Keys To Controlling The Future of Health Care


Several key changes are necessary to get control of the costs associated with the run away health care system in the United States.

Here are just a few suggestions:

1) Cost information about medical procedures and cost comparisons to alternative treatments need to be more easily available so that consumers can make better educated health care choices.

2) Outcomes and outcome comparisons of alternative medical procedures need to be more available so that health care consumers can make more informed decisions.

3) Consumers need to take more responsibility for their health, health care treatment, and research the cost and outcomes of certain procedures prior to electing medical care.

4) Federal and state governments need to quit passing unfunded mandates that mostly add to the cost of care while reducing overall access to care.

5) Frivolous lawsuits and the threat of frivolous lawsuits cause doctors to practice defensive medicine in order to reduce the chance of being sued. The resulting tests are many times "overkill" and simply do nothing but increase the cost of care.

6) Consumers need to let their physicians guide them on the most appropriate treatment regimen. Drug companies have been successful in creating a demand for their products by convincing consumers to "ask your doctor about..." We need to get back to discussing our problems with our physicians rather than requesting a particular drug or treatment.

Michael Ertel is the President of Ertel & Company ( http://www.ertelandcompany.com ) and has over 15 years of experience in the health insurance business. He is the founder of http://www.MedicalInsuranceNow.com which is an internet based service that assists individuals, families, and small business owners by providing side by side comparisons of health insurance alternatives and the convenience of applying for health coverage online.







Related News



Insurance Exchange Is a Good Idea - New York Times

Voice of America

Insurance Exchange Is a Good Idea
New York Times, United States -3 hours ago
By Ezekiel Emanuel In this installment of Health Care Watch, Stuart M. Butler and Ezekiel Emanuel talk about what the candidates are saying about insurance...
Editors: Healthy Line of AttackNational Review Online
National panelists debate health careBizjournals.com
Two Ways to Extend Health InsuranceKiplinger.com
Dallas Morning News - Wall Street Journal
all 1,409 news articles

Bailout measure gives parity to mental health insurance coverage - Kansas City Star

The Money Times

Bailout measure gives parity to mental health insurance coverage
Kansas City Star, MO -19 hours ago
Tucked inside the lengthy legislation is a requirement that insurance plans provide coverage for mental illnesses and addiction disorders equal to what they ...
Bailout may bring relief for parents of mentally ill kidsRocky Mountain News
US Insurers Told to Cover Mental Health EquallyOneWorld.net
New bill mandates better insurance coverageTimes-Journal
MinnPost.com - Dayton Daily News
all 871 news articles

SeaBright Insurance Holdings to Release 2008 Third Quarter Results ... - WELT ONLINE

SeaBright Insurance Holdings to Release 2008 Third Quarter Results ...
WELT ONLINE, Germany -2 hours ago
SeaBright Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:SEAB) announced today that it plans to release financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008, ...

Gina Russo Opens Trenchant Insurance in Las Vegas - MarketWatch

Gina Russo Opens Trenchant Insurance in Las Vegas
MarketWatch -9 hours ago
LAS VEGAS, Oct 07, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Gina Russo opened the Trenchant Insurance Company at 8778 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 105 in Las Vegas. ...

FDIC approves bank fee increase for insurance fund - BusinessWeek

TopNews

FDIC approves bank fee increase for insurance fund
BusinessWeek -5 hours ago
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair made the proposal -- which will raise the average insurance premiums paid by banks and thrifts to 13.5 ...
FDIC Proposes Doubling Fees to Boost Insurance Fund (Update3)Bloomberg
FDIC chair seeks higher bank fees to boost deposit insurance fund ...International Herald Tribune
Ahead of the Bell: FDIC mulls bank insurance feesForbes
Los Angeles Times - Wall Street Journal Blogs
all 1,357 news articles

Singapore Insurance Report Q3 2008 Is Available Now - MarketWatch

Singapore Insurance Report Q3 2008 Is Available Now
MarketWatch -7 hours ago
Our Singapore Insurance Report provides independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Singapore's insurance industry. In Q308, the key change is ...
Research and Markets: Slovenia Insurance Report Q3 2008 - In 2007 ...MarketWatch
all 36 news articles

Group still owns Fortis Insurance - Malaysia Star

The Associated Press

Group still owns Fortis Insurance
Malaysia Star, Malaysia -Oct 6, 2008
PETALING JAYA: Fortis Group has confirmed its continued ownership of 100% participation in Fortis Insurance International NV, following the recent ...
Ping An to post huge losses due to investment in FortisPress Trust of India
China's Ping An Insurance to book 15.7 bln yuan loss from Fortis ...Forbes
Ping An may lose 2b yuan on Fortis investmentChina Daily
Financial Times - The Associated Press
all 194 news articles


CORRECTED: Insurance chief says AIG bailout was unavoidable - Reuters

Boston Globe

CORRECTED: Insurance chief says AIG bailout was unavoidable
Reuters -21 hours ago
N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) after a dramatic investor crisis left the giant insurer starved for cash, New York insurance chief Eric Dinallo ...
Crisis strengthens Manulife's hand in AIG bidGlobe and Mail
HSBC Life Launches Online Insurance Sales In TaiwanEasyBourse.com
Insurance giant granted lifelineThe Press Association
Royal Gazette - Belfast Telegraph
all 972 news articles

Insurance Professionals See Investor Confidence of Retirement ... - MarketWatch

Insurance Professionals See Investor Confidence of Retirement ...
MarketWatch -8 hours ago
The survey of more than 300 insurance industry professionals was conducted via instant electronic polling. Chief among the survey findings are: "A central ...

Narragansett Bay Insurance Company Succeeds to Adirondack ... - MarketWatch

Narragansett Bay Insurance Company Succeeds to Adirondack ...
MarketWatch -9 hours ago
PAWTUCKET, RI, Oct 07, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Narragansett Bay Insurance Company announced that it has entered into a renewal rights agreement with ...
Renewal Rights Agreement Bolsters Narragansett Bay in New YorkInsurance Journal
all 8 news articles