There are ways to make it possible for patients to be taken care of promptly and efficiently and not break the bank. Heart medicines called beta blockers, for example, were proved more than 10 years ago to increase significantly a person's chances of survival after a heart attack. But nearly half of heart attack victims still don't receive them, Leape said. The health payment system can discourage doctors from doing the right thing, the report said. It cited physicians who give high-quality care that controls diabetics' blood sugar only to see their incomes plummet as those patients' need for more expensive care declines.
Insurance companies pocket the savings.
It also recommended that insurers cover such care. Nor should treatment vary illogically from doctor to doctor, the report says. It suggested that the government identify 15 of the nation's most problematic diseases and establish care standards for them within five years. The Associated Press. All rights reserved.