As the Wuhan Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 spreads across the globe, its effects on the US healthcare system have been rather diverse. America is a unique case study for disease outbreaks such as Covid-19 because, unlike an overwhelming majority of the world, the US does not have universal healthcare. Out of 33 other developed nations, the US is the only state that still relies on a private healthcare industry.

Consequently, some of the effects of the Covid-19 across the American healthcare industry can be considered distinctive to the US. However, as in other states, a general panic has set in, causing a rush for medical supplies such as face masks and a decrease in travel. 

The Unique US Healthcare System 

In a privatized healthcare system, insured persons are often required to pay for their premiums, or plan fees, in whole or in part. Employers may opt to cover a percentage of the premium for its employees. Low income families and individuals may also qualify for government subsidies and reduced rates.

Due to the nature of the industry and government regulations, health insurance companies generally differ from state-to-state. A person would not, for example, expect to move from Texas to California and expect to retain their existing insurance provider. 

Plans vary greatly, with some covering the initial fee for a visit to the doctor and others charging a copay, a small initial amount paid at the doctor’s office before the appointment. 

Insurance plans generally spell out precisely what is covered and what is not. For example, during pregnancy, Plan 1 may pay for three days in hospital while Plan 2 only covers two days. For serious illness and injuries, insurance plans have a deductible—a bill amount that the insured person must pay before the insurance company will pay for a claim. 

In the case of a broken arm, for instance, the doctor may only charge $5,000. If your deductible is $2,000, then that is all you would pay while the insurance company picks up the remainder. If your deductible is $6,000, however, you must pay for the full amount.

All of this can be rather complicated and because rates continue to increase, many Americans have reconsidered their plans with some opting to do without health insurance. 

Refusing Medical Care to Avoid Bills

This situation, one in which Americans have to question whether they can afford medical help, has created a terrible and toxic cocktail for the Covid-19 outbreak. 

“One of the disadvantages the US has in trying to tackle Covid-19 is that many people avoid going to see a health care provider because they are worried about the cost,” said Gavin Yamey, professor of global health and public policy at Duke University.

A 2019 Gallup and West Health poll found 26% of American adults put off seeking medical care due to costs and 19% went without medication in the previous 12 months.

Many workers in the US also do not have guaranteed sick leave. As a result, employees who feel sick may feel compelled to report for work anyway where they will spread the virus instead of remaining home and resting. The mentality that business operations are more important than employee health is a pillar of corporate America. In times of outbreaks, it is deadly.

No Immediate Effect on Insurance Prices

In terms of an impact on health insurance companies, there appears to be very little financial risk at the present time. While more health insurance claims could be filed due to Covid-19, they are still immaterial in the overall financial picture. 

“I would think that, even with some escalation from here, you’re not talking about anything that’s material,” said David Windley, analyst at Jefferies. “If we get an outbreak and the impact gets into the tens of thousands, like it is in China, we’re probably having a very different conversation.”

Insurance companies can simply factor the cost into future pricing negotiations, Windley added.

Coronavirus is Boosting Urgency of Adopting Universal Healthcare

Although the Covid-19 virus may not have an immediately-foreseeable financial risk to US health insurance companies, it is still having other impacts. Ironically, the outbreak comes during the middle of the US election season as Bernie Sanders pushes for free, universal healthcare. The spread of Covid-19 is helping justify the need for it.

Health insurance companies are also experiencing increased usage of tele-medicine programs. These communication portals, whether an app or a phone call, allow medical personnel to pre-screen individuals before they schedule a doctor’s appointment. Tele-medicine programs have the added benefit of limiting individuals coming into contact with other patients and potentially spreading diseases.

More individuals are considering travel as a result of increased uncertainty in the future. As US health insurance is generally not accepted in foreign hospitals, travelers are also preparing for the possibility of extended hospital stays by purchasing travel insurance.

A Strained Supply Necessitates Policy Changes

Other effects are felt beyond insurance companies in other areas of US healthcare, namely hospitals and medical offices. The demand for face masks has crippled global supply to the extent that American healthcare providers are rapidly searching for alternatives. 

In the immediate future, they are turning to lesser-quality supplies, but there is a major interest in reusable supplies now. The ability to sterilize and reuse equipment is also eco-friendly. As medical facilities institute these measures during the coronavirus outbreak, they will likely remain in force after the outbreak subsides. A permanent shift to reusable supplies could potentially prevent a shortage in future emergencies.

Supplies, both face masks and common prescriptions, depend heavily on materials from China. The result is that healthcare providers are looking for alternative markets to source materials. Sourcing materials from outside of China would also alleviate concerns of infected products since the disease originated there.

