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You think the kind of regulations that are being discussed in this thread are good things? They don’t seem to benefit anyone but insurance companies. Tell me, w

You think the kind of regulations that are being discussed in this thread are good things? They don’t seem to benefit anyone but insurance companies. Tell me, why shouldn’t you be able to walk into a doctor’s office and they be able to tell you how much a test costs? I wonder what regulation makes that impossible and what intended good it is supposed to make possible.

lostlogin 3y ago
> Tell me, why shouldn’t you be able to walk into a doctor’s office and they be able to tell you how much a test costs? I can. I live in New Zealand. Medical practice here is plenty regulated and complying with these regulations is a meaningful percentage of my day job. Not all of it is worthwhile, lots is.
- brigandish 3y ago
  I'm glad to hear that, even if it's not particularly relevant to this thread, but still worthwhile hearing about. It doesn't clear up why you think a free market and regulations are opposites.
  - Klinky 3y ago
    A literal free market is one without regulation. If you want a regulated market, don't call it a free market.
    - fragmede 3y ago
      No, that's anarchy. A free market is one where market forces are allowed to work. A market captured by monopolists and anti-competitive agreements is not free at all. Take a small market store selling product A and product B. Whichever sells more at a given price wins more profit, great. Free market forces are at work. But then (anything goes, after all) the manufacture for A comes in and says to the store owner: if you sell product B we'll firebomb your market and kill your dog. So then the small market stops selling product B. Now, the small market only sells product A and at a huge markup. Is product A actually better? Does the consumer win? Regulations are necessary so the manufacture of A can't do that and make sure that the market is actually free.
      - Klinky 3y ago
        That's a well-regulated market not a free market. I completely agree that regulation is needed, and better by the people than by the biggest bully in the market.

lostlogin 3y ago

> Tell me, why shouldn’t you be able to walk into a doctor’s office and they be able to tell you how much a test costs? I can. I live in New Zealand. Medical practice here is plenty regulated and complying with these regulations is a meaningful percentage of my day job. Not all of it is worthwhile, lots is.

brigandish 3y ago
I'm glad to hear that, even if it's not particularly relevant to this thread, but still worthwhile hearing about. It doesn't clear up why you think a free market and regulations are opposites.
- Klinky 3y ago
  A literal free market is one without regulation. If you want a regulated market, don't call it a free market.
  - fragmede 3y ago
    No, that's anarchy. A free market is one where market forces are allowed to work. A market captured by monopolists and anti-competitive agreements is not free at all. Take a small market store selling product A and product B. Whichever sells more at a given price wins more profit, great. Free market forces are at work. But then (anything goes, after all) the manufacture for A comes in and says to the store owner: if you sell product B we'll firebomb your market and kill your dog. So then the small market stops selling product B. Now, the small market only sells product A and at a huge markup. Is product A actually better? Does the consumer win? Regulations are necessary so the manufacture of A can't do that and make sure that the market is actually free.
    - Klinky 3y ago
      That's a well-regulated market not a free market. I completely agree that regulation is needed, and better by the people than by the biggest bully in the market.