More Second Opinions / Health forum: 1/18/04
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Costly, inefficient system the real problem
Your Health's "Second Opinion" section on Jan. 4 was narrow in its view of what the driving forces are that make today's health-care system overwhelming. It is not, as readers suggested, managed care giving doctors less time to spend with patients combined with patients having too much information because of the Internet.
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 About this package
In today's Health Forum, we are including letters received in response to our Second Opinions package of Jan. 4, which featured readers' advice and suggestions for getting and giving better health care.
ÂÂ Â Based on our experience at the Consumer Health Coalition, located in Downtown Pittsburgh, the major issues are lack of affordable health coverage, lack of information on how to use the public programs that are available and a system that is set up to keep people out rather than to serve their health-care needs. All of these problems are part of a dysfunctional system that is expensive, inefficient and not cost-effective -- and that keeps getting worse.
Yes, consumers need to be self-advocates when they get to the doctor's office, as readers suggested, but we need strong consumer voices and input at all levels to build a system focused on quality care for everyone in an efficient, cost-effective and streamlined manner.
The coalition hears stories every day from people who need health care for themselves and their family members: people who work at jobs with no health insurance, older people too young to qualify for Medicare who can't work anymore due to chronic illness, people with mental illness and parents seeking coverage for children and elderly people who can't afford prescription drugs. Our organization screens for eligibility and helps people apply for government funded programs including the Children's Health Insurance Program, adultBasic, Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities and Medicare Buy-In.
When a caller doesn't fit the guidelines for programs -- or, as in the case of adultBasic, are put on a waiting list of more than 100,000 -- he is given suggested sources of sliding fee clinics, free and low-cost dental, eye and prescription assistance. If a caller has a problem enrolling, we collaborate with the PA Health Law Project, which helps those who have been denied but believe they are eligible for coverage.
First Published January 18, 2005 12:00 am
