Medical image of the month: complexity of healthcare payment

Southwest Journal of Pulmonary and Critical Care

Umar A¹  Robbins RA² 

[1] Arizona Chest and Sleep Medicine, Phoenix, AZ USA;Phoenix Pulmonary and Critical Care Research and Education Foundation, Gilbert, AZ USA;

关键词: healthcare payment;    payment;    complexity;    administrative costs;    woolhandler;    himmelstein;    reimbursement;    cartoon;    medical administration growth;    administrative efficiency;   

DOI  :  10.13175/swjpcc073-19

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

It is generally agreed that healthcare costs are too high in the US. In ground-breaking work published in 1991, Woolhandler and Himmelstein (1) found that US administrative health care costs increased 37% between 1983 and 1987. They estimated these costs accounted for nearly a quarter of all health care expenditures. Himmelstein now estimates that administrative costs may now account for up to 40% of healthcare costs (2). The cartoon shows one provider and one patient but 8 healthcare administrators. This payment system is overly complex involving multiple steps and personnel, with each administrator “dipping their beaks” adding to healthcare costs.

【 授权许可】

Unknown