Quick Hit Sunday

For those who express a desire for an option in regards to health care other than the status quo or government involvement, I'd suggest a few different ideas as a starting point to reduce costs:

- Electronic record keeping could improve efficiency.
- Re-work the doctor/patient relationship. Instead of a 'one size fits all' approach to doctor visits, offer different options such as video-conferencing visits, phone visits or emailing visits.
- Re-institute doctor home visits, which could cut down on the doctor's overhead in regards to leasing costs, property taxes, staffing, etc.
- Lower malpractice insurance premiums.
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), with higher deductibles but low max annual out of pocket expenses.
- Revert back to a pure consumer/provider relationship. Right now the consumer (patient) rarely directly pays for their provider's (doctor) service. Normally a third party (insurance company), hired by a fourth party (employer), pays the bill. There is too much confusion in the marketplace to sufficiently determine what the actual cost of care is. In order to better know how to reduce costs the fog needs to be removed from the equation.
- Charity. If you're concerned about someone not being able to pay for their medical care, quit complaining and do something about it. And I don't mean outsource the responsibility to the Federal Government. Start a charity. Give to a charity. Pharmaceutical companies have programs for those less fortunate as do some hospitals. Get involved in that arena. The truth is in the United States it is illegal for a hospital to deny someone care if they don't have insurance, so people aren't dying on the streets for lack of care. The question becomes how to best help them when the bill arrives, and private charities full of people who love others and funded by people who care for others has always been the best way to help.

Keep in mind that health care is expensive for a reason. You're paying for cutting edge services every time you go in no matter if it is your annual visit, blood work or an MRI. No one provides medicinal care learned 10 years ago. And the more exotic your condition the more expensive the care becomes as the doctors scramble to simultaneously treat your symptoms and determine what your illness is. You're being treated on million dollar machines developed at great cost and run by people who are in some instances being paid hundreds of thousands every year. When you buy a car you have the option of buying a brand new Lexus or a 10 year old Camry. That isn't the case with health care and I think we'd all do well to keep that in mind. 100 years ago if you had cancer you'd pay the doc 10$ to visit your home, at which time he'd tell you to chew a root and call on him tomorrow. And in a year, you'd be dead. If you want cheap health care you can get it, but the 'best' always comes with a price tag. Certainly we can take steps to make it more affordable, but there will always be those of us who struggle to afford a 2009 Lexus and in the same way there will always be those who struggle to afford services such as hospital stays.

On a lighter note, about the Broncos:

- I'm not excited about him being a Bronco, but Orton is serviceable. He is the same type of player Jake Plummer was, and I'm not just saying that because both share an affinity for left handed jump passes. As long as the game plan calls for short dunk passes Orton will be successful, but once that is shut down he isn't the type of player who can put the team on his back and carry them to glory. Think Jake Plummer in the AFC Championship game in 2005. Lucky for Orton there is more offensive talent on this team than there was for Plummer, so perhaps he won't have to shoulder the load all that often.

- If the Broncos are 3-3 at the Bye they'll be doing pretty good. They should beat Oakland, and defeat either Cincinnati or Cleveland. However I don't see them defeating Dallas, New England or San Diego. If they manage to take one of those games they'd be doing well.
- I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish 5-11, and 8-8 should be considered a success after everything that has happened.