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Most analysis of single payer versus the status quo suggest we'd all be saving money hand over fist. Sure the government is not the most efficient, but private
by asdff 4y ago
Most analysis of single payer versus the status quo suggest we'd all be saving money hand over fist. Sure the government is not the most efficient, but private companies are often even more inefficient unless you are a shareholder and your metrics for efficiency are profit versus the wellbeing of your customers.
- refurb 4y ago"Most analyses"? United Healthcare, the largest US insurer, has more members than the entire population of Canada. Why don't they get better drug prices than Canada? And in terms of efficiency, please list all the new, innovative drugs the government has brought to market.
- JamesBarney 4y agoSingle payer systems are not more efficient at producing drugs, they just pay less for drugs by virtue of being a monopsony buyer. If we had a single payer system we would pay less for drugs, but we'd also have less drugs. This is probably a good tradeoff in the short term, and a bad one in the long run. If you get a disease today that has a significantly better prognosis than 20 years ago, what's the most likely reason? Better drugs. What is only 10% of our healthcare expenses, drugs. I don't think we should be so quick to cut funding to a sliver of healthcare expenses that is driving 90% of the progress.