ABC NEWS CLOSE-UP: GROWING OLD IN AMERICA, PART 2 OF 3: CRISIS IN HEALTH CARE (TV)
Summary
Part two of three. Continued from T86:0361. One in this series of special reports/documentaries that explores different aspects of life in the United States. This particular episode of the show, "Growing Old in America," is divided into three segments; "Crisis in Health Care" is the second of the three. Host Hugh Downs begins the segment by explaining that there is a simple explanation for the poor treatment that American seniors get in terms of health care; doctors cannot bill them heavily -- so the doctors are then less likely to be willing to make the elderly a priority. The repercussions of this money-driven approach to health care are then graphically illustrated with photos and footage of neglected patients' bedsores. Downs goes on to explain the problems with the DRG system, a health-insurance institution that limits the amount of time a patient can stay in a hospital and be covered for the expenses. This leads to a discussion with several different doctors about the moral and legal issues surrounding the issue of life support and "pulling the plug." Downs concludes the segment by commenting that, despite all of the major advances in medicine over the last hundred years, the American health-care system still suffers from major flaws. Includes commercials and promos. Continues with T86:0363. This program is closed-captioned.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 28, 1985 Saturday 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:52:58
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T86:0362
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries; News
- SUBJECT HEADING: Aged; Insurance, Health; Aged - Medical care
- SERIES RUN: ABC, TV series, 1973-1988
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Advil pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - Campbell's Nacho Cheese Soup Dip
- TV - Commercials - EX-LAX laxative
- TV - Commercials - Ernest and Julio Gallo wines
- TV - Commercials - Fiber One cereal
- TV - Commercials - Gas-X pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - Mercury Sable automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Miracle Whip whipped topping
- TV - Commercials - Polident denture cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Prego Plus Spaghetti Sauce
- TV - Commercials - Publisher's Clearing House magazine subscriptions
- TV - Commercials - Spoon Sized Shredded Wheat cereal
- TV - Promos - "Moonlighting"
- TV - Promos - "World News Tonight 'Happy Holidays'"
CREDITS
- Pamela Hill … Executive Producer
- Richard Richter … Senior Producer
- Steve Singer … Producer, Writer
- Peter Bull … Associate Producer
- Dalton Delan … Field Producer
- Vincent Stafford … Director
- Marshall Frady … Writer
- Richard Gerdan … Writer
- Thomas Lennon … Writer
- William Sherman … Writer
- Rick Ulfik … Music by
- Hugh Downs … Host