07-01-2008, 03:47 PM
The problem with our healthcare system (though saying that our "outcomes are worse" is an outright lie) is that unlike any other industry in our economy, the person making the buying decision (the patient) is not the one paying for the service (that is the gov or insurance co).
Patients do not even have a clue what is the price when they have the service. Therefore, there is absolutely no incentive for anyone to utilize any leverage to negotiate the price down at purchase. The only thing that will actually begin to lower healthcare costs is to make patients pay for the care directly. HSAs work this way. I pay the first $1,500 out of pocket (annual checkups are covered for free), and then after that it becomes a standard insurance plan).
If people had to pay money out of pocket, they would use less needless care, and leverage their buying power at point of care (actually before point of care) MORE federal intrusion will not only NOT help the underlying lack of pricing transparency issue, but it will make it worse since at least private insurance companies will want to drive costs down to grow profits. The government is accountable to no one when they can not control their spending (hello $10 trillion debt).
And "truthout" is anything but some "interesting blog" which compares candidates. It's balanced like Keith Olberman and Bill O'Reilly are balanced.
Patients do not even have a clue what is the price when they have the service. Therefore, there is absolutely no incentive for anyone to utilize any leverage to negotiate the price down at purchase. The only thing that will actually begin to lower healthcare costs is to make patients pay for the care directly. HSAs work this way. I pay the first $1,500 out of pocket (annual checkups are covered for free), and then after that it becomes a standard insurance plan).
If people had to pay money out of pocket, they would use less needless care, and leverage their buying power at point of care (actually before point of care) MORE federal intrusion will not only NOT help the underlying lack of pricing transparency issue, but it will make it worse since at least private insurance companies will want to drive costs down to grow profits. The government is accountable to no one when they can not control their spending (hello $10 trillion debt).
And "truthout" is anything but some "interesting blog" which compares candidates. It's balanced like Keith Olberman and Bill O'Reilly are balanced.