Article 101. Why is the US Health Care System the Costliest in the World

 Why is the US Health Care System the Costliest in the World?
Government run European Health Care systems are much less costly but can be made more efficient with Enterprise Lean.

I call our Health Care system a fraud based system because it is largely funded by fraud compared with a Government Health Care system monitored by Lean Teams. The best example of this type system is the Cleveland Clinic which has implemented Enterprise Lean Teams. I can explain this by reviewing the routine questions that arise when an Enterprise Lean Team examines their processes.

Question No.
1. Is this process really necessary for the patient? 
In a Lean Team based system the question can be focused on the Patient.

In a fraud based system the answer is nearly always yes to add funding needed to pay for hospital operations.

2. Is this the most efficient way of doing the process?
In a Lean Team system the question brings different ideas to the discussion for examination ending in the determination of the best solution.

In a fraud based system the answer is how can we increase the cost to get more funding for hospital operations. This is where we find items such as a roll of gauze costing an exorbitant amount such as $25 and unnecessary tests being conducted for the patient.

3. What are the skill levels needed to do this Process?
In a Lean Team based system the Team will examine what the nurses and support staff are actually doing and assign the proper skill levels required.

In a fraud based system the answer is how can we get by with the skill levels we have without adding cost. There is no oversight to insure that standards are properly maintained.

4. Is Proper billing for medical services being done?
In a Lean Team based system the Medical Services Team will insure proper billing methods.

In a fraud based system patients and Insurance companies are sometimes double billed  through a variety of methods such as combining all the individual bills into one large bill followed by billing each of the bills issued separately.

This provides some insight as to what is happening in our health care system and why I recommend that that a properly managed government run health care system with the profit motive removed can be much less costly. See Articles 97. and 98.  See also Reform of the Veteran Affairs hospitals Article 96.

Ref: Article 93. "Example of Massive Medicare Fraud".  Hospitals throughout the US in large numbers are using sick and confused mostly elderly patients as cash cows billing Medicare for unnecessary treatments. This mass fraud is used to finance hospital operations and building projects.