By Howie Wolf, M.D.
Arizona Daily Star, August 25, 2022
The Aug. 18 guest opinion “Let’s stand together for health care affordability” by Pam Kehaly, president and CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona, requires a reasoned response.
The premise of her article is valid in that she points out that “health care has reached a critical tipping point.” Kehaly correctly states that “rising costs are unsustainable, and it is time to correct course. Families should be able to meet their health care needs without fear of facing crushing debt.”
As a retired family doctor with over 50 years of practice, I am a member of PNHP (Physicians for a National Health Program). Our group recognizes why we rank last among six other industrialized countries on measure of quality, efficiency and access to care. The main reason is that the citizens of these countries — Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and the UK — have access to government-run care paid for by taxes. Profiting from providing basic health care does not happen. In my practice, I frequently saw evidence of delayed care due to anticipated costs.
Administrative expenses of private insurance companies in the U.S. account for 15%-25% of total health care expenditures, amounting to $600 billion to $1 trillion per year. If you have health insurance, that is the percentage of your premium that does not pay for health care. By comparison, Medicare, the U.S. system for those 65 and older, operates at 2%-3% of administrative costs.
Proposals for a Medicare for All system in the U.S. have failed primarily because lobbyists for our private health insurance and pharmaceutical companies have influenced our senators and representatives. The last thing they want to see is a universal, not-for-profit system here.
Kehaly points out that her insurance company has an obligation to ensure that “we are good stewards of every health care dollar” and they have become advocates for families and individuals because “it is the right thing to do.” These claims ring hollow when our country has nearly 30 million uninsured and more “underinsured.” Policies with high deductibles also represent a barrier to access to care. If the first $1,000-$4,000 of medical expenses each year comes out of your pocket, it is easy to understand the reluctance to seek care. It is not surprising that medical expenses are the leading cause of bankruptcies in our country.
I would urge readers to learn more about why the richest country in the world, which spends more on health care than any other country, ranks so low in life expectancy, maternal mortality, access to care and other comparisons. If you agree, let your legislators know the time has come to “correct course” and support Medicare for All.
Dr. Howie Wolf is a retired family doctor with over 50 years of practice and a past president of the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians.