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Let’s rethink abortion politics that punish patients and doctors
Abortion is among the most, if not the most, emotional, painful and divisive issue our society has struggled with. The two sides are dug in with little to no prospect of compromise. Abortion opponents believe abortion is murder. Abortion rights supporters reject that and believe that decisions in early pregnancy are entirely the prerogative of […]
More research needed on health effects of recreational marijuana
This fall, for the third time, South Dakotans are being asked to vote on whether to approve marijuana (cannabis) for recreational use (marijuana use as a medical treatment was approved in 2020). In the past, the proposal was approved, declared unconstitutional and then subsequently rejected by voters. So, what are we to think? What are […]
Why South Dakota health care is the nation’s second most expensive
Several months ago, Forbes, a respected business and economics publication, released an analysis of the “The Most (And Least) Expensive States for Healthcare 2024.” A striking — and concerning — finding was that health care expenses in South Dakota were the second highest in the nation. The multiplicity of payers and the differing demographics of […]
Creative thinking needed to save rural hospitals
Over the last 15 years, approximately 150 rural hospitals have closed nationwide. What does it mean? Are these facilities obsolete, no longer needed? Maybe in a few places, but in the vast majority of communities they provide critically important services. In most rural communities, the hospital has multiple roles and is the cornerstone for health […]
Look beyond the ads and be cautious with Medicare Advantage
Television is flooded these days with commercials encouraging everyone to sign up for Medicare Advantage. What is it, and why are they doing this? First of all, a bit of history. For more than 30 years Congress has debated whether the private insurance industry could deliver Medicare benefits more efficiently than the federal government. In […]
A disturbing conclusion about rising maternal deaths: Most are preventable
Our society faces a number of health care challenges, but the one I find most troubling is maternal mortality — women dying as a result of child birth. The actual numbers are quite small but the tragedy associated with them is immense. Furthermore, these deaths provide a window into the overall functioning, or rather the […]
Regulatory limits needed to prevent price gouging and ensure availability of medicines
High costs and shortages of pharmaceuticals are serious, ongoing issues. Drug prices in the U.S. are among the highest in the world. A recent survey by the Rand Corporation looked at drug prices in 32 developed countries. U.S. prices were the highest in the group and were more than twice the average of prices in […]
Treating health care as a commodity has not driven costs lower
Assuring effective health care to a population is a challenge for every society. As care options become more complex — and expensive — the challenges increase. In the U.S. both the organization and the financing of health care are perennial issues in public discussions, political campaigns and among social policy researchers. Basically there are two […]