VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY:
The visionPDX Input Report

HEALTH:
Cost of Healthcare

  


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The cost of healthcare is out of control.

Section Summary

People are proud of the variety of healthcare options that Portland offers. However, many are deeply concerned about the rapidly rising cost of healthcare, which places medical attention out of reach of many people in our community. Portlanders call for a reduction in the cost of “basic” healthcare services so that everyone can afford to receive, and benefit from, medical and dental care. People specifically mentioned that everyone should receive preventative care as well as necessary medical attention for illnesses and emergencies. Portlanders are ardent proponents of preventative care, believing that costs across the system can be kept to a minimum if every person has access to annual check-ups and other routine preventative care measures.

A smaller group insists that healthcare is a right, and not a commodity that should be sold only to those with the resources to purchase it. These Portlanders ardently believe that everyone should have equal access to medical care and are deeply concerned that certain groups are currently at risk of forgoing the medical attention they need. A few people also address the issue of insurance – noting that even when a person is insured, the cost of obtaining healthcare can still be too high. In the future, Portlanders would like to see everyone benefit from regular and effective healthcare, regardless of their income.

Note: The issues of cost and insurance are inextricably linked – for more on overcoming healthcare expense, see Health: Health Insurance. Also see Health: Access to Healthcare for more insight into Portlander’s thoughts on barriers to receiving healthcare.

Summary of Main Ideas

  1. Healthcare costs are way too high for everyone--insured and uninsured alike.
  2. Preventative care is key to keeping healthcare costs down.
  3. Healthcare should be considered a right, not a commodity.

MAIN IDEAS

  1. Healthcare costs are way too high for everyone--insured and uninsured alike.
  • Portlanders agree that the cost of healthcare, whether it be doctor appointments, medical procedures or prescription drugs, is out of control and getting worse each day.
  • The high costs of medical care make insurance more expensive, placing it out of reach of many individuals and businesses.
  • Even those with insurance are faced with excessive costs, including:
    • High co-pays and deductibles;
    • Expensive care that is not covered by their plans;
    • Expensive prescription drugs; and
    • Out-of-pocket expenses for many forms of alternative and preventative care.
  • In addition, some people who work low-paying jobs have benefits available to them, but cannot afford to have the premiums taken out of their paycheck.
  • All Portlanders in this section agree that healthcare should be more affordable across the board, for themselves, their families and the larger community.
How can healthcare be so expensive? $5.00 for an aspirin at the hospital is ridiculous.”

"[In the future] paying for health care is not a drain on families and individuals.”

"[In the future] everyone knows where they can find low-cost quality health care and they do not have to worry about going into debt over hospital bills. And, insurance companies are banned from charging outrageous deductibles and co-pays. Idealistic? I don’t think so. Perhaps that’s because I’m from Portland.”

Sample Strategies:

  1. Have hospitals share equipment and stop duplicating so many services.
  2. Negotiate lower insurance rates for consumers.
  3. “Lottery money toward education and healthcare.”
  1. Preventative care is key to keeping healthcare costs down.
  • Portlanders would like every community member to be able to receive annual check ups and other basic preventative health measures.
  • People specifically mention the importance of preventative care because:
    • It is better for an individual’s health to detect and treat serious illnesses early;
    • It is usually far less expensive to treat problems in their early stages;
    • Emergency room (ER) care is some of the most costly care to provide, so it is important to treat people before their conditions become emergencies.
  • When people can afford preventative measures such as nutritious food, exercise, dietary supplements and regular health check-ups, they are much less likely to develop illnesses in the first place.
  • Many alternative care options focus on preventative care, yet these are often not covered by insurance and therefore out of reach of lower-income Portlanders.
  • Alternative practices that many feel promote health and prevent serious illness include:
    • Acupuncture;
    • Massage;
    • Chiropractic care;
    • Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and similar practices; and
    • Herbal medicine, naturopathy and homeopathy.
  • While many consider Portland to be a hub for alternative medicine, more needs to be done to put this medicine within reach of all who would like to use it.
  • Portlanders understand that ultimately, the community bears the cost when individuals are not able to receive the care they need.
  • Additionally, if everyone received preventative care, overall healthcare costs would come down, making insurance more affordable and placing it within reach of more individuals.
"I would have the policy makers, business associations and governmental bodies make a commitment to investing in programs that prevent and intervene in trauma, neglect and promote the social, emotional and physical health of our youngest and still developing citizens (children, birth through 6 years).”

"I want more access to free/affordable healthcare. There are so few free clinics and they are grossly under-funded and hard to find.”

Sample Strategies:

  1. More living wage jobs that offer decent salaries and benefits.
  2. More free health care clinics, so those without insurance can receive routine preventative care.
  3. Ensure universal health care, which would provide people with opportunities to seek out and obtain preventative care.
  1. Healthcare should be considered a right, not a commodity.
  • Many Portlanders firmly believe that everyone should receive healthcare, whether they can afford it or not.
  • Portlanders believe there are some groups in our community that are particularly at risk of foregoing medical care, including:
"[In the future] “our state has health care for all citizens at a reasonable price. No one should be without health care insurance. It is a crime to sell health care like other products. It should be a right not a product for sale!!!”

"I would like to see Portland serve as an example to the rest of the nation by joining the movement of cities like San Francisco and instituting universal health care for its citizens along with a living wage that increases with inflation.”