After reading this article in the New York Times, I can see that we're finally taking steps in the right direction. Perhaps the hospitals in Texas cannot cover the basic health needs of the majority of the uninsured around them, but it is a step.
I think the main problem with our health system today is the insurance companies themselves. They make money by charging huge premiums, and tying up the time that it takes to complete a claim. Without the unnecessary paperwork and hurdles that physicians have to fill out and jump over to get paid for their tasks, healthcare will not only be cheaper for society at large, but we could cover those that are uninsured. Perhaps the dream I have of expanding the system of healthcare present in hospitals in Texas will not happen anytime soon, perhaps not even during my career as a physician, but we need to seriously reevaluate our health care system now, especially as the baby boomer generation ages and requires more and more healthcare. Perhaps we need to change the way we teach our physicians... teach them to not encourage costly operations and measures to save a life that won't last much longer anyway. Then again, perhaps we value the quality of life we have now too much.
I think our focus should be on preventative care. We need to bring the weight of the nation as a whole down... this will eliminate countless diseases and health problems. According to the article above, for every $1 spent on prenatal care saves $7 in treatment for a undernourished or underdeveloped child. The healthcare system in place in some hospitals in Texas may not be a huge step towards better quality of life for all, but it's a small step in the right direction. And enough of these small steps will result in a positive change in the future.
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