I don't claim any expertise in health care, but the only practical and direct way to reduce system health care costs is to spend less. That seems logical to me, but the answer is not one we want to receive on a personal level.
The push in the past few years has been for universal access and insurance coverage for everyone. That may be wonderful for those individuals not now covered by insurance and who go without care or use the ER, but it will not, by itself, reduce the systemic costs for health care. Reducing overheads can help to control costs, but no breakthrough solution will occur in that arena until we have a standard, universally-used electronic record for each of us.
I'd really be interested to hear arguments otherwise. Until then, I agree with "some health policy experts."
"...Some health policy experts argue that changes in payment practices will not be enough to slow the growth in spending, even when combined with other cost-cutting strategies. To truly change course, they say, the state and federal governments may need to place actual limits on health spending, which could lead to rationing of care."
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