I just turned 60 and have started collecting disability for a severe case of COPD, my reward for many years of smoking. I had been paying into various different HMO's over my 40 year working career, being without coverage a few times along the way. Fortunately, I have always enjoyed rather good health and seldom saw a doctor. In 2003 I went to my doctor with a shortness of breath and was first diagnosed with asthma, but later, after several other test, was told I had COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Soon, I also developed diabetes, probably from not getting enough exercise, however this is just my guess since my doctor was always in too much of a rush to talk to me about my condition. Once I went to him with a list of 9 ailments that I wanted to have him look at. He said, "I don't have time for all of those, pick the most important three". Obviously, I am not qualified to know which ones would be more important than others, but this gives a good example of the kind of treatment, or lack of treatment I was used to getting.
In Dec of 2005 I lost my teaching job and was unable to find a new job that would allow me to work in my diminished capacity. I then began paying out of pocket for my medical visits and about $500 per month for my prescriptions. In November of 2007, I contacted the Veteran's Administration, being a Viet Nam vet, and was expecting a long wait to be seen and cared for. To my surprise, they contacted me right away and gave me an appointment for my initial visit within one month. My new VA doctor gave me all new prescriptions, switching me from the expensive designer drugs, to generics in most cases, and set me up with lung function tests which also put me on oxygen therapy. In addition they advised me on how to apply for disability insurance, which I have been collecting for several months now.
I only wish I had begun using my VA benefits when I was a young man and had not wasted so much money on health care payments to various HMO's that are so wasteful of our money and don't give the kind of care we need because they are based on making a profit and not helping the patient. What a monumental wast of money for so many years, and what's more, the care is so much better at the VA. The doctors all treat me with a great deal of respect, as do the attendants and nurses. They do not seem to be in a hurry to get rid of you and will explain things in detail in terms that I can understand. They ask me if I have any questions and patiently answer all my concerns.
My feeling is that is our national healthcare system were to be set up to mirror the VA system, we could have everyone covered and save money in the long run. So much time and effort is wasted in the insurance aspect of health care. If this alone could be eliminated, that would be a great savings. Also, if doctor were not marketed to by the drug companies to prescribe designer drugs to us and opt for the generic alternatives, we could realize a big savings there as well.
In Short, if the profit motive was eliminated from the equation, then this whole healthcare picture would be different. Yes, what I am suggesting would throw a lot of people out of work, like drug salesman and insurance workers and paper pushers, but this is where the high cost of health care comes from in the first place.