“This is just the tip of how this is going to impact healthcare because we are so dependent on foreign markets,” said Mark S. Kestner, chief medical officer of healthcare technology company Tractmanager. “Hospitals right now are struggling to address it.”

The US healthcare system is inherently unique, particularly compared to other developed nations, and that is not a positive assessment. Especially during the coronavirus outbreak, sick individuals need access to medical assistance in order to contain it, partly for the sake of public health.

Instead, Americans feel pressured to work while ill, avoid seeing a doctor due to costs, and ultimately are put in a situation where they may well spread the virus. The US health insurance industry is an incredibly stable monolith due in part to soaring costs year-after-year. Even amid coronavirus fears, health insurance companies are some of the few that are not witnessing increased costs, although that could change with a severe uptick in the infection rate.

L'articolo How Will the American Healthcare System React to the Coronavirus? proviene da InsideOver.

Visitors to Hong Kong who come from China will now be quarantined for 14 days without exception following widespread calls for Chief Executive Carrie Lam to do more as the Wuhan coronavirus spreads. The situation has escalated to the point where some Hong Kong doctors have even gone on strike to emphasize their demands for stricter actions to be taken.

Global Deaths From Coronavirus Are Increasing

At midnight Saturday, the order, the “Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance,” came into effect. The measure came following the first Hong Kong death from the virus on Tuesday. Globally, the number of fatalities skyrocketed from 67 to 492 from Tuesday to Wednesday with all but two in mainland China, as James Griffiths reported for CNN.

Doctors first began considering a strike at the beginning of February when the coronavirus had yet to claim a life in Hong Kong, yet doctors feared near-unrestricted access for mainland Chinese visitors would perpetuate and worsen the crisis. 

Hong Kong Medical Workers Unite

Benjamin So was one such doctor who prepared to strike, according to Quartz. Instead of reporting to work at Queen Mary Hospital, he quarantined himself in a hotel room after coming into contact with two patients diagnosed with the virus. At the time, Hong Kong had only 12 confirmed cases. That was only a week ago.

He took the drastic step of quarantining himself at his own expense in order to possibly prevent the spread, although such a measure seems ineffective at combating its inevitable transmission.

So was critical of Lam’s government — its lack of border controls and hospital oversight, in particular.

‘They Haven’t Had Clear Contingency Plans’

“I would say the Hospital Authority has been quite slow in responding to this outbreak and they haven’t had clear contingency plans…it shows how limited our resources are,” So said. “If a full community outbreak does happen there’s no way our medical system can deal with that.”

So was one of more than 6,500 nurses and doctors who vowed to strike if Lam’s government did not appropriately respond to the situation. Although initially Hong Kong closed six ports, it would only stop an estimated 10% of visitors from the mainland. Medical personnel would rather see all 14 ports closed, but so far, Lam refuses to take such a step, opting instead for a 2-week quarantine on arrival. On Monday, five more border crossings were shutdown, leaving three open: Hong Kong International Airport, the Shenzhen Bay joint checkpoint, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge.

The effectiveness of this strategy remains to be seen. The last time the government enforced a quarantine, it was under far different circumstances. In 2008, the quarantine was not aimed at the outbreak of a single virus, but rather a list of 45 diseases. 

Medical Strike Began Last Monday And Is Growing

The strike began on Monday with 2,700 medical workers failing to report for work on Monday, forcing delays for cancer treatments and angioplasty surgeries. The next day, 7,000 were absent. 

Winnie Yu, chairperson of the Hospital Authority Employee’s Alliance, spoke on behalf of 9,000 workers in the union. 

“There is still a chance to save Hong Kong from the destiny of turning into another Wuhan, being cut off from the world, patients turned away from fully occupied hospitals, and healthcare staff crumbling under the severe pressure,” Yu said, according to BMJ medical journal.

Yu was pessimistic about Lam’s government preventing the spread with only a partial border closure. Although medical services are being hindered by the strike, workers are likely to find support with a sympathetic general public, which overwhelmingly supports a border closure. The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute found 78% of 20,000 people in favor of a full border closure and 61% stood behind striking workers.

Lam Responds To The Strike

Lam responded to allegations that politics were driving her decision making by not closing off the city. According to Al Jazeera, Lam said she “certainly would not agree with the allegation that we are not addressing this public health concern adequately. Certainly, I do not agree with the allegation that we are putting politics above public health.”

Furthermore, Lam made clear her position that her government cannot restrict visitors based on their race, saying “we have to treat them all equally.”

The crisis and standoff between doctors and the Hong Kong government is another battle of Lam versus the public. If her willingness to hold out on the Chinese extradition strikes is any indication, Lam will continue to do all she can to have her way, no matter the costs. This time, however, the consequences could be far more severe.

L'articolo Hong Kong Doctors Strike As Coronavirus Spreads proviene da InsideOver.