Who is Responsible for Your Health?

The World Health Organization defines health as:“A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”.

So who is responsible for your health?

The Government?
The government likes getting involved from a public health perspective since it’s a cost factor problem for them. A healthier population is more productive so it can continue to produce more and make more money, which they then can collect more taxes on and are less likely to become a burden on those same tax resources. However, as per the Federal Medicare program “Care that seeks to prevent disease, promote health, and prolong and enhance the quality of life, is not medically necessary. And therefore not a covered benefit.”
Does that sound like they really care about your health?

Your Employer?
Employers have the same viewpoint as a cost factor problem for them. Healthier workers are more productive so they can continue to produce more and make more money for the company that employs them. That is why they either pay for or share the cost for their employees ‘health’ benefits. However, as ‘health’ benefits are utilized, the premiums rise and if they end up costing the company more then either they reduce coverage or end up laying off employees.

Your ‘Health’ Insurance Carrier?
Anyone who has and uses their ‘health’ insurance (or any type of insurance) knows how they operate. First they want to tell you where to go, since they have contracts with certain providers that essentially state they will do the least for you, in the shortest time, for the cheapest fees. Basically, patch you up and get you back to work. Then they set arbitrary limits to control costs regardless of your specific condition and needs. Sometimes using people who are not even doctors, never mind even seen you let alone took your health history, examined you, and seen you diagnostic tests, even know what’s wrong with you, never mind how to fix it, tell you and your doctor what is ‘necessary’. Trying to get out of paying anything they can after the services are rendered to shift the cost to either the patient or the providers, again to limit their costs. This increases their reserves which they then pay themselves dividends as bonuses based on their reserves. In fact it has gotten so bad that many states had to enact special laws just to try and control these abusive insurance practices.

Your Doctors?
We are the ones with specialized training and the experts in our respective fields of study and disciplines but we can only help guide you by finding out and then communicating to you what your condition is and what your needs and options are to correct or manage it.

So the answer is ultimately You.
Since you’re the one that has to do whatever it takes to be and stay healthy and/or pay for the consequences. Basically, it’s your health and your life and you are ultimately responsible for it.