Healthcare Insurance

Treatment costs for the sickest 3.2 million (1%) of US citizens averages $100,000 per year with a total bill of $32 billion a year. The problem is that many of them cannot afford to pay their health insurance costs, because Health Insurance prices are based on accrual estimated costs. Some of the 1% are on Medicare and Medicaid, but some are also on Obamacare and they won’t be able to pay high premiums.

Lowering the cost of treatments for this group needs to happen to eliminate all unnecessary costs and some are clearly over-treated and over-billed. There is a lot of waste in healthcare including unnecessary doctor visits, unnecessary expensive tests (looking for things), Doctors have difficulty diagnosing illnesses, because symptoms are similar for various conditions.

Patients need to take smart control of their own preventive strategies, look up their own symptoms on the internet and make sure they are getting all Daily Requirements of vitamins and minerals. Taking Magnesium helps with weight-loss. Overuse of expensive tests is a waste of money. Patients need to see healthcare as a “rescue and repair” service.

Type II Diabetes is curable with weight loss and that is achieved simply by eating less.  Doctors need to tell patients to lose weight by eating less instead of treating their symptoms. Carrying too much weight causes strain on the body and can cause foot, back and other problems.  

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader