3 ms·

It's not just specialists that are expensive, though. The ER is expensive. You cannot price compare during a medical crisis. It's also weird to think that some

It's not just specialists that are expensive, though. The ER is expensive. You cannot price compare during a medical crisis. It's also weird to think that someone with a rare, degenerative illness should have to evaluate whether their quality or length of life is "worth" the money that a specific specialist will cost. This isn't cosmetic surgery comparison shopping. This is "this Doctor has experience with my rare neurological condition, has published papers on it, and has shown success in designing care plans for people like me."

timr 1y ago
> It's also weird to think that someone with a rare, degenerative illness should have to evaluate whether their quality or length of life is "worth" the money that a specific specialist will cost. Except...you absolutely should, and it isn't weird at all. If I tell you that experimental treatment X for rare illness Y will cost you an enormous amount of money, and carries a low chance of benefit, would you buy it? [1] Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't, but the choice exists, and someone is making it. [1] You can make it more complex and human, of course: most medical interventions not only cost money, but also carry serious risks. Maybe you would choose to spend an enormous amount of money, but would you also choose to take a treatment that will leave you deathly ill for the remainder of your life in exchange for 1 extra day?
- ceejayoz 1y ago
  > If I tell you that experimental treatment X for rare illness Y will cost you an enormous amount of money, and carries a low chance of benefit, would you buy it? This isn't theoretical. People do exactly this. https://www.newsweek.com/doctor-sold-fake-miracle-cures-nearly-750k-lawsuit-1688658 https://www.newsweek.com/doctor-sold-fake-miracle-cures-near...
- _DeadFred_ 1y ago
  Then be honest in society. Last time the proponents of the current system talked, they implied changing anything would result in 'death panels' that would do what you are saying. So which is it? The current system results in death panels, or prevents them? Because this is a total change from what was sold to the American public.
  - labcomputer 1y ago
    "Death panels" is an unfortunate name, but they exist in all systems. The current system in my country and your country has them. Any future system in either our countries will have them. It does not matter if the system is public or private. They are simply not avoidable unless you have literally (literally literally, not figuratively literally) an unlimited budget. No country or system has unlimited resources.
    - _DeadFred_ 1y ago
      The thing is in the USA we were specifically told by our politicians if we change from the current system we will have death panels. And that we have to stay on our current system so that we can avoid death panels.
labcomputer 1y ago
> It's also weird to think that someone with a rare, degenerative illness should have to evaluate whether their quality or length of life is "worth" the money that a specific specialist will cost. But all countries do that cost-benefit analysis all the time. Not every procedure or medication will be administered to the patient, even when those procedures and medications have been approved for use in a particular country.

timr 1y ago

> It's also weird to think that someone with a rare, degenerative illness should have to evaluate whether their quality or length of life is "worth" the money that a specific specialist will cost. Except...you absolutely should, and it isn't weird at all. If I tell you that experimental treatment X for rare illness Y will cost you an enormous amount of money, and carries a low chance of benefit, would you buy it? [1] Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't, but the choice exists, and someone is making it. [1] You can make it more complex and human, of course: most medical interventions not only cost money, but also carry serious risks. Maybe you would choose to spend an enormous amount of money, but would you also choose to take a treatment that will leave you deathly ill for the remainder of your life in exchange for 1 extra day?

ceejayoz 1y ago
> If I tell you that experimental treatment X for rare illness Y will cost you an enormous amount of money, and carries a low chance of benefit, would you buy it? This isn't theoretical. People do exactly this. https://www.newsweek.com/doctor-sold-fake-miracle-cures-nearly-750k-lawsuit-1688658 https://www.newsweek.com/doctor-sold-fake-miracle-cures-near...
_DeadFred_ 1y ago
Then be honest in society. Last time the proponents of the current system talked, they implied changing anything would result in 'death panels' that would do what you are saying. So which is it? The current system results in death panels, or prevents them? Because this is a total change from what was sold to the American public.
- labcomputer 1y ago
  "Death panels" is an unfortunate name, but they exist in all systems. The current system in my country and your country has them. Any future system in either our countries will have them. It does not matter if the system is public or private. They are simply not avoidable unless you have literally (literally literally, not figuratively literally) an unlimited budget. No country or system has unlimited resources.
  - _DeadFred_ 1y ago
    The thing is in the USA we were specifically told by our politicians if we change from the current system we will have death panels. And that we have to stay on our current system so that we can avoid death panels.

labcomputer 1y ago

> It's also weird to think that someone with a rare, degenerative illness should have to evaluate whether their quality or length of life is "worth" the money that a specific specialist will cost. But all countries do that cost-benefit analysis all the time. Not every procedure or medication will be administered to the patient, even when those procedures and medications have been approved for use in a particular country.