3 ms·

How can this be so damn expensive? That's 1,000 a month for every single adult and child in the USA. We must be seriously mismanaging our healthcare.

toomuchtodo 5y ago
Yes. Most expensive but poor quality overall. https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-dozen-facts-about-the-economics-of-the-u-s-health-care-system/ https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-dozen-facts-about-the-e... (“A dozen facts about the economics of the US health-care system”) https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/05/global-health-rankings/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/05/global-healt... (“The United States has the worst health-care system overall among 11 high-income countries, even though it spends the highest proportion of its gross domestic product on health care, according to research by the Commonwealth Fund.”)
secondaryacct 5y ago
In France where I was raised and China where I raise my kids, which both have affordable good quality health care, we tend to say it's due to economy of scale. We negociate national prices with indian labs, we manufacture at planned cost locally, we use the school system in synergy with healthcare to do preventive vaccination, dental, eye and ear care, we work hard on conflict of interest between doctors and drug sellers (a doctor always find you sicker if he makes a profit on the medicine he prescribes), we encourage to fix very early that way rather than when it s far too late. In France, competition between providers is hunted even more than communists would, with geographical quotas and strict university numerus closus to ensure price stability and fair enough spread of providers nationally (but still have challenges in the countryside). Both systems are far from perfect and bleed tax money, but... so much more efficient than the weird US system that requires loan from poor people to fix a broken leg (I probably exaggerate).
- dougmwne 5y ago
  Interesting perspective, and thanks! Per your last point, it's basically correct, but more like an involuntary loan. Upfront payment is never required, but a debt always results. If you were to arrive unconscious at a hospital after an accident, they would save your life and you could wake up to a bill that was more than your net worth. No person with any sense and assets to protect would go without health insurance. The poor just avoid the debt collectors as long as they can.

toomuchtodo 5y ago

Yes. Most expensive but poor quality overall. https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-dozen-facts-about-the-economics-of-the-u-s-health-care-system/ https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-dozen-facts-about-the-e... (“A dozen facts about the economics of the US health-care system”) https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/05/global-health-rankings/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/05/global-healt... (“The United States has the worst health-care system overall among 11 high-income countries, even though it spends the highest proportion of its gross domestic product on health care, according to research by the Commonwealth Fund.”)

secondaryacct 5y ago

In France where I was raised and China where I raise my kids, which both have affordable good quality health care, we tend to say it's due to economy of scale. We negociate national prices with indian labs, we manufacture at planned cost locally, we use the school system in synergy with healthcare to do preventive vaccination, dental, eye and ear care, we work hard on conflict of interest between doctors and drug sellers (a doctor always find you sicker if he makes a profit on the medicine he prescribes), we encourage to fix very early that way rather than when it s far too late. In France, competition between providers is hunted even more than communists would, with geographical quotas and strict university numerus closus to ensure price stability and fair enough spread of providers nationally (but still have challenges in the countryside). Both systems are far from perfect and bleed tax money, but... so much more efficient than the weird US system that requires loan from poor people to fix a broken leg (I probably exaggerate).

dougmwne 5y ago
Interesting perspective, and thanks! Per your last point, it's basically correct, but more like an involuntary loan. Upfront payment is never required, but a debt always results. If you were to arrive unconscious at a hospital after an accident, they would save your life and you could wake up to a bill that was more than your net worth. No person with any sense and assets to protect would go without health insurance. The poor just avoid the debt collectors as long as they can.