Cultural Change Needed to Deal with a Broken Health Care System
CEO Kenneth Melani of Highmark Inc. and Joseph Frick of Independence Blue Cross stated that “consumers need a dose of culture change to understand that the cost of health care is more than just a $20.00 co-pay”.
Melani and Frick believe that the merger of their two huge companies would create Virginia’s largest health care provider giving them the funds to educate consumers that they have a stake in controlling costs. “Health care costs continue increasing dramatically and the unaffordability of health care today greatly concerns us” they said.
Highmark and Independence said their combined size would allow the new company to hold administrative fees flat for two years, better manage prescription drug costs, and to provide more than $650 million to help expand health care access to Pennsylvania’s uninsured through subsidized lower cost insurance.
It must be nice to have the salaries these CEOs have. And then, to assume the common man does not know already how ‘out of sight’ health care costs have become? Yes, we are aware we have a broken system. And then to assume it is the customer that bears the brunt of understanding what healthcare has to offer us? Why not spend more money educating clients how to take care of themselves, their chronic illnesses and in prevention? How, in one press release can we decide what is wrong with our healthcare system and that one state is going to fix it with a merger?
Kathy Shattler received her Master of Science degree from Michigan State University in E. Lansing Michigan in Human Nutrition. Her twenty-two years of practice includes holding positions as a Lecturer, Chief Clinical Dietitian and Program Manager. Kathy is the Founder of Nutri-Care Consulting and is currently the Nutrition Director of www.CEU4U.COM, an online continuing education management company for Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians.
