I have arrived with the better half and a contingent of Hillsdale College faculty and students in Istanbul. We will be touring Asia Minor and seeing where the early Christians lived, moved, and worshiped their maker. So far, we are still in Europe — that part of Istanbul in the West.
So far the trip has presented few complications. In fact, a stroll after dinner to a nearby park tonight disclosed a pack of cats that were as beautiful as they were feral. The biggest problem so far has been getting health insurance companies to pay for the pills that prevent Malaria. The Mrs.’s insurer ruled specifically that her plan did not cover prophylactic medications. That suggests that a more expensive plan might cover the prescription. But if my wife contracts Malaria, won’t it cost the insurance company more for her annual treatments? So a lower priced plan should actually cover the Malaria medication. By the way, my own plan, which did cover the pills, only knocked about 30 percent off the price.
Which raises the question of why we have health insurance. I’m sure many have heard the comparison that we don’t buy car insurance to pay for tune-ups and oil changes. So why do we need the insurers to monitor all of our regular physical maintenance? I get it about life-threatening medical treatments. None of us can afford the six-figure bill that might come with surgery and chemotherapy. But why should the insurance companies take a cut of the cost of ordinary health care? Why not let people like me pay for doctors appointments and regular prescriptions right out of pocket, directly to my physician or pharmacist, the way we do with auto mechanics and auto supply companies?
Mind you, this is no brief for national health insurance. If the private companies have already mucked up medicine I can’t imagine the feds doing anything but adding to the inconvenience.
Granted, if we only had insurance for life-threatening diseases or injuries people who now don’t have health insurance would continue to use emergency rooms at hospitals for basic treatment. But if that were the case, just imagine what a service Roman Catholic and other religious hospitals could provide (along with a public relations windfall). Instead of having to offer a full range of medical services, they could simply offer medical treatment to the indigent. And their development officers might also be able to raise funds for some kind of insurance that would cover their patients when they have to send them to the hospitals with all the bells and whistles.
Old Life 
My 80 year old mother has made this very argument most of my adult life, along with; “it’s supposed to be difficult to afford a house.” So there’s that.
LikeLike
Gee why not let people contract with their Insurers for a variety of different coverage options and costs?
LikeLike
To the extent that there’s an actuarial question in there, insurance companies have found that covering prophylactic treatments for all is more expensive than covering the full medical treatment for the relative few that will contract a particular disease or condition. Whether that is the right thing to do is a different question.
LikeLike
You can pay directly now and usually get a discount because the doctor does not have to deal with all of the government mandated insurance paperwork.
LikeLike
Ever heard of high deductible insurance plans? Now that I don’t have an employer that covers health insurance, we have one of those high deductible plans. Most everything is out of pocket until we meet the high deductible. It’s been shocking to learn that the cost for my three asthma medications is about $300/month. It still comes under the deductible and is less than the premium that would cover all the prescriptions. I know, TMI, but just to say I’d vote for Darryl for President any day with that as his health care platform. And I love the idea of Christian hospitals (of course, not under the authority of the church qua church) to take care of the needy.
LikeLike
DGH:
I kind of expected you to refer to the city in the same way that Winston Churchill spoke of it: as Constantinople.
LikeLike
Why not let people like me pay for doctors appointments and regular prescriptions right out of pocket, directly to my physician or pharmacist, the way we do with auto mechanics and auto supply companies?
Who’s stopping you? Weren’t you the one who agreed with Hillsdale College to accept part of your compensation in too much health insurance?
LikeLike
Malaria tablets for Turkey? Really?
LikeLike
Dan, since treatment for Malaria is supposed to be lifelong, I can’t imagine it would cost less than 41 pills.
LikeLike
John H., haven’t you heard, most physicians require you to have insurance before they see you. That’s why the indigent go to emergency rooms.
LikeLike
Oh, I thought all they required was $$$, which is why the indigent would get turned away.
LikeLike
My ins. plan seems close to what you’re talking about… it’s a high deductible ($10k) health savings account.
As far as treating malaria, it’s not necessarily a lifelong treatment. There are three different types from what I understand. One kills you. One goes dormant and reappears later. The last and most common type goes away once you treat it. That’s the kind I had 14 years ago and haven’t needed any treatments since.
LikeLike
Why do you need malaria pills for Istanbul?
I know someone who is going next week and the doctor specifically did not recommend them for travel to that city.
Maybe you’re on a bigger trip.
LikeLike
1. News flash: We won World War 2!
2. American health care payments are generally along a Veterinary model. Does the DVM do anything not approved of by the animal’s “payor”? U.S. health insurers work for the providers, not the patients!
LikeLike
Noch einmal, bitte!
2. American health care payments are generally along a Veterinary model. Does the DVM do anything not approved of by the animal’s “payor”? U.S. health insurers work for the providers, not the patients!
LikeLike
DGH,
My family has worked in healthcare for years and the only requirement for the doctor is your ability to pay your bill. Now that will change with government mandated health insurance if the Supreme Court allows them to force you to purchase insurance.
The only reason the indigent go to the ER is because they cannot pay for services rendered.
People demanding that every pill including “the pill” be covered is what drives the cost of insurance up. I’m certain there is an insurer out there that has a plan to cover all your pills if you’re willing to pay for it. Pay for the small stuff out of pocket and keep insurance for the big stuff.
LikeLike
Darryl and other commentators: My insurance mystery— In our ATL yard since 1972, we have a sickly big tree towering over our house and the house of our good neighbor. Our insurance companies tell us that they wont pay to remove the tree ($400) but they will pay should the tree fall on one or both our houses. Would cost them a LOT more! —-Our only advice to Y’ALL— (Y’ALL? I left my natal N.J. for the sensible red South in 1963). —Get used to MYSTERIES!— Why we have our 44th prez. Why anyone would try to confuse everybody with redefining”marriage”,”politically CORRECT”, or even the exact explanation of “2K” and “transformationalism”? Oh me! Old Bob. WTS, 1954. PS. At one time the media, etc. called our insane states “red” and the rest “blue”. My wife of 59 years and I thought, “Yeah, Easy! “Red” like Marxist religion!” How did it change? Yet another MYSTERY to contend with!
LikeLike
Bob,
Read your home owner’s policy closely–The insurance company may not have to pay at all if you know the tree is a hazard and do nothing to remove it. Don’t go by what someone tells you but what your policy actually covers or excludes. No mystery, either your policy covers something or excludes coverage. Hint: make sure you read what is excluded in your policy.
LikeLike
I’m still not sure I understand DGH’s policy Rx. Is it to reform the tax system which favors employer-provided health insurance, as mentioned in Vermonster’s first linked article? That might be more efficient (and politically impossible), but I don’t see how it would do anything for the poor. And who’s forcing religious hospitals to serve the non-poor? I thought they did that to subsidize their charitable work (once again, I could be wrong, or just not understand what DGH is talking about).
LikeLike
John H., I don’t have a health insurance policy. I’m sure Doug Sowers does and it likely involves killing the sick because they suffer from their sins. My point is to get rid of insurance for basic medical services. And if religious hospitals only cared for the poor, they might not be facing all of the regulations that Washington is throwing at them.
LikeLike