An inefficient system
Nic Horton states that 427,000 people are off our Medicaid enrollment in Arkansas. Sounds like we are saving money, but are we really? The mortality rate for having no insurance in the U.S. increases by 0.26 percent, which means one person will have an early death out of 4,000 people. Not great at math, but this means 106 people will die in Arkansas because of no health insurance. The other sad truth about the U.S. health-care system is that it is the most expensive (2021 stats: $12,914/ person) in the world, more than double comparable civilized countries ($6,125/person).
So he is proud of forcing people to pay for an overpriced insurance that at least 50 percent of their insurance payment is going to profit for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals that overcharge for tests of the insured to pay for the uninsured (maybe), tests that aren’t needed, exams that have no bearing on outcomes, etc. U.S. medical outcomes are the worst of all civilized countries, and we see that in Arkansas as our infant mortality rates are near the worst in the country (as well as the world), gun deaths here are now the top killer of our kids, using meds that have no indication to be used in covid, using anti-vaccine fears in our media to manipulate our populace, etc.
So two questions I must ask about Nic’s organization as his op-ed seems to be a plea for donations: How much is your salary, and who are your donors? That data is not available online. We know our Congress is bought and sold to the private and ineffective health-care system, but please don’t pretend you are doing the USA a service.
As a retired pediatrician, some might say I have no grounds to say the above. While in practice at our clinic in Conway, the five providers saved Medicaid approximately $1 million/year compared to other peds practices in Arkansas. Not once did Medicaid ever ask how we were able to be more efficient but have the same patient outcomes. Our government and medical system are too entwined to investigate. There is my outrage!
MICHAEL CONNAUGHTON
Vilonia