4 ms·

If people could not bargain healthcare prices when sick then they could bargain food prices even less when hungry, yet somehow we managed to have more or less f

If people could not bargain healthcare prices when sick then they could bargain food prices even less when hungry, yet somehow we managed to have more or less free market for food. Let's not even go there. Let's look at a less regulated medical field of dentistry. Dentistry is relatively cheap and available because there is, while still heavily regulated, a market. I.e. you can call a doctor's office and get a quote for whatever procedures you want. Don't tell me that someone with acute toothache is in a superior bargaining position than someone with, say, elevated blood pressure. So the market works pretty well when you don't over regulate it. I somehow doubt that bringing even more regulation in form of single payer will suddenly fix anything.

subhobroto 10y ago
As you note, groceries are one of the most cut throat industries in the continental U.S. We import food from all other parts of the world and not end up paying through the nose for them. My belief is price transparency is party the reason for this, and we are utterly lacking that i nthis part of the world. A few people have told me that they would actively misrepresent their network status so as to get estimates from a provider before going aahead with a procedure: https://www.quora.com/Is-it-easier-for-an-uninsured-American-to-know-the-costs-of-a-medical-service-before-going-through-with-it https://www.quora.com/Is-it-easier-for-an-uninsured-American...