Business Insight The Cost of Healthcare Technology lives and controls every household in our country and all countries around the world. It is hard to imagine someone growing up without a cell phone. Most, receive their first cell phone in grade school. How about Internet connection? How about almost everything around you managed with a click on your phone? Healthcare is no different. Some recent activities of our federal lawmakers called for increasing the retirement age, possibly up to 70 or even 75. Sen. Kennedy from Louisiana based his proposal on apparent longer life expectancy, perhaps as long as 90. I am not sure where he took this data, but I want to address the logistics behind it first. Humans have evolved like all living world around them. Life expectancy has not been changing because, by definition, we live longer, but rather we live longer because the healthcare allows us to treat and cure more. of the medical problems we experience, especially in older age. Again, we do not really have less accidents, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes complications, etc. Actually, we have more sickness especially sicknesses related to our immune system. What has changed is the medical treatments. We have more drugs that cure or treat these problems, we have more advanced procedures, we have better skilled doctors who can coordinate our care. Fifty or sixty years ago, advanced arthritis crippled most of the population. over 65 and many patients became home- bound, taking pills that possibly destroyed some other organs, causing death. Today, advanced physical therapy, better medicine, and joint replacements put all those patients back to normal or close to normal life. I could list more cases of other medical ailments similar to that, with similar outcomes. presented by Arlington Dermatology However, all these advances do not come without a price. And patients in their '70s with knees replaced can move around better and live a normal life, but not necessarily can they work in a manufacture or a warehouse moving boxes. They probably cannot keep up with changes in business to continue their full-time accounting job. Thus, changing the retirement age for millions would mean a huge unemployment in a group of 65-75 due to the type of job they used to perform and, what goes with that, huge insurance depravation as the insurances are still mostly attached to employment. Just imagine thousands of '70 something looking for new jobs because they cannot handle the ones they had before. Well, if you are a senator, you do not really worry about that, but your constituents might. Let's talk about the sticker price for all healthcare that is delivered to 65+ population. And please, remember that I love working with seniors. And also, remember that you will get there too. It is impossible to maintain normal functioning of millions of businesses providing medical insurance to their employees who reach the age of 65+. The cost of monthly premiums are 4 or 5 times higher than for the '30 something. This means that businesses would either not provide medical benefits or would not hire older folks. Simple. Changing the retirement age would not only cripple small businesses; it would cripple the entire healthcare system that is designed to serve those in need. The only way to conquer it is to redesign the healthcare system in order to provide a basic set of benefits to everyone. And this way, we come back to the concept of Medicare for all. I am not saying that Medicare for all is the only solution and it definitely would not resolve the constantly growing cost of the medical field. But it would certainly save lives. Otherwise, retirement age and proposals of Sen. Kennedy or alike should be just be left alone. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight The Cost of Healthcare Technology lives and controls every household in our country and all countries around the world . It is hard to imagine someone growing up without a cell phone . Most , receive their first cell phone in grade school . How about Internet connection ? How about almost everything around you managed with a click on your phone ? Healthcare is no different . Some recent activities of our federal lawmakers called for increasing the retirement age , possibly up to 70 or even 75. Sen. Kennedy from Louisiana based his proposal on apparent longer life expectancy , perhaps as long as 90. I am not sure where he took this data , but I want to address the logistics behind it first . Humans have evolved like all living world around them . Life expectancy has not been changing because , by definition , we live longer , but rather we live longer because the healthcare allows us to treat and cure more . of the medical problems we experience , especially in older age . Again , we do not really have less accidents , heart attacks , strokes , diabetes complications , etc. Actually , we have more sickness especially sicknesses related to our immune system . What has changed is the medical treatments . We have more drugs that cure or treat these problems , we have more advanced procedures , we have better skilled doctors who can coordinate our care . Fifty or sixty years ago , advanced arthritis crippled most of the population . over 65 and many patients became home bound , taking pills that possibly destroyed some other organs , causing death . Today , advanced physical therapy , better medicine , and joint replacements put all those patients back to normal or close to normal life . I could list more cases of other medical ailments similar to that , with similar outcomes . presented by Arlington Dermatology However , all these advances do not come without a price . And patients in their ' 70s with knees replaced can move around better and live a normal life , but not necessarily can they work in a manufacture or a warehouse moving boxes . They probably cannot keep up with changes in business to continue their full - time accounting job . Thus , changing the retirement age for millions would mean a huge unemployment in a group of 65-75 due to the type of job they used to perform and , what goes with that , huge insurance depravation as the insurances are still mostly attached to employment . Just imagine thousands of '70 something looking for new jobs because they cannot handle the ones they had before . Well , if you are a senator , you do not really worry about that , but your constituents might . Let's talk about the sticker price for all healthcare that is delivered to 65+ population . And please , remember that I love working with seniors . And also , remember that you will get there too . It is impossible to maintain normal functioning of millions of businesses providing medical insurance to their employees who reach the age of 65+ . The cost of monthly premiums are 4 or 5 times higher than for the '30 something . This means that businesses would either not provide medical benefits or would not hire older folks . Simple . Changing the retirement age would not only cripple small businesses ; it would cripple the entire healthcare system that is designed to serve those in need . The only way to conquer it is to redesign the healthcare system in order to provide a basic set of benefits to everyone . And this way , we come back to the concept of Medicare for all . I am not saying that Medicare for all is the only solution and it definitely would not resolve the constantly growing cost of the medical field . But it would certainly save lives . Otherwise , retirement age and proposals of Sen. Kennedy or alike should be just be left alone . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net