"Art and music have long been understood to have therapeutic effects for individuals who suffer from either physical or mental illnesses. However, most doctors rarely recommend to patients some form of art or music therapy. Instead, doctors focus almost all of their attention on costly drug treatments and invasive procedures that carry serious risks and side-effects. By focusing on these expensive procedures rather than low-cost treatments such as art and music therapy, doctors are doing a disservice to their patients and contributing to the rising cost of health care in the United States."



The argument states that although art and music have long been identified to cure physical as well as mental illnesses, most doctors rarely recommend some form of music or art therapy to patients. As a result doctors are contributing to rising healthcare costs in United States. Although I agree with the fact that art and music have therapeutic effects for individuals who suffer either physical or mental illnesses, I don't think art or music should replace the drug treatments or invasive treatments that are carried out by doctors.
First of all, although music and art are known to cure mental or physical illnesses, they cannot be used to cure all diseases. Music and art improves the mental condition of the body and improves the inner strength of the person, thereby reducing the convalscence period.However it is not practical to expect that such inner strength will be able to cure a person from complex disease. Even in case of minor diseases rate of cure will be so slow that the may spend considerable time away from work. This would certainly result in higher costs if not same for the patient. Thus concluding that negligence of doctor towards art or music as one of the reasons behind rising health costs in United States is not at all practical.
Another important concern is that there is need to do substantial research to identify which type of art and music will optimize the the rate of cure for a particular type of person. Once we are able to identify such optimized art or music solution for health of an individual it can be coupled with other modern treatments to improve the health of an individual faster and at lower cost.
Moreover, people who do not find art or music interesting, will not be able to gain from the art or music therapy. Also in case of complex treatments art and music therapy may make a patient feel better, but in case of such patients the cost reduction will be negligible.
Thus I would like to conclude that the argument would have been more solid if it had suggested doctors to use the art and music therapy optimally and thus improve service to patients. Certainly such optimized use of art and music therapy shall certainly help the patients to decrease the cost to some extent.