CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 7: MEDICAL ECONOMICS AND LABORATORY EQUIPMENT 171
Challenges to Health Care Provision
FIGURE 7-2 Patient performing coagulation testing to monitor
medication prescribed.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
It is to no avail when advanced medical procedures
to create a better quality of life and to stay
healthier longer are available but few can afford
them. As technology creates more sophisticated
laboratory testing, surgical procedures, and
medications, the costs of these interventions have
outstripped the ability of many to pay for them.
During the post–World War II era, those
who worked for industrial companies often had
employer-provided health care insurance that
covered almost all care, and many were thus
unaware of the increasing costs for this care;
indirect pay made medical care appear to be
“free.” With the advent in the 1960s of Medicare
and Medicaid, federal government programs
became available that paid for the care of
those who were no longer working or of those
who were unemployed, disabled, or extremely
poor. These programs led to expectations by
some that the federal government should provide
health care for all, in a manner similar to
that of more socialized countries in Europe and
elsewhere. Since 1960, when health care consumed
approximately 5% of the nation’s budget, the level of the federal budget
going for health care has grown to an estimated 17% in 2009.
To cover their own costs and to remain economically viable, many companies
no longer provide health care coverage for their employees. In those that do
provide health coverage, the employee often must pay a portion of the premium
and an additional co-pay (a preset out-of-pocket payment for a portion of the
cost of care).
A segment of the U.S. population believes that a national health care program
that insures everyone would be advantageous. However, such a plan may
eventually cost more that the current system of private insurance companies that
sell health care plans to those who desire them and can afford them. Programs
that are provided on a national level almost always exceed the costs estimated
when such programs are first legislated into existence. As examples, both Medicare
and Medicaid programs are in financial straits and some predict these programs
may become bankrupt in a few decades.
Providing health care for everyone is one of the biggest challenges the U.S.
and indeed the world will face. Lowering the costs of providing health care by
limiting the level of services a patient may receive is a route that may be adopted
to rein in the costs of health care. Professional managers of entire health care
systems and department heads on lower levels of a business enterprise are often
required to assume more responsibility in preparing budgets that include costs
of employee benefits. It is imperative that technical professionals such as managers
of medical laboratories, pharmacies, and other cost centers become aware
Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.