Both sides are screaming at each other over how to go about controlling the rising costs of health care……on the Repubs side…they throw tort reform in the mix…..it seems they think that if we limit medical lawsuits the cost of health care will decline….and then the Dems yell about a proper lifestyle with proper nutrition and doctor’s visits would go a long way at lowering the costs…..which is the most effective?

Repubs point to frivolous lawsuits as a cause of higher premiums for health care……they say tort reform will lower those premiums…..they say that doctors order many tests all to help cover their butts against lawsuits…..they say massive amounts of sometimes unnecessary tests.  What is defensive medicine:

Defensive medicine is the deviation from sound medical practice to avoid the threat of malpractice litigation.

According to a 2005 study in JAMA, over 90 percent of physicians surveyed admitted to practicing defensive medicine. This can range from “positive” defensive medicine, like ordering unnecessary tests, referring to consultants, or performing unneeded procedures; to “negative” defensive medicine, like avoiding high-risk patients or procedures.

Then there is the other side of the coin…Dems….they want all of us to practice preventive medicine…..such things like regular mammograms, tests that check blood chemistry, your colon, eat well, exercise…well you get the idea…..but what is preventive medicine?

Preventive medicine, is a medical discipline which focuses on preventing diseases and promoting a general state of health and well being. In both Europe and the United States, it is considered to be a board specialty, meaning that physicians can focus on preventive medicine while they get their medical degree, and use the skills they learn in school to reduce the outbreak of disease epidemics, improve public health, and increase the general quality of life for individuals all over the world. In the West, preventive medicine is practiced as an arm of public health, and is applied to the whole population, while in Eastern medicine, many doctors practice individual preventive medicine. Individual Western doctors are sometimes criticized for not practicing preventive medicine on a patient by patient basis, because insurance companies often feel that it is too expensive and time consuming, and will not compensate doctors for preventive measures.

Okay what is it?  Defensive or preventive?  It will depend on what your definition is…..basically they are pretty close to the same when it comes to testing….and there is where my problem lies……insurance companies bitch and sometimes refuse to pay for preventive tests…but they will pay for the massive tests when doctors are trying to cover their butts….why is this?

Confused?  Do not worry…we all are just as confused…..I appears to me that if you are an opponent of health reform then it is defensive and expensive and if you are all for health reform then in is preventive…that is best I can do with the little info that is available.

A word on tort reform…..the Repubs favorite issue for controlling health costs….it actually accounts for a bout 1% of the total health costs…..only thing that tort reform would help is insurance companies to keep them from paying off any lawsuits….and who would decide what was a frivolous lawsuit?  Just asking…….