The High Cost of More Regulation and Administration; Parallels in Health Care and Education in the US

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease” reads the disclaimer on anything other than big pharma drugs. Why? Because we all know that only synthetic drugs can treat or prevent disease (eye roll), and that herbs and a million other therapies that have been around forever are a threat to our health (OTHER eye roll).

They definitely threaten big-pharma's regulated/monopoly control of disease care. Thank God we have the FDA to watch out for our health, make sure we only get drugs with approved side effects, and keep us safe from competing natural therapies...

Thank God we have bureaucrats in Washington D.C. and insurance megacorps who, in their immense wisdom, decide how we can spend our own money, and approve only those drugs/treatments they've deemed in our best interest. I feel healthier already. (I'm sorry, as others right now are taking off their boxing gloves about some issues in this country, I'm feeling like SARCASM is going to maybe help me feel better writing this or perhaps will help communicate my frustration for those reading my words. Thank you for reading what I write, I am passionate about this. Excuse my sarcasm, if you can, if it is not your style.) I was inspired to write this and post it here at Lumigrate today by the article at the link I provide below.

Please go out to see the entire article by Frank Hill at the Left Coast Rebel. And then remember to come back here to Lumigrate sooner if not later, as I'm planning on having more to say about health care overall, as I know the other experts do as well. I appreciate Mardy taking the risks she does to put a variety of topics and selecting a diverse group of experts to invite to participate at Lumigrate. To me, this is the core of what is at the link:

If you thought most of the increased costs in health care were going to the physicians and surgeons and specialists, you would be most definitely wrong.

Take a close look at the chart above. The number of doctors in America has roughly has doubled or so, perhaps a little more. Perhaps 125% growth. The population of the US has increased about the same amount over the same period of time.

But take a good look at the number of administrators that have been added to the US health care scene in these past 40 years! Over 3,000%!

When something, ANYTHING, increases by 3000%, that means the number has increased exponentially, not linearly or even geometrically...So it is not just health care where the number of administrative staff has exploded over the past 35 years, is it? Public education suffers from the same sclerotic bureaucratic diseases as modern American medicine today.

What is driving this surge in administrative staff in the medical world and public education?

You guessed right. More regulation and laws from Washington, the state capitals and the local governments. (see 'Regulations')

I have had (physicians of the MD, DO varieties, working in insurance-based, allopathic medicine), tell me they spend 50% of their waking, working-day time filling out paperwork, complying with regulations and overall, making darned sure they do not get sued by anyone.

50% of their precious time. Even with all those staff support people, which drives their overhead/costs up.

Weren't doctors trained to 'fix' people and help cure them of what ails them? Why do we tolerate such a clear waste of time and talent when so many people are sick and need their help?

Again, this is inspired by (with a few minor modifications from Mardy):
http://www.leftcoastrebel.com/2012/07/the-high-cost-impact-of-more-regulation.html [1]

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I appreciate the opportunity being part of the "Grate Groove of the Grand Valley" provides. Being part of the forums here at Lumigrate.com helps educate and reach out about chiropractic approaches to health care, in my case. I'm finding that eading and commenting on other pieces, and vice-versa, creates a "virtual educational and networking/connecting tool" for our region and 'beyond' -- as far as the Internet reaches! I hope people in other areas search to find similar providers nearby as well. I enjoy doing face-to-face public presentations about health topics in Grand Junction/Valley, Colorado, USA area as part of my outreach as well. Please follow the link below to our website and call or contact us with any questions. If you don't see an upcoming seminar, call us, it might not be added to the website yet. We also offer a free pain relief test to anyone interested. This free test is an easy way for you to know if you are suffering from meningeal compression. You can learn more at http://healthinstituteco.com/ [2]