Universal Healthcare
Universal Healthcare
The
Issue:
Access to quality health care for the
uninsured.
Why It's
Important:
Every United States citizen should be
entitled to access to some level of quality healthcare.
Providers should have the right to receive fair compensation for
providing healthcare services. Without access to quality
care, people run the risk of escalating health complications, thus
driving up the morbidity and mortality and ultimately the cost of
care. Currently, those already paying into the system are
further burdened by the uncompensated costs of those without
insurance.
Background:
Every day, health concerns arise for
some of the approximately 6% of Wisconsin's uninsured
citizens. Each time care is provided to uninsured patients,
the cost of providing that care is passed on through to the rest of
the system. This unfairly "taxes" those already paying in,
both employees and employers alike. This action results in
employers needing to charge more for goods and services, and
employees having their income reduced.
Definitions
UH - defined as "Universal Healthcare,"
meaning that every citizen would have access to a baseline level of
healthcare.
Uninsured
- has no private or public health care coverage:
-No
employer-provided insurance
-No privately
purchased insurance
-No Medicaid,
BadgerCare or Healthy Start
-No Medicare
*Definition of time period can vary
In 2000.....
Wisconsin had 5.1
million residents
4.8 million had
health insurance (94%)
310,000 were uninsured (6%)
Uninsured during the last
twelve months (also 2000 data)
4.5 million
Wisconsin residents were insured for entire last 12 months (private
or public coverage) (88%)
380,000 were
uninsured part of last 12 months; insured part of that time
(7%)
209,000 were uninsured during all of
last 12 months (4%)
Wellness - wellness refers generally
to the state of being healthy; healthy balance of the mind, body
and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being.
Primary Care - a term used for the
activity of a healthcare provider who acts as a first point of
consultation for all patients. Includes family practice,
internal medicine, pediatrics, and at times OB/GYN
physicians. It is important to note; however, that the last
three of the above specialties are not technically general medicine
specialties. These specialties are primary care, but NOT
general medicine.
Physician Extenders - CRNA, NP, PA,
Perfusionists (see below)
A nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse and advanced practice
nurse who has acquired additional education and training to
administer anesthesia. The title, Certified
Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), reflect the nurse's
qualifications and abilities.
A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse
who has completed advanced nursing education (generally a master's
degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common
medical conditions, including chronic illnesses. Nurse
practitioners provide a broad range of health care services.
While nurse practitioners are not trained in medicine, their
advanced education in nursing makes this a fast-growing midlevel
profession.
Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician
clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physician's
supervision. Unlike nurse practitioners, who are trained in
advanced nursing, PAs receive education specifically in the
practice of medicine. In many states, PAs are state-certified
and work under the auspices of the physician's license.
Physician Assistants generally have a master's degree in medicine
from an accredited university.
A Perfusionist, also known as a
Clinical Perfusionist, is a trained health
professional that operates the heart-lung machine during cardiac
surgery and other surgeries that require cardiopulmonary
bypass.
Baseline Level of Care - a specified
level of healthcare services that would be provided under a
"Universal Healthcare" plan.
BayCare Clinic's
Position Statement on Universal Healthcare:
BayCare Clinic, LLP supports the
concept of Universal Healthcare (herein "UH") with several
important caveats that need to be met from the earliest
implementation of a UH system:
A. All legal (Wisconsin/U.S.) residents should have access
to a pre-determined baseline level of health care.
B. The baseline level of care
should be established by a responsible group of health care
providers who will consider the public good.
Example of possible policy options on defining
"baseline"...
-The baseline level
of healthcare should include components of wellness, prevention,
and primary care, as well as acute injury and appropriate emergency
care.
-The baseline level
of care may be provided by physician extenders, working under the
direction of a licensed primary care physician or specialty care
physician.
-The baseline level of care may limit
coverage for elective procedures and surgeries, and other expensive
services (e.g. end-of-life care, renal-dialysis, transplants,
cosmetic procedures, or premature births, etc.)
C. Employers and individuals should have the right and the
option to buy into higher benefit levels.
D. Providers (facilities and physicians) should be paid
fairly for their services no matter who the payer. This
includes any and all government payors. Cost-shifting merely
clouds the issues surrounding healthcare and is inappropriate and
unfair. Cost-shifting is a "hidden tax" foisted upon
non-government payors.
E. BayCare Clinic supports a free market economy, and
supports free markets in health care also. Providers and
insurers should compete on quality and cost.
F. BayCare Clinic feels that health insurers should have
controls put in place that allow them to make a profit margin on
providing competitive insurance services, but should not be allowed
to profit from withholding care to needy insured.
G. BayCare Clinic feels that health promotion is a
critical part of the solution to rising health care costs, and
supports governmental actions to put some teeth into the ability of
employers and to the state government to mandate participation in
health initiatives.
Examples of
possible initiatives:
Smoking Cessation
Classes
Public No-Smoking
Policy
Mandatory Seat Belt
Incentives
Mandatory Helmet
Incentives
Healthy School
Lunches
Aggressive Food
Labeling Standards
Mandatory
Immunizations
Sunscreen and sun
protection for adults and children
Minimum level of fitness and physical
exercise
H. BayCare Clinic feels that personal responsibility on
the part of the citizen is also a critical part of the solution to
rising health care costs. BayCare supports regulations which
provide employers with the ability to use incentives and
disincentives to drive individual behaviors in a healthy and
positive fashion. This can be accomplished by discounts for
participation in healthy lifestyles, and/or penalties for refusing
to.
BayCare Clinic recognizes and acknowledges the need for
universal access to quality health care, and for specialty
physicians to do their part in bringing this to fruition. The
Clinic also recognizes that reasonable prices for health care
services must be attainable for the economic good of the entire
state (including its residents and businesses), but fair payment to
providers is also a necessity. A Legislative proposal which
address these needs--from both perspectives--will be fully
supported by BayCare Clinic.
BayCare Clinic physicians provide high quality,
necessary health care to all patients, regardless of the patient's
ability to pay for their care.
BayCare Clinic recognizes that there are instances when a
patient does not have the means to pay for his/her necessary
medical care. The Clinic has well defined policies that address and
aid the patient and his/her family who are experiencing financial
hardship in relation to paying for care. BayCare Clinic has
financial advisors on staff to work one-on-one with the patient,
taking each individual's circumstance into consideration.
There are also times when care cannot be reimbursed. As a result
of this, the clinic will "write-off" the patient debt. In 2010
alone, nearly $900,000 in charity care was written-off by BayCare
Clinic.
BayCare Clinic has made a commitment
to the communities it serves, and that commitment includes
providing high quality, necessary health care to all patients.