4 ms·

The problem is that everywhere else in the world doesn't have the delusion that unfettered capitalism and healthcare are compatible. The US manages to pick and

The problem is that everywhere else in the world doesn't have the delusion that unfettered capitalism and healthcare are compatible. The US manages to pick and choose socialistic policies in some areas, and I'm more or less just waiting for them (us) to come around to the view that basic healthcare is just one of those things that everyone needs in order to have a decent shot at life so you might as well just provide it as a blanket service.

marcusverus 6y ago
The US system is far from perfect, but blaming its dysfunction on 'unfettered capitalism' is absurd. The US healthcare system is among the most heavily regulated industries in the US economy. Among those regulations are FDA policies that give Big Pharma monopolies on new drugs. The FDA extends these monopolies for decades, allowing companies to operate as state-created monopolies. Once the state-created monopoly times out, competitors face a years-long approval process before they can market a generic version of an already approved drug.
- jakelazaroff 6y ago
  That’s true. But given the relative success of socialized healthcare in most other countries, I’m not sure why you’re seizing on the “unfettered” part rather than the “capitalism” part.
- heleninboodler 6y ago
  You're absolutely right, "unfettered" is hyperbole. I just get a bit weary of the "free market will fix it" attitude, because it's only really free market if all involved parties are free to set the terms of the transactions, and most consumers of healthcare do not actually have much power to do that (or even to know the terms before "purchase"). So the "free market," to the extent that it exists, optimizes for those participants who do have that power, to the detriment of the end user. In my opinion, of course.

4 ms·

The problem is that everywhere else in the world doesn't have the delusion that unfettered capitalism and healthcare are compatible. The US manages to pick and

by heleninboodler 6y ago

marcusverus 6y ago
The US system is far from perfect, but blaming its dysfunction on 'unfettered capitalism' is absurd. The US healthcare system is among the most heavily regulated industries in the US economy. Among those regulations are FDA policies that give Big Pharma monopolies on new drugs. The FDA extends these monopolies for decades, allowing companies to operate as state-created monopolies. Once the state-created monopoly times out, competitors face a years-long approval process before they can market a generic version of an already approved drug.
- jakelazaroff 6y ago
  That’s true. But given the relative success of socialized healthcare in most other countries, I’m not sure why you’re seizing on the “unfettered” part rather than the “capitalism” part.
- heleninboodler 6y ago
  You're absolutely right, "unfettered" is hyperbole. I just get a bit weary of the "free market will fix it" attitude, because it's only really free market if all involved parties are free to set the terms of the transactions, and most consumers of healthcare do not actually have much power to do that (or even to know the terms before "purchase"). So the "free market," to the extent that it exists, optimizes for those participants who do have that power, to the detriment of the end user. In my opinion, of course.