The Informed, Self-Directed Healthcare Perspective on the Healthcare Debate

It is no secret that I have embraced the concept of informed, self-directed healthcare and am one of its most ardent proponents.  In a nutshell, this healthcare philosophy preaches that you must take your health into your own hands and not rely on the "one-size fits-all" type of medicine often provided.  If I had simply followed what my primary care physician and first cardiologist offered I would likely have become just another statistic (and not be around to write this article)!

Let's dissect not the minutiae but the broad ideas that are at the center of the current healthcare debate from the perspective of those of us who practice informed, self-directed healthcare.  My guess is the very fact that you are a member of HealthCentral.com means you are among this special group of people.

Access to Healthcare

This is the easy one so we'll tackle it first.  If you do not have access to healthcare for any number of reasons such as lack of insurance you want nationalized, "free" healthcare.  No matter how it is demonized it is still better than nothing.  If you have access to good healthcare there is a natural fear that you will be giving something up and you are probably right.  There is no such thing as "free" lunch!  I'd call this issue a draw

The "One-Size-Fits-All" Argument

One of the arguments against government run healthcare is that it will establish medical boards that will use "evidence based medicine" (whose evidence?) to dictate what treatments people can and cannot receive.  Everyone is treated the same.  Let me let you in on a "not so secret" secret, we already have this problem.  Today it is not a government appointed board but private boards like the American Heart Association or the American College of Cardiology that pushes inane standards like "statins for everyone" on us.  With one exception (more later) this will not change much regardless of whether we keep a private system or change to a government run system.  Oh, the standards might change but make no mistake; someone other than you will still be calling the shots. Once again, another draw

The Fraud and Efficiency Arguments

Government programs like Medicare are rife with fraud and inefficiency and so is the private sector.  The government run fraud is primarily billing for procedures not performed and the inefficiency is simply due to the bureaucratic insanity that tends to be endemic to government run operations.  The private fraud tends to be for tests and procedures that are either not necessary or performed to avoid civil malpractice suits. Neither side holds the high ground here.  Let's call this issue another draw.

The Consumer Options Argument

As an "in your face" consumer healthcare advocate you probably guessed I was headed here.  The biggest issue facing those of us who practice informed, self-directed healthcare is "choices" or more importantly, lack of choices.  Let me repeat my most telling real life experience.