| Survival in the Current Healthcare Environment How Close Are We to Socialized Medicine? (2005) | |||||||||
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| In the 1980’s, some hospitals established internal agencies to regulate cash flow and capitalexpense. State agencies promoted the evolution of healthcare facilities into more business-likeorganizations. Attention to the following matters will reduce hospital costs: 1) prevent or reducenosocomial infections; 2) treat diseases at a stage amenable to outpatient therapy; 3) obtain completeinformation about the policies of each HMO, adhering to them as closely as possible; and 4) keepcomprehensive medical records, both to justify every admission and to penalize physicians who do notfully justify admission. Co-payments have increased from hundreds to thousands of dollars: the first$1,000 to $5,000 often comes from the patient’s pocket. New technology and drugs must be paid forby premium increases. Hospital costs have increased beyond premium increases. The situation willprobably explode unless something happens. Socialized medicine will solve the problems of non-paymentby patients, but it will affect the middle class who are struggling with economics and will putthem in worsening financial status, while the people with more income will end up paying out ofpocket to get the care they need. | |||||||||
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