Soaring costs are pushing health care beyond the reach of many ordinary Americans. The typical family health insurance policy now costs more than a worker's entire annual earnings at minimum wage, while as much as 30 percent of health care is wasted on unnecessary, duplicative, or dubious procedures. The problems of cost, quality, and access are interrelated, and Congress needs to address them simultaneously. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) is leading the charge for reform by proposing new ways to lower health care costs, improve quality, and increase access to care. He has introduced three bills to address health care problems. These bills would help hold down costs regardless of the path the country takes in expanding health care coverage.
The idea is based upon a corporation, run by business leaders and health information technology experts and funded by federal public-private partnership, which would be responsible for all aspects of planning, building and operating a national network as well as protecting patient privacy. Individuals would be able to access and control their personal medical records for example, not allowing a physiotherapist to see other information such as a psychiatrist consultation.
The U.S. Internet Industry Association is endorsing two of these health IT bills pending in the Senate and calling for government policies that encourage deployment of broadband networks that could be the foundation of a nationwide health information network. The association has called for incentives for doctors to adopt health IT and for creation of more public-private partnerships to finance broadband deployment and health IT.
A public-private partnership for health IT could overcome the financing gap between the doctors who have to pay for it and the health plans and patients who will benefit from lower costs. One of the reasons hindering the transformation to electronic records has been bandwidth issues and costs. It is hoped this legislation will address and perhaps provide some real solutions.
We'll continue to follow this issue over the next weeks and months.
Global MedData is a provider of digital transcription services and EHR to physician practices and clinics in the U.S. and to the National Health Service Hospitals in the U.K. For more information email us at: info@globalmeddata.net
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1 comment:
Not until the scams, the double billing, the fraud, the incompetence, the free insurance to illegal aliens, the power of pharmaceutical companies stops, will we ever be able to truly reform the health care industry.
Not until the medical community, the congress, the citizenry of this country acts with purpose and decorum, will things change.
I doubt that I will see this reform in my lifetime. How sad.
I wish you all the success and temerity possible.
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