4 ms·
This is a good take. Single payer might work in the USA using HMO plans funded by taxes, income/asset linked tiers of coinsurance, tax increases, major efficien
by erosenbe0 4y ago
This is a good take. Single payer might work in the USA using HMO plans funded by taxes, income/asset linked tiers of coinsurance, tax increases, major efficiency corrections, reduced barriers to entry, and mix of deregulation and regulation to increase competition.
Also, the US healthcare system is the excellent and one of the world's best if :
A) you have good insurance or medicaid/medicare in the right place.
B) you have transport to potentially drive some distance to deal with occasional wait times or to find in-network providers
C) you can navigate the sometimes byzantine billing nightmares that can occur where your coverage is denied on medically necessary or contractually covered care; or your enrollment in a subsidized program is denied, late; or you are indigent, incapacitated or elderly need an advocate to assure you get enrolled in correct coverage.
- et2o 4y agoGreat points. Yes those are the major barriers. If you have all those, things can go well. Obviously heaps of people in the USA do not.
- Gatsky 4y agoSo it depends what you mean by 'best'. In most developed countries, if your situation is ideal you can get fantastic healthcare, and that seems to be the point you are making. There are some niche fields where the USA is demonstrably the best - pediatric oncology surgery, some difficult transplants, and novel cancer therapies come to mind. But I think it is hard to argue that it is anywhere near the best on the metrics usually used to judge a healthcare system, which other people have posted about. In my experience, it also suffers from thinking it is the best and patients expecting it to be best. I have seen some patients get quite excessive and even unusual treatment in hallowed healthcare institutions in the USA.