Healthcare Regulations

# What Are Some of the Major Problems With The US Healthcare System?

- April 25, 2019
- Posted by Kristen Edwards

25 Apr

What determines the best healthcare system is how much the country spends on the quality of the health care provided and what are the outcomes of that spending. Moreover, it depends on the availability of healthcare services and obviously how effective it is at keeping the country’s populous healthy. At what cost, what consumers are required to pay, and how employers are contributing to it. The increasing cost of healthcare services is among some of the major problems in the U.S. healthcare system. Apart from all, is there any secure messaging system like Secure Text Messaging HIPAA that can help get effective healthcare information to minimize the cost?

There are countries in the world that are ranked higher than the United States like the United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Norway – and for having the best healthcare system at a much lower cost than the United States. Despite being providing the best health research, technologies, and most qualified healthcare providers. There are some major problems with the US healthcare system that is pulling the U.S. down the list.

## Expensive to afford

We hear it all the time that Americans pay more for healthcare than any other country. Why is a free market-style healthcare system is so bad at controlling the cost of healthcare in the U.S.? If we analyze the data we would find that the U.S. spends the highest on pharmaceuticals and other operational costs. In a similar way, the average physician earning in the U.S. is almost double the rest of the work.

Then the question arises that when we are spending the highest in healthcare, using the best technologies, backed by the top researchers of the world then what are those problems with the US healthcare system that are pulling the US down in the list of the world’s top countries in healthcare quality list and increasing healthcare issues in America. First, we have to see why healthcare delivery in the U.S. is expensive. With the advent of the unified electronic healthcare system, the cost of care delivery has increased for physician practices.

Physicians are now required to hire highly trained IT resources to manage the new EHR and EMR systems. Not only that, but the transformation from the old system is also expensive. Although, many government-run programs have incentivized the switch from paper records to electronic health record systems it has, in fact, increased the operational cost. The cost, however, can be contained if proper medical billing services and medical coding services are obtained at a fraction of the cost. For this very purpose, companies like SybridMD is providing a range of specialized services including physician credentialing services, medical billing services, medical coding services, medical transcription services, etc.

source:healthcareitnews.com

## Rising technology cost

Physician practices are now required to install new computers with EHR solutions. To maintain the software, sometimes they have to pay subscription charges on monthly or one-time subscription fees to the vendors. Besides, training and induction of the IT-trained staff is also increasing the operational cost. The Healthcare system in the U.S. is different from other countries and so are the problems with healthcare. Unlike Canada where practices are only required to submit the claims to one entity; in the U.S. multiple payers of healthcare reimbursements require an advanced level of medical billing and credentialing services experience or you would get back the claims with objections. To achieve this level of accuracy and skill, physicians are required to hire trained and highly paid staff.

## Expensive diagnostic procedures

Diagnostic procedures are also expensive in the U.S. Physicians don’t take the risk of being sued on wrong diagnoses and treatments. So they ask for more diagnostic tests as compared to other countries which increase the care delivery cost.

If someone has no insurance then nobody is negotiating on their behalf. They have to pay the charges upfront from their pockets. One study found that hospitals charge uninsured patients more than patients with insurance coverage. That is not the case with other countries and is one of the healthcare issues in America.

## Healthcare vendors market

In the U.S. the idea that you are a consumer and you will reach out to the best seller to buy the best product in your budget doesn’t work with the healthcare system creating healthcare problems instead. Because neither the consumers nor the government is negotiating the vendor price. It means that vendors can charge increased prices in the absence of a strict price control entity. This is why; the US healthcare system is so expensive than other countries and is among some of the major problems in the healthcare system

Medical bankruptcy is common in the U.S. almost 650,000 Americans go bankrupt every year because of high medical bills. Insurance companies are not in business to make the patients pay less; instead, they are in business to reimburse what they get from the employers or government. The government of the United States is spending on healthcare programs of Medicare and Medicaid about the same size as other countries where the government runs the whole healthcare system.

## The absence of transparency

The lack of transparency is one of the major healthcare problems. The lack of cost transparency in the healthcare system is endemic. It all comes down to codes and upcoding is the most common type of fraudulent activity reported. It’s a widespread malady in the healthcare system because it is really hard to track down. If an insurance policyholder wants to find out the cost of medical procedures he had, it is very unlikely for him to get a concrete answer. The insurance companies are also business-focused, they try to get good premiums from the employers but tighten the noose when required to pay back to insurance policyholders. This looks good for businesses but bad for consumers who solely depend on a system that is beyond their control.

## The high cost of prescription drugs

Pharmaceutical prices in the world are rising, but Americans are paying even more than the rest of the world. The government of the United States is doing little to control the price of prescription drugs and due to limited competition among major vendors; the price of prescription drugs is higher in the U.S. On average, patients in the U.S. are paying more to buy prescription drugs.

This causes healthcare issues in America for the unemployed or uninsured citizens who are to pay out of their pockets. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patients in the U.S. are paying 3 times more the price than in other countries and this is why almost 1 in 10 Americans can’t afford medications. This is why most of the patients belonging to low waged income group ask the physician to prescribe a drug that is less expensive or are taking the substitute treatments that are less expensive and less effective. That eventually leads to recurring visits to higher medical bills because of the recurring visits.

## High-Priced Medical Equipment

Medical equipment is mostly overly priced in the U.S. and the companies keep increasing the price every year. The government encourages the product to use but makes no effort to reduce the price. This overpriced medical equipment is also increasing the cost of care delivery. Although the healthcare system is the best in the U.S. in many aspects the cost of care delivery is creating problems for the consumers. High-ranking healthcare systems around the world are mostly government-controlled where the government has strict control over the vendor pricing.

However, in the U.S. the price is mostly controlled by the open market competition. Currently, the healthcare system in the U.S. is under a transformation phase which is causing discrepancies at various levels. Due to this, the healthcare system looks more broken than in comparison to other countries. However, government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are working vigorously to control the problems with US healthcare system and to set the path right for a better future for healthcare delivery in the United States.

## Difficulty Finding a Good Doctor

Difficulty finding a good doctor is indeed one of the problems with the US healthcare industry. Here are some of the reasons why:

Limited availability: There is a shortage of primary care physicians in many parts of the country, particularly in rural areas. This means that there are fewer doctors to go around, and patients may have to wait longer to see a doctor or travel farther to find one.

Insurance restrictions: Many health insurance plans restrict the doctors that patients can see. This can make it difficult for patients to find a doctor who is covered by their insurance and whom they feel comfortable with.

Cost: Healthcare costs in the US are notoriously high, and many people cannot afford to see a doctor on a regular basis. This can lead to delays in seeking care, which can make health problems worse.

Quality of care: Not all doctors are created equal, and patients may have difficulty finding a doctor who provides high-quality care. Some doctors may have poor bedside manners or may not be up-to-date on the latest medical advances.

Communication barriers: Language and cultural barriers can make it difficult for patients to communicate effectively with their doctors. This can lead to misunderstandings and can make it harder for doctors to provide the best possible care.

### Conclusion

Healthcare issues in America are somewhat similar to many other businesses facing challenges. Disconnected resource utilization, leaky processes, and limitations of using technology initiate and increase healthcare problems.

In short, many individuals think that there are problems with the American healthcare system that keep the system behind in providing targeted treatment to them. These healthcare problems need to be taken care of with the extreme quality changes to every aspect of the healthcare system and building satisfaction and trust among commodities.

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