Tis but a flesh wound…

More grim news on the impact of the economic crisis on healthcare providers. A new Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll says 53% of respondents said their households had cut back on healthcare in the previous year due to cost concerns. According to the study, “The most common actions reported are relying on home remedies and over-the-counter drugs rather than visiting a doctor or skipping dental care.”

So whenever I hear healthcare is “immune” to the economic downturn, I assume they’re talking about the “other” healthcare – primarily the pharma industry.

Of course, people skipping care saves individuals money now, but what are the long-term ramifications for national healthcare expenses as a whole for people who are skipping regular doc visits, cutting pills in half to make their prescription last longer, or trying to “outlast” the flu?

And at what point is healthcare optional? Reminds me of one of the greatest lines from one of the greatest movies of all time, Monty Python’s The Holy Grail. The Black Knight is getting his butt kicked by King Arthur, and despite losing an arm in battle, he refused to admit the damage: “Tis but a flesh wound – I’ve had worse.”