No. Under our current fragmented, patchwork system, millions of dollars goes to administrative costs that have nothing to do with providing health care, such advertising, marketing, lobbying, underwriting, treatment pre-authorization and exorbitant CEO salaries. Under a unified financing system, all these administrative costs will be totally eliminated. Plus provider administrative costs will be greatly reduced under a unified system; one set of rules will enable prompt and efficient billing and payment. At present providers submit claims under multiple sets of rules and face long payment delays, frequent denials and multiple re-billings. During the years HMOs have gained control of health care access, the increase in health care administrators has exceeded the increase in providers by nearly 100%. A unified health care financing system would eliminate this wasteful bureaucracy, while freeing up money for patient care.

Last updated on June 21, 2008 by HCFAWA