Community Perspective by Richard Seifert on universal health care

Rich Seifert's piece in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner today has provoked quite a lot of comment on the merits (or perceived lack therof) of a single-payer universal health care system. He writes this:

Davis ultimately compares our system to those of other industrialized nations, making a compelling case for a publicly financed system of single-payer national health insurance.

All the members of the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Foundation have a copy of this book, and I hope they have all read it. It is hard to do so and not come to the conclusion that the U.S. desperately needs a universal, publicly financed health care system. What’s more though, is that we as a nation also need to totally eliminate the insurance industry’s hold on our payer system.

The comments are very interesting, ranging from the irate to the very thoughtful and informative with supporting links and references. "Stakeholder" has found some very intriguing testimony by Dr. Linda Peeno to the US House subcommittee on Health and Environment.

Latest review, from Alaska Health Policy Review

Lawrence D. Weiss, Anchorage Daily News blogger of Health4all and editor of the online journal Alaska Health Policy Review, has come out with a detailed and positive review of Mired in the Health Care Morass. The review appeared in the July 16 issue and the excerpt below is reproduced by permission of Alaska Health Policy Review, akhealthpolicy.org. Weiss has extensive experience in public health (PDF of his CV) and designed the Master of Public Health program at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

I found this book to be interesting, challenging in some of the more technical areas, extremely informative in those same areas, and especially interesting because of the Alaska focus. I recommend this book to anyone faced with large medical bills. I recommend this book to anyone who has a serious interest in the structure of health care financing in Alaska or nationally. I recommend this book to all health care and public health professionals, and I think this would be an excellent book for classroom use at the university. I commend the author for his ability and desire to turn personal tragedy into a public resource that will educate and help others.

One aspect of Weiss' review that is unique is his attention to the images of Patricia Davis' artwork that were used as chapter ornaments. Most of the figurines depicted were created during her ordeal of chemotherapy, and had significance for her that related to her health issues. The images were selected with this in mind.

Weiss describes the book chapter by chapter, commenting that the author's "writing style is straightforward and factual" and that "[t]he book includes an excellent glossary and, unlike many books in recent years, a detailed and useful index."

Addendum: this review also appeared on Health4all in two parts (see links at right).

New reviews of Mired

From Midwest Book Review's California Bookwatch Health and Medicine Shelf:

A shocking note Americans don't know about medical bills: They don't reflect the costs of the medicine itself. "Mired in the Health Care Morass: An Alaskan Takes On America's Dysfunctional Medical System for his Uninsured Daughter" is the tale of accomplished author and geophysicist Neil Davis's fight against the American Health care system and how it is extorting Americans when they are at their most vulnerable - when they are ill themselves or deathly concerned for the well being of their loved ones. With advice to fight these corrupt practices and get the more correct and proper hospital bill, [this book] is highly recommended for anyone who has been scorned by the American health care system and for community library social issues shelves everywhere.

And from Humane Medicine, a Canadian publication, comes this:

Davis’s book is an important contribution to the literature on the American Health Care System since it is written by a consumer rather than a professional provider of medical services. Davis structured the book around the experiences that his family endured when his adult daughter, Patricia, was diagnosed with lung cancer....

Given all of Davis’ discoveries, he concluded that there are four criteria for an effective health care system. First, an effective health care system provides comprehensive health coverage for all citizens. If not, the poorest individuals will get inadequate health care. Second, a health care system ensures that health care is distributed to citizens according to their ability to pay. Otherwise, the poorest members of that society are penalized by paying a higher proportion of their financial resources for health care. Third, each health care system should provide uniform payment for necessary health care services. Fourth, prescription drug prices must be regulated, either by fixing drug prices or regulating pharmaceutical industry profits. For this to occur, the government must assume the primary role in operating the health care system.

Thus, in conclusion, this book will be especially relevant to consumers of heath care and is an eye opener for those who may be seriously ill in the United States and are trying to understand why receiving health care creates serious financial difficulties for them.

Another four-star review from LibraryThing

A review from April 25 on LibraryThing:

The many charts and statistics he uses to illustrate his findings can be hard to understand at times, but believe it or not they accurately illustrate his point that the complexity of the American system creates expense. He skewers some fondly held myths about the U.S. Health care system and shines light on the health care systems in other nations. He also gives his prescription for how the U.S. Health care system can be changed.

