3 ms·
> I feel like scrutinizing the industry for a 2-3% error on an obviously difficult problem is exactly why we pay so much in the United States for health care A
by throw-qqqqq 1y ago
> I feel like scrutinizing the industry for a 2-3% error on an obviously difficult problem is exactly why we pay so much in the United States for health care
All research I’ve read on this topic finds that it is the US legal system that causes the crazy prices (incentivizing more testing to cover-your-ass and avoid liability etc.)
Many comparative studies on health care cost and quality use the US military as a proxy, as it is free on the condition that you cannot litigate (very coarsely; it is more nuanced).
The costs for treating US military personel is much closer to other countries (while treatment quality remains equal).
- neffy 1y agoIt´s not just the legal system. A lot of US Doctors are typically paid on a piece rate basis, and the medical records systems are extremely fragmented, so there is an incentive to order repeat tests (as you get passed around from specialist to specialist), and no incentive to put the systems in to make that unnecessary.
- red-iron-pine 1y agoI believe your points, but give me a source.
- nradov 1y agoThat is a factor but a relatively small one. Several US states have instituted limits on medical malpractice liability and that has had only a small impact on total healthcare system costs. It's often the patients themselves (or family members) who insist on trying every possible diagnostic test, and even with the growth of evidence-based medicine we still don't have clear clinical practice guidelines covering many of those situations.