizing health care to be more efficient.
The next year, and for years to come, will be interesting!
julie
 
mdbecky said:
I know that Obama's plan focuses some on primary care and prevention. This will increase life expectancy. The US has the best "disease" care in the world, but we are REALLY low when it comes to "health" care. Focusing on primary care and prevention will help us a lot.

I do disagree with one statement in the article. It said that the growth in life expectancy is primarily related to health care. That simply isn't true. Life expectancy improves as hygiene improves. Once we had safe water and sewers, along with handwashing, life expectancy improved.

I must disclose that I am a primary care physician and believe that having a strong, intelligent primary care doc is much more important than a myriad of specialists...it is just that the current system doesn't reimburse this way. The current system reimburses specialists more and reimburses more for surgical procedures and injections than it does for prevention. Many primary care docs send patients out to specialists way to quickly (sometimes because they'll get kickbacks from the specialist) causing patients to lose faith in the diagnostic ability of the primary care doc. That should stop.
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I totally agree with this! I think we have a disease care system in the US, not health care. Personally, I don't think the solution to better health is more access to specialists or more expensive drugs.

Of course, people should have access to health care but I think we need to focus more on prevention that treating disease. If we continue with the system as it is, with writing a prescription every time a patient sees a doctor although there are alternatives, this will not be something that can be financially sustained.

I happen to think that drugs are not the answer in many cases and in fact contribute to the onset of other diseases / side effects but that it will be very, very difficult to change our we treat patients because the pharma industry has one of the strongest lobbying forces there is and they won't like this one bit.

Interesting discussion! Changing the health care system will not be easy!
 
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I believe that the pharmaceutical engineers can and will have treatments/cures for many diseases in the future. However, I feel that the pharmaceutical industry also contributes to the high cost of health care...direct to consumer advertising is costly. I'd rather see that money be used to lower the costs of the drugs the companies are promoting. As a clinic, we decided to eliminate drug samples in our clinic, partly due to regulations for rural health clinics and samples creating a logistical nightmare. This in turn has helped our patients and providers chose more cost effective treatments whenever able. For those who don't have insurance, assistance is available.
pharmaceutical costs are only one portion of the problem...so many things could be done to streamline...
julie
 
I like Dr. Becky's point about how life expectancy has improved because of better sanitation and hygiene. I also agree with others that the key to improving life expectancy in the future is improving nutrition and exercise habits. As most of us are aware, many health issues (certain types of diabetes, obesity, heart disease...) are totally preventable and are caused by an individuals choices. I thing we really need to focus on education and prevention and it needs to start young. We do a good job of educating kids about the dangers of smoking, drinking and drugs from kindergarten. Why don't we also have nutrition lessons and have healthy lunches in schools? Make gym class longer than 30 minutes and have them participate in fun games (like Cathe's Boot Camp!!). I hope that any health care reform will include reimbursement for higher prevention for primary care physicians and it would be NICE to reward those that do take their health seriously.

Carrie
 
We do need reform in our healthcare industry. First, promoting and treating illness shouldn't generate more profit, but creating health should. Our physicians should be paid more for creating health not doing procedures....they should teach people how to eat right instead of giving them worthless procedures after the fact.

Most type II diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity are totally needless preventable illnesses. Our present medical system treats them with medication (with very real side-effects) instead of getting at the route cause of their illness...their American diets and lifestyles. Teach them....don't throw pills and procedures at them. Tell them they have to change to get better instead of giving them medication.

Real healthcare reform would change the way people live and address the underlying cause of the illness and focus on prevention.
 
Without a doubt. I know many of those without insurance don't see docs when they're not feeling well, & they don't get treatment until they're forced to go to the ER.

Someone w/a chronic illness--not necessarily life threatening, but chronic--will get annual physicals if only to get a scrip refilled. For example, I'm hypothyroid but can't get my meds unless I see my doc annually & get a full physical, including bloodwork. That physical & bloodwork may very well detect a problem I'm not aware of.

And let me tell you--I am one of those who wouldn't go to a doc unless absolutely necessary (or unless it's to get needles in my face ;)).
 
mdbecky said:
The US has the best "disease" care in the world,
Click to expand...

Just wondering what you are basing this statement on?? Just curious. I live in Canada and also work in health care. Why do you feel that the USA has better "disease" care than other countries especally ones with longer life expectancy and lower infant mortality rates than the USA?
Kim
 
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