In our opinion: Rising health care costs aren’t what the doctor ordered
A new survey sponsored by the
The survey, done with the help of the
The results of the survey turn a common myth on its head. Physicians are often accused of being allied with pharmaceutical companies, and they are criticized for overprescribing medication and getting paid to encourage patients to take a specific drug brand. But the survey reveals doctors, executives and clinical leaders hold a perception of so-called Big Pharma similar to that of many patients, reporting that they “overwhelmingly believe pharmaceutical firms, followed closely by insurance companies, hospitals and health care systems, have the biggest impact on costs.”
It’s easy to lay the blame at someone else’s feet, especially when that someone is your competitor.
The American health care system is the most expensive in the world, and nearly half of Americans took at least one prescription drug in the past 30 days. This burden is felt most acutely by those left with limited choices in a bungled system of insurance options, but it’s also an indictment on how medicated the country has become, driven in part by the interests of pharmaceutical companies that have massive market shares.
Reports describe how the trust-like powers of large pharmaceutical companies determine which drugs get tested, bury evidence of unwanted findings and vigorously promote certain medications. Commenting on these practices, Dr.
This lack of transparency breaks down the trust between patients and their medical providers — a relationship that ought to be filled with support, confidence and reliability.
For a first step toward a lasting fix, Americans must have a better understanding of why their health care costs are so high. That understanding begins with a critical engagement with the role of pharmaceutical companies in determining the quality and cost of American medical services — a public reckoning and scrutiny that must look beyond mediating physicians to uncover who is actually responsible for existing dysfunction. It also involves other industries within the health care world to bring their full transparent selves to the table. Pointing fingers at others means no one is pointing at a solution.
In a world of ballooning health care costs, shedding light on these practices is just what the doctor ordered.
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