Obamacare has assisted in providing insurance coverage for most people. This is great news. Everyone should have insurance coverage in case of an emergency — a car wreck or unanticipated injury —without going bankrupt.
But there are huge problems with Obamacare. The medical system is basically failing – our health care costs a fortune compared to most countries with our citizens getting sicker and sicker at younger ages.
The problem: chronic diseases.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) 86% of all health care spending in 2010 was for people with one or more chronic medical conditions.[1]
Originally, insurance was created so people could pay a small premium and be covered for an emergency of a disaster. Example, car insurance for that rare instance when you have a car accident. And home insurance for the rare instance when your home is damaged.
Health insurance, on the other hand, consists of paying for regular doctor visits and long-term drug medications. Healthcare in America means going to the doctor and getting diagnosed and then prescribed the newest cutting-edge brand name drugs that will make the patient feel better for a while, for only a co-pay of a price. Ask many people what healthcare is all about; they will say it’s about having these types of services, doctor visits and drugs, covered and paid for. The more that is paid for by insurance, the happier the customer.
And many of these chronic health conditions and diseases can be easier to treat by holistic or natural alternatives, and must less costly as well. Type 2 diabetes, for example, is one of the most expensive chronic diseases. In 2012, diabetes and its related complications accounted for $245 billion in total medical costs and lost work and wages.[2] Type 2 diabetes can be reversed quickly, sometimes in a matter of weeks, with a shift in diet and some changes in habits and lifestyle.
If car insurance worked the same way, the owner wouldn’t bother getting the tires rotated or doing routine maintenance, and insurance would be covering the costs to have the car patched up every week.
It is great that everyone has insurance in case of emergencies. But with doctors and pharmaceutical drugs as the primary form of healthcare, the result of Obamacare will be more chronically sick patients taking long-term medications.
Complementary and Alternative Treatment Options need to be covered on insurance. Otherwise, patients will continue to get the most affordable pharmaceutical drugs and call it healthcare.
[1] http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/
[2] http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics/2014statisticsreport.html
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