4 ms·

So why if there's demand for certain jobs, why there aren't more programs to train more of them. Medicare (i.e., the federal government, congress) sets de fact

So why if there's demand for certain jobs, why there aren't more programs to train more of them. Medicare (i.e., the federal government, congress) sets de facto limits on the number of new residents that are trained each year. "The Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA) increased the limit for rural teaching hospitals to equal 130% of each rural teaching hospital's 1996 resident count (BBRA Section 407)." https://www.aamc.org/advocacy/gme/71178/gme_gme0012.html https://www.aamc.org/advocacy/gme/71178/gme_gme0012.html Debates on these matters constantly criticize the few elements of freedom in our existing system. Rarely do people acknowledge any of the controls and regulations that have been in place for decades, and have brought us to our current crisis...

pfranz 10y ago
I do wish that was brought up. However, government provided healthcare or not (and Medicare or not), I think healthcare should be closely regulated (maybe by professional organizations if not the government). I can't find the citation, but I was reading that as doctor density increases, the number of procedures increase even though the outcomes are the same. It's also pretty obvious that as Baby Boomers start retiring, we're going to need more medical professionals. The demand for those services probably won't show up until it's too late to train them so it'd be good to incentivise people now (although, it might be too late already).
- gwright 10y ago
  Professional organizations generally advocate against lowering barriers to entry to their market. Delegating regulatory controls to a professional organization has to done very carefully. My understanding is that in the US, this is one reason why there is a limited supply of new physicians. Of course the health care industry is quite complicated with many conflicting and interacting incentives and regulatory distortions to a true free market.

pfranz 10y ago

I do wish that was brought up. However, government provided healthcare or not (and Medicare or not), I think healthcare should be closely regulated (maybe by professional organizations if not the government). I can't find the citation, but I was reading that as doctor density increases, the number of procedures increase even though the outcomes are the same. It's also pretty obvious that as Baby Boomers start retiring, we're going to need more medical professionals. The demand for those services probably won't show up until it's too late to train them so it'd be good to incentivise people now (although, it might be too late already).

gwright 10y ago
Professional organizations generally advocate against lowering barriers to entry to their market. Delegating regulatory controls to a professional organization has to done very carefully. My understanding is that in the US, this is one reason why there is a limited supply of new physicians. Of course the health care industry is quite complicated with many conflicting and interacting incentives and regulatory distortions to a true free market.