U.S. should improve supply side of health care system

The Bradenton Herald continues to devote coverage and opinion on the need to alter the way health care is provided in Manatee County. The most poignant observation is that the material issues are systemic.

I choose to believe a great opportunity lies ahead to revamp and build on the ACA. Disallowing insurance companies the right to deny coverage because of pre-existing health issues is a profound correction to the previous health care marketplace. Regardless, calling the health care system a marketplace is a misnomer.

The greatest challenge facing America is how to forge a health care marketplace where the shortest distance between consumer and provider exists. Additionally, in a marketplace the consumer should know the price of a service before it is provided; and can shop the best deal.

There is one material reason this marketplace problem exists in America and it is the dearth of doctors available to the public. When I attended Yale School of Medicine in the 1970s and received a MPH, my class size was about 90 students. The medical program accepted about the same number. This means about 90 new doctors each year despite the untold amount of federal funds given directly and indirectly to medical schools in America. This imbalance still exits throughout America and medical schools.

Perhaps material changes to the supply side of health care will create a better marketplace for the consumer. More doctors, together with front-end health care coverage, rather than the current high deductible catastrophic model currently in place will provide for a healthier population with reduced costs for health care in America.

This story was originally published January 21, 2017 at 3:00 PM with the headline "U.S. should improve supply side of health care system."