Discussion Week 3- High Cost of Healthcare

Preventable diseases are costly to the patient, the health insurance companies, as well as

patient employers due to loss of productivity or time at work. I believe that disease prevention is

essential, and accomplished largely through preventative health care such as education,

vaccinations, and screening tests. As people age, on average, they develop more health

problems, therefore prevention through the lifetime is essential. According to U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services (2013), as a whole adults over the age of 65 have higher rates of

chronic disease, require more healthcare services, and often encounter barriers to qualify for

affordable healthcare. Other preventable disease includes infections, such as hospital-associated

infections including surgical site infections, central line associated bloodstream infections,

ventilator-associated pneumonias, catheter-associated urinary tract infections. According to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the annual direct cost on the healthcare system was

estimated 6.65 billion dollars in 2007 (Scott, 2009). These infections can largely be prevented

by following proper precaution and protocol, as well as teaching of the hospital staff members,

patients, and family members.

Yes, in my opinion, insurance should be somewhat based on individuals lifestyle

choices. Many diseases can be prevented, or at least kept under better control, with alterations in

ones lifestyle. For example, obesity can lead to the development and worsening of an

assortment of diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and

sleep apnea. A different example includes tobacco use and development of certain cancers, such

as lung, oral, esophageal, and cervical, to name a few. These diseases can become very costly to

the patient and insurance companies, and in many cases are very preventable, or at least

improved by means of alterations in ones lifestyle. I believe that if insurance companies offered
incentives for leading a healthier lifestyle, by possibly offering a discounted rate or lower

deductible many would gain motivation to do so.

I do not believe that it should be the responsibility of the taxpayer to fund hospital-

associated infections. I have mixed feelings about the taxpayer funding health care, for example

a national health system. In some cases, we cannot help the cards that we have been dealt. I

have personally known of people that have always done everything as recommended and lived a

very health conscious lifestyle, and in spite of everything developed cancers or heart disease. In

some cases there is a strong family history of disease, or in other instances no reasonable

explanation at all. It breaks my heart to think of older persons that have in many cases worked

all their life, not being able to afford their medications, or buying their medications and not being

able to afford food for the rest of the month. At the same time I have had many patients that

cannot afford their heart medication, but smoke two packs per day of cigarettes. I am not sure

what the answer is, I think with anything you are going to have some that are grateful, and others

that abuse the system.

Scott, R. D. (2009). Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion National Center for Preparedness,

Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases Coordinating Center for Infectious

Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The direct medical cost of

healthcare-associated infections in the U.S. hospitals and the benefits of prevention.

Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/hai/Scott_CostPaper.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2013). Strengthening the health insurance

system: How health insurance reform will help Americas older and senior women. In C.

L. Estes, S. A. Chapman, C. Dodd, B. Hollister, & C. Harrington (Eds.), Health Policy:

Crisis and Reform (6th ed.), (pp. 297-311). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Cynthia,

I enjoyed reading your viewpoints on this topic, and my opinion on the matter is much like

yours. Many of the chronic health problems in the United States are contributed by modifiable

health risk behaviors such as lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco, and alcohol use

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). The CDC (2016) reports, eighty-six

percent of all health care spending in 2010 was for people with one or more chronic medical

conditions (para 3). I believe as future healthcare providers, we need to make education and

disease prevention a priority. As you stated in your post, this should be initiated at a very young

age. The CDC (2016) stated that nearly one in five youths were overweight or obese, defined as

being greater than or equal to the 95th percentile. This is alarming to me, as obesity has been

known to contribute to many chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart

disease, sleep apnea, and many others. It is also a concern, as more than likely many of these

individuals will carry this into adulthood. I also believe that insurance companies should do

more to promote healthy lifestyle choices. If they could possibly come up with a simple rewards

program that required a yearly health physical along with standardized lab work and health risk

assessment, then reviewed the persons body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1C

readings and reward good readings with incentives. A good incentive for me would be a

discounted premium.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion [Internet]. (updated February 23, 2016). Chronic disease overview.
Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/

Elisabeth,
Your post encouraged me to look deeper into disease prevention for chronic diseases. I realized

this was a big problem in our country, after doing some additional research found some alarming

statistics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2012

approximately half of all adults had a chronic health condition, and one in four adults had two, or

more, chronic health conditions (CDC, 2016). I agree with your statements about some of these

chronic disease states have just as much, or more, familial contribution as lifestyle contribution

for some. I have personally known people that have developed chronic conditions and have

always been physically active, made healthy food choices, and never used tobacco or alcohol

products. While I believe that many times healthier lifestyle choices can prevent, or decrease

poor outcomes, of chronic disease states, I also believe that sometimes people are just dealt a bad

card when it comes to health. The CDC (2016), reports that health risk behaviors cause much

of the illness, suffering and early death related to chronic diseases and conditions (para 2). The

CDC (2016) states that health risk behaviors are unhealthy behaviors one can change, and

include lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and drinking too much alcohol. In

2010, in the United States the cost of chronic diseases was estimated to be 86% of all healthcare

spending (CDC, 2016). As stated before, I realized this was a costly concern in our country, but

to actually see the numbers from a reliable source was eye opening.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion [Internet]. (updated February 23, 2016). Chronic disease overview.
Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/