Pay Till It Hurts Case

The overview of the cases is available on the side link: Case: Paying Till It Hurts. The purpose of this assignment is to give you all a chance to investigate in some depth the costly dilemma of our healthcare system. If our medical price structure remains the same, and there is no decrease in our close to $3 trillion bill, technology innovations will have limited effects. As we address other topics in the class, we can be reminded of these cases as examples.

Instructions:
Take a look at the cases described in the link above and post about the case you chose to do in class. I noted the ones I believe were chosen. If you missed class, then choose from those available and do the following:

1. On this blog, please create a NEW POST and provide the following information:
   - Article Title - provide a direct link (URL) to the article or multimedia site.
   - Topic Discussed 
2. Provide a brief description of the article (1-2 paragraphs)
   - What you learned from the article and links provided, reader perspectives, or other follow-up news.
   - Add comments to your article that may help to inform the rest of the class what you found particularly interesting and revealing about the case.
3. Comment on at least 2 other posts (or more).

Grading Rubric: 15 points - Post and discuss article on class blog (see #1) and provide sufficient detail to show what you learned. Extra Credit: 1-2 points - Read and comment to others’ postings with some reflection and thoughtfulness. There is no limit to the number of comments you can make, as long as they provide some new information, ask an interesting question, etc. (see #3).

The Cost Conundrum

Here are some questions to get you thinking about the readings for tomorrow.
Post your comments below.

These readings focus on the exorbitant cost of healthcare in the U.S.  When you compare our healthcare system to other nations who offer healthcare to those who need it at little cost (see Reid’s chapter on the different HC models), it is a paradox that as the most powerful, most innovative, and richest nation, when it comes to providing “the essential task of providing health care for people, the mighty USA is a fourth-rate power.”

Let's start with the general idea of the readings for this week:

Why is the cost of healthcare so high?

1. Why is our model of healthcare not able to control the costs and provide healthcare to those who need it?
2. Why doesn’t better technology help to reduce the costs of healthcare, or rather, why do high-tech advances increase costs instead of lowering them?

Brill says that to fix the high cost problem, we need to “let the foxes run the henhouse.”  What does he mean by that?  Do you agree?

In her NY Times series on the costs of health care, Elisabeth Rosenthal examines the price of medical care in the United States, interviewing patients, physicians, economists, and hospital and industry officials. In each installment, readers were invited to share their perspectives on managing costs and treatment. There are also follow-up articles that are related to the topic.
Assignment 2: Paying Till It Hurts (Due: on our class blog by Thurs., Feb. 4)

Video: Steven Brill on Rising Medical Costs, based on his Time magazine special issue, “The Bitter Pill”, March 4, 2013.

Video: “Bending the Cost Curve": Dr. Jeffrey Brenner

Blog Proposal

As mentioned on our class website under Homework Assignment, I would like you to propose a topic that you would like to explore in some detail over the course of the semester on your personal blog.  Creating the blog can come later, but if you have that provide the URL in your post.  

As a new post, write a paragraph or brief description of what you plan to do. Feel free to propose a number of topics you might be interested in pursuing.  We can offer some suggestions.  Come up with an idea or two by next class on Jan. 28.

Escape Fire

There are 11 sections to this video (see below).  I offer them to you as a table of contents to remind you of sections you viewed.  After you watch the video, please post your reflections on the video and its implication for healthcare in the U.S., both uplifting and hopeful, as well as the more disturbing aspects. Initially, I'd rather not ask specific questions, but may comment on your posts to probe further.

What do you think about where we can look for optimistic outcomes, and where is the problem more entrenched and harder to dig our way out?

Post your thoughts on your blog, as a new post here, or as comment to this post. Remember commenting on others is important, too. Video Sections:

1. Escape Fire
2. Primary Care
3. Good People Bad System
4. A National Dependency
5. The Dark Matter of Medicine
6. The American Way
7. An Entrenched System
8. Throwing a Different Pitch
9. Change Your Lifestyle
10. Seeking Escape Fires
11. One Company