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You are conflating “for profit” with private. Most good hospitals are non profit, but private institutions. To help you understand how this could decrease reve

You are conflating “for profit” with private. Most good hospitals are non profit, but private institutions. To help you understand how this could decrease revenue - my annual checkup is postponed by 6 months. This is true for everyone who had an annual checkup scheduled.

sudosysgen 7y ago
I agree. but the existence of for-profit healthcare is largely why the US is the only country without public healthcare.
- opo 7y ago
  This is a common misconception about health care. Most countries have a mix of private/public funding a mix of private/public run health care. Canada is almost all non-profit charity hospitals, but other OECD countries use for profit hospitals. For example: >...The study, released Tuesday, compared the universal health-care systems of Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, and looked at the presence of for-profit hospitals and for-profit health-care insurers in each of these countries. ... The study found that for-profit health-care insurers and for-profit hospitals are found in all six countries. This is in contrast to Canada, where similar for-profit insurance is not allowed, and where only a small number of private, for-profit hospitals exist. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/for-profit-care-can-exist-in-a-universal-health-care-system-fraser-institute-study-1.2672098 https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/for-profit-care-can-exist-in-a...
  - sudosysgen 7y ago
    Sure, but in all of those countries health care insurers are incredibly tightly controlled and the state is still by far the biggest insurer. Which is why the state can and will fund hospitals directly after this crisis.
    - opo 7y ago
      >Sure, but in all of those countries health care insurers are incredibly tightly controlled... Insurance companies in the US are also "incredibly tightly controlled". Regulations even specify amounts that can be spent on patient care, administration etc. Health insurers are the only segment of the health care sector in the US where profits are directly limited. >Which is why the state can and will fund hospitals directly after this crisis. I don't think that has anything to do with it.
      - sudosysgen 7y ago
        It does have a lot to do with it, as it directly nullifies the issue the OP was talking about. When I mean incredibly tightly controlled, I mean effectively price controls, and very stringent ones at that, and all of them have the state as the main insurer anyways, while AFAIK the US does not insure anyone directly.
        opo 7y ago
        >...AFAIK the US does not insure anyone directly The government provides health insurance to many people. 44 million people are insured by Medicare. 74 million people are insured by Medicaid. Over 1 million veterans get their health care provided by the government run VA medical system. As I pointed out, most countries have a mix of private/public funding a mix of private/public run health care. Lots of people seem to be under the misconception that universal health care coverage is only possible in a Canadian or UK type health care system.

sudosysgen 7y ago

I agree. but the existence of for-profit healthcare is largely why the US is the only country without public healthcare.

opo 7y ago
This is a common misconception about health care. Most countries have a mix of private/public funding a mix of private/public run health care. Canada is almost all non-profit charity hospitals, but other OECD countries use for profit hospitals. For example: >...The study, released Tuesday, compared the universal health-care systems of Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, and looked at the presence of for-profit hospitals and for-profit health-care insurers in each of these countries. ... The study found that for-profit health-care insurers and for-profit hospitals are found in all six countries. This is in contrast to Canada, where similar for-profit insurance is not allowed, and where only a small number of private, for-profit hospitals exist. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/for-profit-care-can-exist-in-a-universal-health-care-system-fraser-institute-study-1.2672098 https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/for-profit-care-can-exist-in-a...
- sudosysgen 7y ago
  Sure, but in all of those countries health care insurers are incredibly tightly controlled and the state is still by far the biggest insurer. Which is why the state can and will fund hospitals directly after this crisis.
  - opo 7y ago
    >Sure, but in all of those countries health care insurers are incredibly tightly controlled... Insurance companies in the US are also "incredibly tightly controlled". Regulations even specify amounts that can be spent on patient care, administration etc. Health insurers are the only segment of the health care sector in the US where profits are directly limited. >Which is why the state can and will fund hospitals directly after this crisis. I don't think that has anything to do with it.
    - sudosysgen 7y ago
      It does have a lot to do with it, as it directly nullifies the issue the OP was talking about. When I mean incredibly tightly controlled, I mean effectively price controls, and very stringent ones at that, and all of them have the state as the main insurer anyways, while AFAIK the US does not insure anyone directly.
      - opo 7y ago
        >...AFAIK the US does not insure anyone directly The government provides health insurance to many people. 44 million people are insured by Medicare. 74 million people are insured by Medicaid. Over 1 million veterans get their health care provided by the government run VA medical system. As I pointed out, most countries have a mix of private/public funding a mix of private/public run health care. Lots of people seem to be under the misconception that universal health care coverage is only possible in a Canadian or UK type health care system.