America needs a free market healthcare system

[superpunch]

Costs are out of control. A tylenol can cost like $500 at a hospital, right? That is outrageous. We need free market competition. That way, you can go to the hospital that charges $1 for a tylenol. Then the other hospital has to charge $1 or it goes out of business. This is free market competition.

 

[kahiljabroni]

Very simplistic but true. There are no market forces pushing prices down whatsoever.

 

[curryjunkie]

 

[JosephDredd]

Lol if only one of these hospitals tried to charge less their competition would be destroyed and they could take over! By jove, Holmes! That's brilliant!

 

[xcvbn]

Costs are out of control. A tylenol can cost like $500 at a hospital, right? That is outrageous. We need free market competition. That way, you can go to the hospital that charges $1 for a tylenol. Then the other hospital has to charge $1 or it goes out of business. This is free market competition.

Or, without regulation, hospitals and medical groups will collude together and agree to not compete in order to keep costs high.

Until it's illegal to profit on a person's health, health care costs will continue to be absurd.

 

[panamaican]

hmm, does that mean no more corporate tax breaks for providing health insurance plans to their employees? No more medical deductions on individual tax returns? The end of health savings accounts too?

Does this mean no more government underwriting residency programs?

Or are we only talking about the hospitals?

 

[HatchetHarry]

Or, without regulation, hospitals and medical groups will collude together and agree to not compete in order to keep costs high.

Until it's illegal to profit on a person's health, health care costs will continue to be absurd.

Very simplistic view. Profiting off peoples health is the primary reason innovation occurs. Healthcare costs are fine.

 

[Jack V Savage]

hmm, does that mean no more corporate tax breaks for providing health insurance plans to their employees? No more medical deductions on individual tax returns? The end of health savings accounts too?

Does this mean no more government underwriting residency programs?

Or are we only talking about the hospitals?

Other ways to make markets freer would be to stop requiring doctors be licensed (or at least make it easier) and stop enforcing IP claims. Also allow anyone who wants to to open a hospital anywhere they want.

 

[xcvbn]

Very simplistic view. Profiting off peoples health is the primary reason innovation occurs. Healthcare costs are fine.

 

[HatchetHarry]

People look at expensive cases and expensive medications.

The clinic I am at charges $50 for a visit for uninsured and you can get a full basic blood panel for $70. Standard meds like Metformin and Metoprolol are free at Publix.

The ER I am at has an average price of like $20k which isn’t unreasonable for an emergency.

 

[xcvbn]

People look at expensive cases and expensive medications.

The clinic I am at charges $50 for a visit for uninsured and you can get a full basic blood panel for $70. Standard meds like Metformin and Metoprolol are free at Publix.

The ER I am at has an average price of like $20k which isn’t unreasonable for an emergency.

Umm, shelling out $20k is pretty unreasonable for the vast majority of Americans. Probably less than 5% can afford that without going into debt.

 

[HatchetHarry]

Umm, shelling out $20k is pretty unreasonable for the vast majority of Americans. Probably less than 5% can afford that without going into debt.

It’s not unreasonable for an “emergency”. Uninsured patients get an 88% discount and are able to finance the remainder. If you want to lower that cost then we need to get rid of EMTALA and stop taking people on entitlement programs like Medicaid with poor reimbursement which drives up the price for everyone.

“Emergency” for most people equals back pain which has been present for years, sore throats, ran out of narcotics at home, etc.

People who don’t work in healthcare cannot comment on the current situation

 

[Deleted member 159002]

Costs are out of control. A tylenol can cost like $500 at a hospital, right? That is outrageous. We need free market competition. That way, you can go to the hospital that charges $1 for a tylenol. Then the other hospital has to charge $1 or it goes out of business. This is free market competition.

Free market healthcare means people who are already disadvantaged in their pursuits of happiness (chronic, expensive ailments) having their misery compounded by having to spend a large portion of their resources just to stay alive and/or reduce pain.

 

[xcvbn]

It’s not unreasonable for an “emergency”. Uninsured patients get an 88% discount and are able to finance the remainder. If you want to lower that cost then we need to get rid of EMTALA and stop taking people on entitlement programs like Medicaid with poor reimbursement which drives up the price for everyone.

“Emergency” for most people equals back pain which has been present for years, sore throats, ran out of narcotics at home, etc.

People who don’t work in healthcare cannot comment on the current situation

How about people, like myself, who shell out $20k/year for the privilege to have health insurance? Can I comment on the current situation of the health care industry ramming its massive cock in my ass? How dare I question it right?

Fuck you.

 

[zebby23]

It’s not unreasonable for an “emergency”. Uninsured patients get an 88% discount and are able to finance the remainder. If you want to lower that cost then we need to get rid of EMTALA and stop taking people on entitlement programs like Medicaid with poor reimbursement which drives up the price for everyone.

“Emergency” for most people equals back pain which has been present for years, sore throats, ran out of narcotics at home, etc.

People who don’t work in healthcare cannot comment on the current situation

Can't comment? I had a kidney stone which needed to be surgically removed, was in the hospital for 3 days and the bill was $40,000. Granted I have good insurance but my portion was still $8,000.

No matter how you slice it $40,000 for a 3 day stay in the hospital with a VERY minor surgery is

 

[Higus]

Sigh...

People have way too much faith in the free market.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

Or we can emulate every other first world nation and drop this free market bullshit and have a working HC system that is cheaper and better for the entire nation.

 

[oleDirtyBast4rd]

Or, without regulation, hospitals and medical groups will collude together and agree to not compete in order to keep costs high.

Isn't collusion of this sort already illegal? Not saying people dont do it, but I was under the impression this is already illegal

 

[Black Helicopters]

Other ways to make markets freer would be to stop requiring doctors be licensed (or at least make it easier) and stop enforcing IP claims. Also allow anyone who wants to to open a hospital anywhere they want.

It's sad that this is one of those things that people haven't gotten used to and probably would never back because they think that every phony is gonna become a doctor when all you would have to do is take a little time to research who you are going to see, or that there are no protections for patients like medical malpractice lawsuits

 

[oleDirtyBast4rd]

Sigh...

People have way too much faith in the free market.

I have more faith in the free market then the government, that is for damn sure.

How much do you think it costs to build a micro park for the state? 5 million dollars. How much does it cost to COMPLETELY landscape your backyard, complete with exotic plants and shrubbery? Probably 100k-200k if you really went extravagant.

There is no excuse. The red tape, and everybody taking a cut (of fucking tax money!!) Drives the cost up to ridiculous levels