It isn't just individual patient interests but rather everyone. For example providing sporting facilities at schools and exercise/active activity facilities fo

It isn't just individual patient interests but rather everyone. For example providing sporting facilities at schools and exercise/active activity facilities for everyone would do a lot to improve overall group health. Making cities more walkable would do a lot too. But right now my primary care doctor (who is most valuable to me) gets paid zero when I am healthy and more the more tests and procedures she does. Other specialists only get paid when I am referred to them. Drug manufacturers only get paid when their items are prescribed. Essentially compensation is based on consumption not on wellbeing which is why the system is so messed up. The US market definitely needs to be split into two. A baseline coverage that is based on wellbeing, effectiveness and does take price into account, done by the government available to all residents. It is easiest to gather the money via taxes (which already happens to a large degree) and to provide the actual care via combinations of government employees/facilities and contractors. And a top up private system where the people who want to pay for or provide gold plated coverage and procedures can do so (in addition to the base). Most countries have different systems which amounts to running experiments in effectiveness and efficient. Heck worst case just do what the French do http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_France