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This is exciting. I feel like the dreams of the internet are coming to life. It is allowing us to self-organise and hold democracy to account. These movements a
by richardburton 15y ago
This is exciting. I feel like the dreams of the internet are coming to life. It is allowing us to self-organise and hold democracy to account. These movements are happening everywhere.
My dad and his fellow surgeons were able to bend their private health-insurer over a barrel with large CC'd email. The insurer kept claiming that other surgeons they worked with were lowering their prices so one surgeon just emailed all the others and a movement was started. Every time the insurer tried to pressure one surgeon into buckling he would email the encounter to the list and instantly receive messages of support (The south-east is strong! - Scotland will not let the side down etc..). None of these surgeons are particularly computer-literate or internet-aware and yet they found a really convenient and powerful way to self-organise and beat a profit-focussed insurer. Win.
This is really exciting.
- yummyfajitas 15y agoWin. Well, it's a win for rich surgeons. It's a loss for customers who will be paying a higher price for insurance.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- doyoulikeworms 15y agoFunny how profit-seeking surgeons are OK, but insurance companies receive a not-so-subtle jab for their own, natural pursuit of profit. Sign of the times, I guess.
- reissbaker 15y agoThe difference is that the insurance company was lying to the surgeons in order to exploit them for profit.
- doyoulikeworms 15y agoIt's not entirely clear from the post. My interpretation was that the insurance company was making progress individually, but once all the surgeons started communicating freely, they realized that it would be in their best interest (more profit) if they colluded.
- jotto 15y agoWould this be considered price fixing by the surgeons? Is it even possible for a true market price to exist when insurers are involved?
- dantheman 15y agoIt's not a free market due to regulations and licensing and the AMA. The supply of doctors is artificially constrained to keep their pay high.
- doyoulikeworms 15y agoThere's also the fact that government is a huge player in the health care space, spending more on Medicare & Medicaid in 2010 than on the Department of Defense (simply making the comparison, as everyone understands that we spend a huge amount of money on war). As the State and its guilds scheme to reduce supply, which dantheman noted, the State also increases demand. This, of course, also raises costs.
- Peaker 15y agoMaybe this is why Congress is trying to kill the internet?