Neil Davis has experiences in being a consumer of health care that most of us never hope to have, but which will become increasingly commonplace as the health care becomes increasingly broken. His answers to the health care crises (universal, uniform payments, distributed to patients regardless of ability to pay, regulation of drug companies) are well thought out and do not come from a place of a particular political ideology but instead from his own experiences and research. His book is well researched and a convincing call to radically overhaul the American health care system from someone who has experienced the worst that the American health care system has to offer.

John Conyers reprints a list of four myths about universal health care by Dr. Marcia Angell. Davis sums up an answer to her myth #4, "Claims the government can't do anything right," in his index (look up "Mistrust in government").

Another positive review

The fifth review from LibraryThing, giving it four stars:

Less of a personal journey than an exploration into the true costs of medical treatment in the United States today, and where the money goes. For anyone concerned with injustice, inequalities, or lack of checks within the system; or anyone who is concerned that they cannot afford the medical care they or their loved ones need, this clear and non-judgmental book written by a layman with no preconceptions or industry biases is highly recommended.

More reviews from LibraryThing

Two more LibraryThing reviewers have written about Mired. The first one gave a mixed review, but had this to say:

Most patients have no idea how health care billing works until they are faced with a financial crisis. A book like Mr. [sic] Davis' would be very helpful in leading them through the process, especially if they live in Alaska.

The second reviewer said this:

A myriad of books have been written on this topic; however, Mr. Davis' strength lies in the fact that he writes it from the perspective of a consumer. It could be argued that he is not qualified to write a book about the health care industry as merely a consumer. Certainly, economists may be more capable of addressing the macro issues of national healthcare, and pundits the political ramifications; however, that really isn't the purpose of Mr. Davis' book. Rather, it reads like a good summary (with a clearly liberal bent) on the state of the health care industry.

And, unlike economic and political pundits, Mr. [sic] Davis doesn't shy away from actually providing a solution. As he says, "What is needed is single-payer universal healthcare ... the most economical form is a fully socialistic system like the United Kingdom's (and the VA system as well) in which the government owns and operates the hospitals and hires healthcare providers."

(Davis recommends a single-payer arrangement like France's system or Canada's, rather than socialized medicine.)

Another review from LibraryThing

A second LibraryThing reviewer has posted comments about Mired in the Health Care Morass:

An excellent book that focuses on the state of health care costs for the uninsured. The under-insured and the insured have much to gain from the exhaustive statistical details in this book.… The book is not a sentimental one but a refreshing look at a father's attempt to understand how the health care system in the US charges for each procedure, medication, in and outpatient visit and makes a compelling argument and a very strong case for reform in the health insurance "industry" along with an accurate look at how we as consumers can and should take charge of our health care. Otherwise, we may end up paying for mistakes (documented in the book) of the various personnel in making coding errors or charging according to outdated schedules. Anyone facing a chronic disease--anyone who uses their health insurance at all, this book is an easy read with documentation.

This reviewer found the book's citations of websites to be a drawback, expressing a preference for more peer-reviewed print sources, but wrote, "however, these may be difficult to obtain considering the subject matter."

Second review of the book, from LibraryThing

From Kevin Bondelli, political activist and participant on LibraryThing, comes another praise-filled review of Mired in the Health Care Morass:

Davis' research is extensive, and his ability to dissect the unreasonably complex health care process is unrivaled. Due to the complexity of the process his book has a great number of charts and diagrams that do wonders to help the reader make sense of it all.

Book news: upcoming events, first review

Two book signing events are scheduled in Fairbanks within the next week:

February 28, 6 to 8 pm at Gulliver's Books, College Road

Alaska Library Association Conference
Saturday, March 1, 2:30 to 4, Princess Hotel

Dermot Cole of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner writes, "I look forward to reading the latest book from Fairbanks scientist and writer Neil Davis, a thoughtful researcher who has spent more time than anyone I know studying the health care system."

And David A. James, also of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, has written the first published review of Mired in the Health Care Morass, titled "Mired offers eloquent indictment of America's health care system", calling Davis' writing "eloquent," "persuasive," "commendable," and "illuminating."