There have been many reports from the U.S. opponents of government health programs proclaiming that “life saving drugs are denied” for cancer patients in UK’s NHS. Generally, these are cancer drugs which had been evaluated by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and found to have very little benefit, if any, especially when considering the high prices of these drugs.

What health insurance coverage will you need next year? Do you determine that by taking an honest look at where health care dollars were spent in the previous year? You are healthy, your health care spending has been negligible, so do you opt for the least expensive plan?

Frequently asked questions about the AMA proposal for reform American Medical Association October 2008 Q: What are the basic principles of the AMA proposal? A: The American Medical Association (AMA) proposes that individuals and families receive financial assistance to purchase a health plan of their choice, with more generous assistance to those with lower incomes. [...]

Previous studies have shown that one of the reasons that health care is so expensive in the United States is that, quite simply, our prices are very high. Since other nations have been demonstrated to be capable of selectively providing high quality care at much lower prices, it is not surprising that medical tourism has become an attractive option for those paying the bills, including cash-paying patients, some insurers and some employers.

The World Health Report 2008 provides a critical assessment of health care systems throughout the world. It describes how all nations, regardless of national wealth, can benefit by enacting reforms organized around primary health care.

The concept of health insurance is quite simple. When everyone pays into an insurance risk pool, the many who are healthy are subsidizing the higher costs of those with greater health care needs. Thus everyone receives whatever medical care they need without facing financial barriers to care.

The United States has 2.9 hospital beds per 1000 individuals. The median number of beds for OECD nations is 3.7 (OECD, 2002). Not only do we have fewer beds, the distribution is less even than in other nations with their more egalitarian systems. The supply of beds tends to be quite adequate in affluent regions, but is inadequate in other areas, especially those served by safety-net institutions.

Everyone has profound admiration for Sen. Edward Kennedy’s valiant effort to finally overcome the stubborn political barriers, and bring health care to everyone in the nation. At a time that the people are demanding reform, Sen. Kennedy is positioned to provide us with his grand finale – and what a great one that would be – health care for everyone.

This important series of three articles published this week in the Los Angeles Times explains why the private insurance industry has neither the efficiency nor the moral authority to continue to manage our health care dollars. Each of the excerpts above provides an example of the management perversities of the industry, along with an example of the impact on a real-life patient. Much more can be found in the articles.

It has long been recognized that one of the deficiencies of the children’s health insurance program (SCHIP) is that parents in these lower income families often remain uninsured. This study demonstrates that the reverse also occurs. Even though one or both parents may be insured, often through their employment, the children may be left without coverage, primarily due to eligibility and affordability issues.