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> Not when you factor in more insured people means less expensive medical costs - i.e. more preventative care and less emergency room visits. Well, you can mak
by chimeracoder 10y ago
> Not when you factor in more insured people means less expensive medical costs - i.e. more preventative care and less emergency room visits.
Well, you can make the argument for preventive care on medical grounds or even moral ones, but you can't say it actually saves money. When people have access to preventive care, they also tend to consume more, which means greater costs (although better overall care)[0].
This has borne out with the ACA[1], as the data shows that preventive costs increased faster than chronic and acute care costs dropped, by a very significant margin.
[0] https://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/03/when-preventive-care-costs-more/ https://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/03/when-prev...
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/06/upshot/no-giving-more-people-health-insurance-doesnt-save-money.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/06/upshot/no-giving-more-peo...
- lsiebert 10y agoI'm not sure to what extent that factors in productivity improvements from workers with better health though, in terms of overall economic activity and GDP.
- bduerst 10y agoYou should really read articles before you cite them, because neither use data after 2014, when the ACA provisions took effect. The ACA report last month shows the opposite of what you're saying, that oupatient costs have dropped more than inpatient costs have risen, and that medical prices have not risen more than inflation. Page 58+ here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/20161213_cea_record_healh_care_reform.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/20...
- chimeracoder 10y ago> The ACA report last month shows the opposite of what you're saying, that oupatient costs have dropped more than inpatient costs have risen That's not actually the opposite of what I said. Outpatient vs. inpatient isn't the same comparison as preventive vs. responsive care. You're comparing apples and oranges. > You should really read articles before you cite them From the Hacker News guidelines: > Avoid gratuitous negativity.... Please don't insinuate that someone hasn't read an article. "Did you even read the article? It mentions that" can be shortened to "The article mentions that."
- bduerst 10y agoThe majority of outpatient treatments are preventative healthcare, e.g. check-ups, x-rays, rehab, minor procedures, blood draws, etc. The majority of inpatient treatments are responsive healthcare, e.g. emergency, major surgeries, ICU/NICU, burn unit, etc. Also, when you present an article as a source for something that it is not, then it is valid to question if you read it and present why, like I did. The full sentence of what I said is valid by HN rules, even if you attempt to quote it out of context: >You should really read articles before you cite them, because neither use data after 2014, when the ACA provisions took effect.
- chimeracoder 10y ago> The majority of outpatient treatments are preventative healthcare, e.g. check-ups, x-rays, rehab, minor procedures, blood draws, etc This is absolutely not true, and in fact some of the things you list aren't even preventive care.
- bduerst 10y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambulatory_care https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambulatory_care >Many Medical Investigations and treatments for acute and chronic illnesses and preventive health care can be performed on an ambulatory basis
- chimeracoder 10y agoI'm well aware of what ambulatory care is. But not all ambulatory care is preventive care; in fact, the majority is not, which is directly contrary to your previous claim.