Healthcare Advocacy - Death Panels, Really?

December 28, 2022

Dec 28, 2022

Good Day Healthcare Advocates

Every day that we learn, grow and advocate for better healthcare for all of us is a good day. Thank you also to all of you advocates who have recently subscribed.

If there are specific healthcare topics you’d like to see addressed please send me a comment using the comment button. Thank you to those who have suggested topics, like Medicare reimbursement levels and sufficient access to care in a timely fashion. I will write about them in upcoming issues.

Mission

The Healthcare delivery system in the United States is a patchwork that leaves much to be desired. It is the most expensive system among the top 35 industrial countries and covers far fewer participants delivering lower levels of quality care than many of our peer nations. This blog will provide:

· Current problems in healthcare

· Actions you can take

· References.

Current State of Affairs – Death Panels, Really?

Medical claims are frequently denied. We saw that a few days ago. There are “experts” at insurance companies (not all doctors), who decide what is and is not covered on your policy. Sometimes the result of denial is the death of the patient.

Here is a link to a Young Turk Youtube show about such a patient. A Mr. Sakamoto in Wisconsin had a severe heart attack in his 40’s. He needed surgery to have a defibrillator installed but his heart was not sufficiently stable to support the surgery. In fact, without a defibrillator he was at high risk for another heart attack and death.

There is some hope. The Zoll LifeVest defibrillator, https://lifevest.zoll.com, is a vest that is worn outside the body and functions as a defibrillator helping to stabilize the heart. Mr. Sakamoto’s doctors prescribed that device for him. His health insurance company, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, decided that this medically necessary device was not warranted post heart attack (what it is designed for) and denied coverage. Remember without it he is at high risk of death. Mr. Sakamoto raised the funds, about $2000/month, for the better part of a year until he was stable and able to survive surgery.

A talking point of those opposed to Universal healthcare often cite government death panels who will decide who lives and who dies. The fear that they are trying to drive into the public space is that public insurance will work as euthanasia. Killing off the sick and the elderly. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is that every insurance company does that. But the 900 plus health insurance companies do that behind closed doors and for their OWN BENEFIT NOT THE PATIENT’s.

In fact, I am reminded of talking heads on the FOX Network telling us early in the pandemic that it was no big deal that so many COVID 19 patients dying were elderly since their life expectancy was about 80 and they were old already. They were clear that it is ok for the weak and elderly to die during the pandemic and that the rest of the population need not worry or be concerned.

We need a transparent system of healthcare that covers everyone with higher quality care (like our industrial peer nations) at lower cost (like our industrial peer nations) and protects all of us. We don’t need a system that utilizes GOFUNDME.COM to cover necessary medical expenses. We can have such a system but politicians need to know it is important otherwise they will pay attention to the money they get from the current healthcare system and leave us to die.

Here is an interesting fact about ZOLL, the LifeVest maker. They were sent $50M in CARES Act COVID -19 relief funding. They did not request it, even though they met the requirements. Their executives decided to return the money so it could go to others who needed it more. Here’s the link

What You Can Do - Call Representatives Now and After Jan 3

See resources below for your senator/representative

You can call or email your Senators and Representative and say

My name is _________, I am a constituent and live in zipcode ________.

We can all agree that we need better quality, lower cost, transparent healthcare for everyone.

I would like you to support adoption of universal healthcare, like the 17th Congress HR1976. It covers everyone transparently, at lower cost, has no copays or deductibles and greatly expands rural healthcare. We need you to do this.