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I'd be more inclined to sympathy if it were not for the well-documented fact that the overwhelming majority of healthcare-related legislation is drafted by lobb

I'd be more inclined to sympathy if it were not for the well-documented fact that the overwhelming majority of healthcare-related legislation is drafted by lobby groups working on behalf of the health insurance industry. They literally designed the legislative framework that incentivizes shit medical outcomes. Hell, the mere existence of their business model creates moral hazard.

jaredklewis 2y ago
It is par for the course that businesses will lobby for their interests. That doesn't excuse our representatives for selling us out for a steak dinner and a first class flight to the Bahamas or whatever. We must holder our leaders to a higher standard than that. The anger here on HN seems focused on the greed of the insurance companies, but that corporations tend to optimize for profit should surprise exactly no one. Where's the anger at our corrupt government? To be be 100% clear, I'm not saying don't blame or criticize insurance companies executives. I'm saying that only blaming the insurance companies implicitly gives a free pass to our representatives who pass laws written by lobbyists. That is both unfair and counter productive, since the government is actually in a position to fix these issues.
- forgetfreeman 2y ago
  We're in violent agreement here.
- jjulius 2y ago
  >The anger here on HN seems focused on the greed of the insurance companies, but that corporations tend to optimize for profit should surprise exactly no one. Where's the anger at our corrupt government? I imagine the anger is on them because one of them was murdered this week. I think a lot of us recognize that this isn't a black-and-white issue and that there's a lot of blame to go around. But when something like this happens to a specific part of the issue, of course we're likely to hone in on that in the immediate short-term.

jaredklewis 2y ago

It is par for the course that businesses will lobby for their interests. That doesn't excuse our representatives for selling us out for a steak dinner and a first class flight to the Bahamas or whatever. We must holder our leaders to a higher standard than that. The anger here on HN seems focused on the greed of the insurance companies, but that corporations tend to optimize for profit should surprise exactly no one. Where's the anger at our corrupt government? To be be 100% clear, I'm not saying don't blame or criticize insurance companies executives. I'm saying that only blaming the insurance companies implicitly gives a free pass to our representatives who pass laws written by lobbyists. That is both unfair and counter productive, since the government is actually in a position to fix these issues.

forgetfreeman 2y ago
We're in violent agreement here.
jjulius 2y ago
>The anger here on HN seems focused on the greed of the insurance companies, but that corporations tend to optimize for profit should surprise exactly no one. Where's the anger at our corrupt government? I imagine the anger is on them because one of them was murdered this week. I think a lot of us recognize that this isn't a black-and-white issue and that there's a lot of blame to go around. But when something like this happens to a specific part of the issue, of course we're likely to hone in on that in the immediate short-term.