Did I hear rationing healthcare ?

 

We all know the time has come that in order to afford the high standards of care to which we have become accustomed,something has to give or change. It is a hard fact of life and a big step, but it will be taken whether we like it or not.

Rationing health care for seniors sometimes makes sense as long as the priorities are right. Who among us has the least to loose ? It would require a new mind set. A change in how we believe things should be in our health care delivery system. In health care, the goal has always been the pursuit of excellence. However, attaining and maintaining this goal, is now cost prohibitive. Abuses in the Medicare system are wide spread and seems to be self perpetuating. Everyone including seniors should educate themselves and observe how personal physicians, and other health care providers must follow guidelines according to insurance providers, especially how they bill to Medicare. Just as quickly as we complain for the charges we incur personally, so should we if we see inaccurate charges passed on to Medicare. If we don't then we are reinforcing abuses in the system.

There are movements in new directions.“ Savings Beyond Price “ blog. Robert T. Yoki- President and chief value Strategist—Strategic Value Analysis {R} In Health care. The early stages for changing health care are as visible as they are necessary .

Yoki quotes Aristotle in saying ” Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.” He states that training is the path to improvement ,reducing resistance to change and changing behaviors. The goal being “unfreezing” existing thinking and to replace it with new ideas, along with new learned behaviors and practices. Ideally they are then “frozen” to create a whole new way of doing things.

To change health care Yoki advocates taking one small step in the right direction. So where do we begin. Wiser minds than I , are hopefully attempting to redesign our health care delivery system. In our life time I imagine these changes will not come easily. But they have come non the less.

Perhaps rationing health care for seniors is the beginning of the beginning, but certainly not the end of a long unpaved road. It will not be a pleasure trip, maybe more like a survival course. Hopefully ,the next generation will benefit from a refined health care delivery system.

In the USA,we would be wise to use our advances in health care with a greater respect. To consider carefully about those that would benefit most and how we are to pay for the delivery and the expertise needed. Limits in the pursuit of a prolonged life beyond what is reasonable and after it is of no value to the patient, is not considered morally right by those of us that have such a compass. Yet , we continue to struggle with its ambiguity and against tides.

There are religious implications against the removal of a feeding tube, on a poor lifeless and mindless soul . Considered wrong by some, as it is said, there is considerate merit to man's suffering.

We need a change . We need appropriate health care that does not hold over its head the threats of disproportionate liability for those in its practice . Something that has often lead to “ defensive medicine” a practice that has always meant increasing the cost of the delivery of health care.

By the provision of broad stroke education to the public on self care as it relates to basic health maintenance, and chronic disease management, has been known to maintain optimum health for those who practice it. Improved health of the general population ,is a possibility who's time has come.

Will the change be to socialized medicine ? Many other countries that have this in place are unhappy with it and others continue to come to the shores of our United States for our high standards of care. As it is, health care is designed for the young and the well. Others who are our citizens , must walk away as it is not within their reach in the new plans.

We have been both blessed and cursed by our success in the delivery of our health care. We still are one of the best. Hopefully, in our attempt to make it affordable ,we don't have to “throw out the baby with the bath water.”