Is *THIS* what is making medical care/insurance so expensive?

[agent00f]

The vast majority of medical services are not an emergency are planned in advance.

That's the problem with categorizing it as "insurance", when it's more like maintenance instead of a crash; since only the latter are typically considered events to insure against.

In any case the underlying issues is with cost for this maintenance, which only some entity powerful enough can do much about since individual players aren't in a position to make any dent; especially given there's hardly any alternative, like look for work that doesn't overpay for care to make a point to the market, or dying. That's why literally every first world peer with lower costs basically dictate them by fiat.

 

[Darwin333]

for profit healthcare is extremely stupid. unless they are having a sale on CT scans or w/e your ailment is. 50% off one large vaccine! TODAY ONLY!

Exactly what part of healthcare shouldn't be for-profit? The people who make medical devices? Drug manufacturers? Doctor offices? People who make bandages and stuff? Or just the insurance companies whose profits make up an absurdly insignificant portion of our overall healthcare spending?

 

[Darwin333]

In theory we could vote for "socialist" legislators who would deliver us single-payer like the rest of the advanced economies (and many developing countries) have.

But we're collectively too dumb for that, so we get the health care "system" that we deserve.

Again I ask, how will that fix the underlying problem of healthcare costs? Note that I am not arguing against single-payer, simply pointing out that the real underlying issue in our absurd healthcare costs aren't the insurers but the product that they are insuring.

 

[ImpulsE69]

the real underlying issue is greed. nothing wrong with making a profit...but that isn't what anyone in the healthcare industry wants. drug companies being involved in the stock market is a key problem.

 

[sm625]

Congratulations, you figured out our healthcare industry is a giant racket.

 

[agent00f]

Again I ask, how will that fix the underlying problem of healthcare costs? Note that I am not arguing against single-payer, simply pointing out that the real underlying issue in our absurd healthcare costs aren't the insurers but the product that they are insuring.

Single payer implies the gubmint which then has the power to dictate what they're willing to pay.

 

[gorcorps]

Yes, this is one of several reasons

 

[agent00f]

Yes, this is one of several reasons

Seems lower price is the key reason for lower cost.

 

[Darwin333]

Single payer implies the gubmint which then has the power to dictate what they're willing to pay.

Umm, they currently spend over a TRILLION dollars on healthcare, that's a shitload of "dictating power" right now.

 

[pete6032]

Umm, they currently spend over a TRILLION dollars on healthcare, that's a shitload of "dictating power" right now.

Have you seen the average Gen Xer? 50 lbs overweight and their only exercise is walking from the parking lot to the office. No desire to eat healthy or exercise.

 

[Xellos2099]

it is a combination of financial greed of drug maker, insurance company, AMA. Think of it as chain reaction of the highest order. AMA train very few doctor per year, thus keeping the supply low and price high. Insurance company is a step that "shouldn't" exist but it does and it is now a billion dollar industry and it will be hard if not impossible to dismantle. The days before health insurance health care are quite affordable unlike nowsday.

 

[Darwin333]

Have you seen the average Gen Xer? 50 lbs overweight and their only exercise is walking from the parking lot to the office. No desire to eat healthy or exercise.

So.... Still no real ability to reduce actual healthcare costs beyond an absurdly small percentage maybe?

 

[Slew Foot]

There are plenty of doctors in the US, its just that everyone wants to be doing boob jobs in Beverly HIlls, and no one wants to do Ob-Gyn in rural Mississippi.

Drug costs and bureaucrats sucking up all the money is why your health care is so expensive. Quit blaming the guy who's spending 2 AM on Christmas morning at the hospital putting some drunk guys leg back together.

 

[agent00f]

Umm, they currently spend over a TRILLION dollars on healthcare, that's a shitload of "dictating power" right now.

Evidently not, particularly in comparison to all other developed countries to which the contrast can't be more obvious. It's not as if there's any real controversy here outside the politics.

 

[WHAMPOM]

So, I need to pay from some medical stuff. Some testing. Get a load of this. The hospital tells me, if I pay for it out of pocket, I owe $400.83. But if I go through insurance, I owe $1,500. I ask how on earth this makes sense - if I went through insurance they should cover some of the $400.83 (at least to the extent my deductible was met), making my out of pocket something less than $400.83. But instead its over 300% more. I asked her how in the heck that could be, and she said it is because if I go through insurance they charge the insurance company the rates the hospital negotiated with the insurance company. Apparently if they don't the rate they charge me is much, much less.

What the hell is going on? Is this why medical costs and medical insurance are going up so fast? Hospitals know insurance will pay high rates, so they raise the prices to insurance companies through the roof, and insurance companies don't care because they know that both they, and their insurance competitors, will just raise the rates to the insured to cover the increased costs, and the insurance company won't be any worse off since all its competitors are doing the same thing?

My gawd, if that is what is going on somebody needs to stop this racket. Trump, I call on you, fix this issue NOW!!!!

You should check out the medical system used in Japan, prices are posted and due to their GOV negotiation are one tenth the price charged in the USA.

 

[Darwin333]

Evidently not, particularly in comparison to all other developed countries to which the contrast can't be more obvious. It's not as if there's any real controversy here outside the politics.

That's the point, it IS politics. States pay less for services on average with Medicaid than the feds do with Medicare so it's not like they can't negotiate but they choose not to. What in the world makes anyone believe that if we suddenly jumped to single-payer that it would be significantly different?

 

[Slew Foot]

That's the point, it IS politics. States pay less for services on average with Medicaid than the feds do with Medicare so it's not like they can't negotiate but they choose not to. What in the world makes anyone believe that if we suddenly jumped to single-payer that it would be significantly different?

I sure the pharma lobby and the hospital lobby would make sure that they would be exempt from any price negotiations.

 

[Darwin333]

I sure the pharma lobby and the hospital lobby would make sure that they would be exempt from any price negotiations.

Hell the Pharma lobby has made sure that we can't even import the same exact drugs that they actually make, like make themselves, from other first world countries. You can currently illegally import, from legit pharmacies mind you, non-narcotic drugs from Canada for sometimes 10 times less than even insured people can purchase them for in the US.

Point in case, I have a buddy that buys a diabetes med from a Canadian pharmacy. It's called jand.... something or another, he has insurance but they don't cover it. His price for a 30 day supply in the US is around $350 at the cheapest but he gets a 90 day supply from Canada for $60 or $70 with shipping. They require a prescription and everything just like a regular pharmacy too.

 

[Slew Foot]

Yeah, the pharma industry has totally paid off congress, even the democrats. There was a bill earlier this year to allow imports from Canada, but a bunch of Dems said no.