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How does the idea that the medical field, and especially big pharma are more interested in return customers than finding cures figure into your idea? I get the feeling you're talking about mundane medical issues rather than finding cures for diseases, as well as the medical field as a whole, but the question should fit into the "for profit" model discussion.
And no, I'm not talking about some grand conspiracy, but as with lightbulbs it makes sense to have a return customer base in a profit oriented business.
If we went completely free market, big pharma would focus on the type of drugs that are actually needed and that people could pay for. If a pharma company wanted to make money they'd have to develop drugs where there was a willing market and for-profit insurance companies would be incentivized to place pressure on the development of cures over treatment since treatment would cost them more money.
There would still be university research.
Under a complete government model, the government would simply allocate a certain amount of money to pay for a cure to X. If you develop the cure first then you get paid, if you don't...you don't.