Please answer each post (9) with one paragraph. Check grammar and spelling. Cite as needed .
Please answer each post (9) with one paragraph. Check grammar and spelling. Cite when is needed
1-Carlee’s post
I do believe that they should be allowed to engage in selective contracting because a hospitals revenue and ability to lower the cost of the care relies on this. This means that people are allowed to chose the insurance coverage that they want, which includes the selected providers or places you can go for your healthcare needs.
I can see where this is controversial due to the insurers only having a say when the patient should be able to choose where they go for their healthcare needs, but when people sign up for these insurance policies everything is written out for people to understand. An insurer takes on a risk covering someone who has pre-existing conditions, knowing that their healthcare costs would be more than that of a young healthy person. They should be able to determine where these patients go to control the cost of their healthcare.
2-Emily’s post
I think the government and private insurers should be allowed to engage in selective contracting because the more competitive the hospital's market, the greater degree to which it has had to lower the rate of increase in costs. A similar pattern exists with regard to hospital revenues. Both of these trends appear to result from the growth of selective contracting. It remains unclear to what extent these cost reductions were the result of increased efficiency or of reduced quality. Since hospital cost growth is sensitive to the competitiveness of its market, antitrust enforcement is a critical element in any cost containment policy. Selective contracting will make the insurers review each application from potential buyers with maximum scrutiny, based on pre-determined criteria based on complete information, therefore reducing these risks.
3-Professor’s Post (question for me)
Do you think selective contracting may protect the public from doctors who provide less than quality (substandard) of care? Please explain your answer. Laurie
4- Jessica’s post
The payment system in health care has changed over the years. Previously a fee-for-service model was used. Physicians ordered a test, and were paid for it. Lab conducted blood draws, and were paid for the service, therapy services were ordered, and the organization was reimbursed for it. While this method of payment was thought to be patient aligned, providing services to the patient the ordering physician thought were necessary, it was also driving up the cost of healthcare. Managed care organizations began to use capitation and other financial incentives to help decrease the costs. Withholds and bonuses encourage physicians to decrease costs through fewer hospital admissions and fewer specialist referrals Harris 2014).
Physicians are often paid in a variety of ways. Bonuses and withholds are considered to be secondary financial incentives. In the case of a withhold, money may be set aside by insurance and only paid to the physicians if there is a surplus in funds at the end of the year.
5-Erin’s post
Traditionally, healthcare was provided as fee-for-service (Harris, 2014). The physician dictated the care and services that the patient required and provided and billed for those services. Then the insurance company covered these costs. While many preferred this system, insurance companies felt that it caused a conflict of interest. Physicians were being paid more money because they were providing more services. Meanwhile, it was the physicians that were determining that these services were necessary. While this aligned physician’s interests with those of the patient, it did lead to increased healthcare costs, which was passed to patients as higher premiums.
Insurance payers began providing incentives to providers to give more cost-effective care in an effort to contain rising costs. Providers were offered financial incentives to reduce the number of specialist referrals and hospital admissions. This method aligns physicians with the payers’ interest instead of with the patient which could potentially create an ethical issue for the physician.
6-Erica’s post
According to Brave New World, "Every one belongs to every one else". Today, people are conditioned by our parents or families and social media. Parents influence our basic values. Children always believe what a parent says to them, and we learn everything when we are children. The stronger the relationship between a child and the parent, the more likely they are to seek advice from a parent and value and mimic their beliefs. Parents are influenced by social media in today's society, which can help to contribute to their views. Parents watch certain programs on TV or browse the internet which can influence them in many ways. I don't believe that we are any freer than the citizens of BNW because of social media. I believe that social media molds us in to think or act a certain way. We are being regulated just like those citizens.
7- Professor’s question
Is there any experiential difference between really being free and just thinking you are free?
8-Erin’s post
The idea of a world of happiness and void of social strife does initially sound appealing. I think everyone is striving for happiness in their life. I doubt anyone truly wants to struggle, face trials, or be unhappy. However, I would not want to live in a world where everyone is conditioned to be happy all the time. I believe that our challenges shape who we are and allows us to engage with others. We appreciate the happy times because we know that they are previous. If there wasn't anything else to compare, we would truly value our happiness?
9- Professor question
What’s your SOMA? We don't have anything currently that is as reliable as a mood raiser as SOMA, but most people have some kind of thing to try to put them in a good mood, be it their go to food, a drug, or certain activities. Maybe it's alcohol, or chocolate covered donuts, or listening to music. Are any of these things different in kindfrom SOMA, or just a difference in degree? Aren't we trying to alter our mood, to get up again, just like the people of BNW?
