PNHP was founded in 1987, and for over 10 years has performed nationally recognized research and education on the need for and the way to achieve system reform to address the fundamental problems plaguing the American health system. Medicare is critical to the health and security of American seniors and the disabled, but despite this, Medicare is inadequate protection for many. Deductibles and co-payments are a barrier to access. With decreasing lengths of hospital stays and more out-patient procedures, the burden of care is being shifted from trained physicians and nurses to frail and untrained seniors and their family members. Other disturbing evidence from privatization is the rise in bureaucracy.
Research also shows that the elderly, chronically ill, and poor do worse under managed care.
A four year study of 2,235 patients in three cities with hypertension, diabetes, recent MI, congestive heart failure, or depression published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that patients who were elderly were almost twice as likely to decline in physical health in an HMO than in traditional Medicare. Although cost containment has not been successful in the U.S., other industrialized countries have done a far better job at controlling costs than the U.S. while also providing universal coverage. During this period, Canada also experienced a rapid aging of the population. Costs continue to rise and an additional 100,000 people lose coverage every month. A study by the U.S. General Accounting Office concluded that the U.S. could save enough simply on administrative costs with a single payer national health program to cover all uninsured Americans.