If everyone were young and healthy, it would be easy to create an accessible and low-cost health-care system. But in the real world, many individuals are facing very serious health problems that require a great deal of medical attention. Unfortunately, in Washington there are certain government policies that are making it very difficult for some patients to access the care they need — and special interests in the medical industry have helped to support those policies.
A policy debate is currently raging over how to care for individuals suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This is a life-threatening disease that requires frequent dialysis treatments. Needless to say, these services come at a very high cost. Many insurance companies would prefer to move ESRD patients off of their plans and onto public programs like Medicaid and Medicare, where taxpayers will be responsible for the bulk of the costs. However, because private insurance companies generally provide better service and higher-quality care, many ESRD patients would prefer to avoid government programs.
