America Spends More Gets Less For Healthcare

BROOKFIELD, Wis. - Oct. 8, 2020 - PRLog -- Americans always like to get the most "bang for the buck," because it's just smart to get as much as you can out of your hard-earned money. But when it comes to healthcare costs, the United States spends nearly twice as much as other industrialized countries, yet has the lowest life expectancy and highest suicide rates. Democrat Tom Palzewicz, running for the Fifth Congressional District seat, wants to bring maximum value to our healthcare investment.

 According to the Brookings Institute, the United States Spends 16.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, which is twice as much as other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. More than one-quarter of U.S. adults report they have been diagnosed with two or more chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension during their lifetime compared to 22 percent or less in all other countries. The U.S. has the highest amenable mortality rates among the 11 countries, with 112 deaths for every 100,000. Notably, the amenable mortality rate has dropped considerably since 2000 for every country, though less proportionately in the U.S. The U.S. rate was two times higher than in Switzerland, France, Norway, and Australia.

 "In America, healthcare is still tied to employment, which is problematic on several levels," said Palzewicz. "We need to move towards healthcare as a human right and not as an employment benefit. But I understand this will take great thought and careful planning. Cost containment will not take place until we take the profit motivation off the table. At present, insurance companies reimburse whatever the health provider 'needs'. And some of these health providers have been charging three, four, or 5,000 for a COVID test. And the insurance companies are reimbursing at that rate, which is ridiculous. That's profiteering.

 Healthcare costs are not going down, even though President Trump asserted that drug prices are dropping, and insulin is inexpensive, "like water." That is not true, as seniors on Medicare will attest, insulin is very expensive. Medicare reimbursement is an issue.

 "There was a chart in the Journal-Sentinel that showed the local healthcare systems and what percent they charged for the current Medicare reimbursement rates. And it was anywhere from the lowest at 210% to the highest at 316%. Our healthcare systems are charging anywhere between two and three times the rate of the Medicare reimbursement.  We need to find the real cost of service and bring charges down to the level of the Medicare reimbursement."

  Palzewicz is committed to reworking the healthcare system to work for everybody, not just those with a job or money.
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