Healthcare Ethics

Healthcare Ethics

LEG 500: Prof. Baime

When considering the term “healthcare,” terms like honesty, integrity, quality care, healing and fairness are practical associations with healthcare. These terms are not used as adjectives describing healthcare companies, but ethical issues, that in recent years, have plagued the industry where “quality health care” and reform are concerned. These ethical issues, the application of ethical theories, contributing factors and possible corrective actions will be addressed.

Ethical Issues

Since the Clinton administration, healthcare reform has been a challenge for the American government. Contributing to this challenge, the unethical behaviors of healthcare providers, who railroad town hall meetings with lobbyist, entice employees to call and write representatives and confuse the consumer with underwriting and marketing jargon. Each of these topics will be further discussed later. Now, two administrations later, the Obama administration is closer to a reform that is potentially more conducive to the ordinary citizen and making the possibility of good healthcare a reality.

During congressional hearings, Wellpoint CEO Angela Braly explained her company’s denial of healthcare to consumers with “pre-existing conditions” and the 39% annual premium increases of customers inquiring an illness as company “efficiency (Wellpoint, 2010).” Throughout the inquisition, Braly claimed her company “was on the customer’s side,” rate increases were merely misunderstandings and suggested “malpractice reform” as a solution to healthcare cost; subsequently suggesting patients’ right to hold doctors and insurance companies liable in court, be barred (Wellpoint). Statements like these bring forth the ethical issues of integrity and honesty. Are the insurance companies telling the truth, being trustworthy and not hiding any thing (Ferrell, 2010 pg 60)? Are they showing an uncompromised adherence to ethical values and...