Healthcare insurance bufferes the economic price rises from the patients

Physicians concerned about government intervention and regulation

Low Taxes and High Expectations

The US taxes very lowly so it almost certainly won’t implement universanl governemtn centered care

The Government’s Growing Role

Costs rising faster than general economy

Government took on much more in 1966 Medicade and Medicare

15 % of 1990 federal budget

The Spectrum of Health Care Financing Systems

plans to cover different populations (indians, veterans, elderly), employer sponsored programs most popular

"unmanaged" care employee health insurance declined from 41% in 1987 to 5% in 1990!

Supplements to Market-Based Insurance

Medicare--65 and up--Part A based on a 1.45% income tax covers hospital services--mandatory, Part B based on a $31.90/month premium covers physicians outpatient, and lab--optional (98% take it)--part B is 75% paid for from general funds

1992 HCFA (Helath Care Financing Administration) Established a nationwide relative-value fee scale for specialists

Medical Care for Veterans

Vetrans Affaris administration runs its own hospitals--gets plenty of governemnt money--questions about the quality of care

The Unisured

a whole bunch of them, not just poor

The Price of Conflict

Pissing off the doctors doesn’t help anyone