Quote:
Originally posted by id10t
One big cause is administrative greed. I worked for an HCA hospital when they were not-for-profit in the early 90s. We used to get good raises, etc. Then Columbia bought them out, went for profit, and it all went to crap. One year, I got a 2% raise on a salary that was barely enough to live on, and the CEO took home 150 million.
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FWIW, I was in medical devices from 1974 - 1995. I can assure you that HCA has always been a For-Profit corporation. They were always great customers that realized that cost containment was more than how much they paid for each box of suture or case of underpads. How much a CEO makes is another debate entirely. What you and I pay for insurance closer to the current topic.
Wayne this is a great topic. Unfortunately there are so many parts to it that you could probably start another BB on this topic alone. I agree with all your points and would only add that you also need to look at how the government has mettled in this segment since the 1960's. For example, at that time they encouraged a "cost plus" reimbursement schedule: "Need an extra band-aid or dose of anti-biotics? Sure, just bill us at 110% of your costs." Then there was the knee jerk reaction in the '80's to the waste that created with DRG's and a fixed amount reimbursement. If you had the time and resources, I bet you could draw a graft showing the expansion and contraction of hospital beds based on those events.
Ever been to a VA hospital? It's been 10 years or more since I have, but only a State run nursing home was more depressing. The quality of health care was terrible. Can't wait for a national health care system!
Oh, did I say "quality of health care"? That term has not been used in a practice in decades. It is only how much will BCBS or Medicare reimburse if a certain product or procedure is performed. And I can list several of first hand examples. It is why I got out of that industry.
Don't mean to paint with such a broad brush in that I know that there are still many dedicated physicians and nurses out there. Unfortunately thay are now the minority. The game has changed and we the patient are on the short end.