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It isn't doctors who do this. Doctors, by and large, would love to just treat people. And while doctors do make quite a bit compared to other countries [1], the

It isn't doctors who do this. Doctors, by and large, would love to just treat people. And while doctors do make quite a bit compared to other countries [1], the litigious nature of the American patient and the high cost of education make these wages almost a necessity in order to pay off insurance and student loans =[ https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/080615/6-reasons-healthcare-so-expensive-us.asp https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/08061...

epistasis 4y ago
Doctors are also very self-interested and want to advance their careers. So if the top surgeons at a hospital want the newest, most expensive toys, and will leave for another hospital unless they get them, it might be that the hospital administrators buy unnecessary machines just to keep their best people around, at the cost of increased bills for everyone. In this story, the surgeons may not be explicitly greedy, but the system sets them up to cost everyone quite a bit.
bradleyjg 4y ago
How true is that really? What’s the difference in lifetime earnings between a UK and US orthopedic surgeon net of insurance and loan payments? My sense is that the difference in pay dwarfs the difference in costs.
criddell 4y ago
The AMA is a professional organization for doctors and they have opposed all kinds of changes designed to reduce medical costs because it would hurt their members’ bottom line. The system is a racket and doctors are in on it.
- alamortsubite 4y ago
  > The system is a racket and doctors are in on it. This is a bit much. You're right that the AMA is a big part of the problem, but fewer than 1 in 5 U.S. doctors are paying AMA members. [1] That's down from about 75% in the 1950s. [1] https://www.physiciansweekly.com/is-the-ama-really-the-voice-of-physicians-in-the-us https://www.physiciansweekly.com/is-the-ama-really-the-voice...
  - criddell 4y ago
    I had no idea they represented under 20% of doctors. I thought it was 3x that. Thanks for the information.
- pyuser583 4y ago
  The AMA is a private organization. It doesn’t represent anyone other than it’s leadership. Most doctors aren’t members. Anyone can create a group and call themselves a “professional organization.” Anti-abortion groups have their own ob/gyn association.
amelius 4y ago
> and the high cost of education Why don't they study abroad, e.g. in Europe, where education is more reasonably priced?
- UnpossibleJim 4y ago
  I was reading and, evidently (this is internet study, so take it with a grain of salt) it is very difficult to get a residency in an American hospital from a school that isn't in America. While you could do your residency in another country and then retake your tasts, I guess, and become a doctor here, I don't know if you would have to do another term of residency. I couldn't find that answer as easily. Also, studying abroad doesn't end up being that much cheaper if you aren't a citizen, so if you're from America it kind of ends up being a wash, it looks like =[

epistasis 4y ago

Doctors are also very self-interested and want to advance their careers. So if the top surgeons at a hospital want the newest, most expensive toys, and will leave for another hospital unless they get them, it might be that the hospital administrators buy unnecessary machines just to keep their best people around, at the cost of increased bills for everyone. In this story, the surgeons may not be explicitly greedy, but the system sets them up to cost everyone quite a bit.

bradleyjg 4y ago

How true is that really? What’s the difference in lifetime earnings between a UK and US orthopedic surgeon net of insurance and loan payments? My sense is that the difference in pay dwarfs the difference in costs.

criddell 4y ago

The AMA is a professional organization for doctors and they have opposed all kinds of changes designed to reduce medical costs because it would hurt their members’ bottom line. The system is a racket and doctors are in on it.

alamortsubite 4y ago
> The system is a racket and doctors are in on it. This is a bit much. You're right that the AMA is a big part of the problem, but fewer than 1 in 5 U.S. doctors are paying AMA members. [1] That's down from about 75% in the 1950s. [1] https://www.physiciansweekly.com/is-the-ama-really-the-voice-of-physicians-in-the-us https://www.physiciansweekly.com/is-the-ama-really-the-voice...
- criddell 4y ago
  I had no idea they represented under 20% of doctors. I thought it was 3x that. Thanks for the information.
pyuser583 4y ago
The AMA is a private organization. It doesn’t represent anyone other than it’s leadership. Most doctors aren’t members. Anyone can create a group and call themselves a “professional organization.” Anti-abortion groups have their own ob/gyn association.

amelius 4y ago

> and the high cost of education Why don't they study abroad, e.g. in Europe, where education is more reasonably priced?

UnpossibleJim 4y ago
I was reading and, evidently (this is internet study, so take it with a grain of salt) it is very difficult to get a residency in an American hospital from a school that isn't in America. While you could do your residency in another country and then retake your tasts, I guess, and become a doctor here, I don't know if you would have to do another term of residency. I couldn't find that answer as easily. Also, studying abroad doesn't end up being that much cheaper if you aren't a citizen, so if you're from America it kind of ends up being a wash, it looks like =[