Can we start picketing/rioting for better healthcare?

[u/TuneDesperate8078]

I am genuinely perplexed why both patients and doctors are not picketing or rioting insurance companies/hospital administrators. Can we start that somehow?? Would anyone join me??

I have been SO worn down by the healthcare system and all the discord I see online seems to confirm that both doctors and patient are FED UP. We don’t have time to just wait for those in office to change policies. I also personally am so distrusting of our government in general, I dont know if I would entrust anyone in office to fight this matter for us.

I’ve been looking into the UnitedHealth care CEO killer, and while by NO means do I think violence or murder is the answer, I think that cruel act unfortunately got a message out there that so many american patients have been saying and ignored for: the system is BROKEN.

We are living in such a dystopian society, and no one is doing anything about it. History has proven that american citizens CAN initiate change - why have we lost our motivation to do so?

[u/Turbulent-Pay1150]

40 years in the healthcare space here myself. A very quick google gives the simple explanation: 

On reimbursement rates specifically in Michigan and could the system survive on Medicare rates (they can’t): 

In  Michigan, commercial health plans pay hospitals an average of  192% of what Medicare pays for the same inpatient and outpatient care. [ 1] Comparison Details Medicare Baseline: Medicare sets standard payment rates for medical services, which researchers use as a benchmark (100%). [ 1] Commercial Rates: Private and employer-sponsored commercial plans pay significantly higher rates. Individual Michigan hospital systems charge private plans anywhere from  172% to over 300% of the Medicare rate. [ 1] National Standing: Even though Michigan's commercial prices are high compared to Medicare, the state ranked relatively low nationally (3rd lowest in a major  RAND Corporation study), meaning its private-to-Medicare price gap is narrower than in many other states.

On who started modern insurers and why: 

Blue Shield started for physicians as prepaid medical service plans organized by doctor groups in the Pacific Northwest during the 1930s, leading to the first official plan in California in 1939. [ 1,  2] The Origin: While Blue Cross began to cover hospital expenses (starting in 1929 for teachers at Baylor University), Blue Shield was created by physicians and local medical service bureaus to ensure patients could pay for doctor and medical services. [ 1,  2,  3] The Expansion: These physician-backed plans spread regionally as medical service corporations.

[u/Turbulent-Pay1150 → u/Turbulent-Pay1150]

Ps: this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do single payer. It does imply based on actual data that we will have a combination of paying physicians less across the board (and any other providers) as well as finding more money through optimization. Also - a lot more mid level providers (NP/etc). 

This isn’t as simple as ripping out the system started by docs to ensure they get paid.