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One of the author's points was that if United took no profit, it could only very slightly increase services. The only ethical thing that Thompson could have do

One of the author's points was that if United took no profit, it could only very slightly increase services. The only ethical thing that Thompson could have done is advocated for the dissolution of his and his competitors' firms, which would have had him out of a job quickly. The actual problem is the system where United exists at all. Health insurance provides exceedingly little value for a very high cost. One issue now is that being in the way of healthcare is now so large as to have its own gravity. Just healthcare administration (no caregiving or treatment) is now about 2% of GDP itself. Restructuring healthcare would mean tens of thousands out of a job.

tptacek 2y ago
No, you've misapprehended the critique; in fact, your comment here isn't even coherent. If you eliminate United altogether, you get a grocery store circular discount on health care; in other words: health care is still altogether too expensive. So the "actual problem" can't be the system supporting health insurance; the problem has to be elsewhere. It's not hard to see where it is! Go look up the 2022 NHE, which includes a giant spreadsheet breaking down where all the spending is in the system (you want the "by type and program" sheet).
- zeven7 2y ago
  This comment is a riddle. Say it plainly.
  - tptacek 2y ago
    "Insurers are clearly not the problem with our health care system, as you can plainly see from the NHE."
    - gsf_emergency 2y ago
      Like this one?: https://www.macpac.gov/publication/national-health-expenditures-by-type-and-payer/ https://www.macpac.gov/publication/national-health-expenditu... Looked at the table and could not plainly see the problem. Would imagine that time series presented like with an analog of Tim Morgan's Energy cost of Energy for energy markets might help..
apothegm 2y ago
So a fraction of the number of tech employees out of a job in the last couple years due to interest rate increases and AI panic? What’s the problem, again?
- jnwatson 2y ago
  IT unemployment is currently under 4% because the folks that got laid off found new jobs. If you eliminate an entire industry, the unemployed will have a tougher time finding a new job. The dislocation would be far larger than the tech layoff.
FollowingTheDao 2y ago
> The only ethical thing that Thompson could have done is advocated for the dissolution of his and his competitors' firms, which would have had him out of a job quickly. Since UHC is a publicly traded company, this action would actually be illegal sice teh CEO's job is to protect the shareholder. I can image many people here have stock in these companies. So, tell me who is responsible? There is greed everywhere you look if you are honest with yourself.

tptacek 2y ago

No, you've misapprehended the critique; in fact, your comment here isn't even coherent. If you eliminate United altogether, you get a grocery store circular discount on health care; in other words: health care is still altogether too expensive. So the "actual problem" can't be the system supporting health insurance; the problem has to be elsewhere. It's not hard to see where it is! Go look up the 2022 NHE, which includes a giant spreadsheet breaking down where all the spending is in the system (you want the "by type and program" sheet).

zeven7 2y ago
This comment is a riddle. Say it plainly.
- tptacek 2y ago
  "Insurers are clearly not the problem with our health care system, as you can plainly see from the NHE."
  - gsf_emergency 2y ago
    Like this one?: https://www.macpac.gov/publication/national-health-expenditures-by-type-and-payer/ https://www.macpac.gov/publication/national-health-expenditu... Looked at the table and could not plainly see the problem. Would imagine that time series presented like with an analog of Tim Morgan's Energy cost of Energy for energy markets might help..

apothegm 2y ago

So a fraction of the number of tech employees out of a job in the last couple years due to interest rate increases and AI panic? What’s the problem, again?

jnwatson 2y ago
IT unemployment is currently under 4% because the folks that got laid off found new jobs. If you eliminate an entire industry, the unemployed will have a tougher time finding a new job. The dislocation would be far larger than the tech layoff.

FollowingTheDao 2y ago

> The only ethical thing that Thompson could have done is advocated for the dissolution of his and his competitors' firms, which would have had him out of a job quickly. Since UHC is a publicly traded company, this action would actually be illegal sice teh CEO's job is to protect the shareholder. I can image many people here have stock in these companies. So, tell me who is responsible? There is greed everywhere you look if you are honest with yourself.