Healthcare Rates

Healthcare Rates

Healthcare rates have been an issue of contention between healthcare providers and clients. Most clients have been advocating for lower rates while the healthcare providers have been struggling to cover the disparity caused by increased costs of operation. The dream of every patient is to receive quality healthcare at an affordable rate, while most healthcare facilities are operated on a profit-making basis. Therefore, the conflict has always to exist while trying to balance between covering costs and taking care of the consumers’ complaints concerning rates. Top management in several healthcare facilities, as well as the government, have been working on the steps that need to be taken in a bid to make the healthcare rates affordable to the clients without falling below the cost of operation that may lead to the collapse of the healthcare facilities.

The healthcare rates have been impacted by several trends in the economic sector that have been causing the rates to go up. One of the trends is the demography issue. The population has been on a significant increase with the number of clients almost doubling in the healthcare facilities (Prinja et al. 2017). The increase in population has led to healthcare facilities increasing the rates of offering the healthcare services. The increase in healthcare services has been affecting the healthcare seekers since the increase in population has also led to low-income levels. Also, globalization has come to impact the operation of healthcare services. The interaction between individuals in different parts of the world has been causing major revelations concerning the level of rates in different parts. The desire to meet the global competition levels has eventually led healthcare facilities to increase their rates to operate at international levels. Generally, the healthcare system has been in transformation, and the rates have constantly been rising.

Supply and demand for healthcare services have always been a cause for the rising healthcare rates. First, high demand for healthcare services automatically pushes the prices up. The healthcare facilities are always on the lookout to balance the market forces, and thus, the prices move up when the demand is high. Besides, the difference in demand for healthcare services has been used to explain the difference between healthcare rates between countries. Supply, on the other side, has been going down and thus causing the prices to go up. Generally, healthcare rates depend on the movement of demand and supply.

Healthcare costs have constantly been rising, and several factors are behind the rise. First, the high number of the aging population has been creating high demand for healthcare services. Also, the prevalence of diseases has been sending more clients to healthcare facilities. The increase in the number of clients seeking medical attention has further increased the rates of healthcare provision. Additionally, the prices set for service provision by various regulatory bodies have been compelling healthcare facilities into rising the rates of offering healthcare services.

Healthcare regulations have been a major cause for the increasing demand in healthcare services. The increased demand has been a major cause for the increased rates, but the government has been repeating the mistakes over and over again. For example, the introduction of the Medicare and Medicaid programs has seen the demand rise above manageable levels, with the rates of obtaining healthcare services going significantly high (Timmons, 2017). The regulatory issues have been a challenge because the common citizens become the recipients of the financial burden in the long run. The government does not appear to be concerned with the consequences of the regulations but is always attempting to put away the burden of providing affordable healthcare to citizens. The attempts used by the government are, however turning out to be shortcuts that are expensive in the long run.

The healthcare rates should not be taken for granted because the citizens are constantly suffering from being unable to access healthcare services. The government should be on the first line in relieving the citizens from the burden of having to pay high rates for healthcare services. The regulations made by the government should be aimed at solving the long term cost problems and not giving short term solutions that end up becoming expensive to the citizens. Also, the healthcare facilities should have the interests of the clients in their plans. The costs of operation should be managed at low levels so that the rates can be kept low. Additionally, insurance companies can be engaged to provide low premiums that might help both the healthcare facilities as well as the citizens.

In sum, the issue of healthcare rates is sensitive and should be given significant attention.  Various trends in the economic sector have been causing the rates to go up, such as demography and globalization. Demand and supply have also been significant players in the price movements. Additionally, government regulations have been causing the rates t go up. However, the government can right the wrongs by passing regulations that will keep the rates at affordable levels. Also, insurance companies should be involved to set affordable premiums for both the citizens and the healthcare facilities. Generally, the issue of healthcare rates should not be left unattended to because the citizens are already suffering.

References

Prinja, S., Chauhan, A. S., Karan, A., Kaur, G., & Kumar, R. (2017). Impact of publicly financed             health insurance schemes on healthcare utilization and financial risk protection in India: a systematic review. PloS one, 12(2), e0170996.

Timmons, E. J. (2017). The effects of expanded nurse practitioner and physician assistant scope   of practice on the cost of Medicaid patient care. Health policy, 121(2), 189-196.