The cost of health insurance and health care in America are not problems. They are symptoms. Universal health care treats these symptoms but not the underlying causes. To fix health care in America requires several steps.
1. Eliminate government-regulated health care monopolies.
Seriously. Why can't we buy health insurance out-of-state? There is absolutely no reason for this to exist except for lining the pockets of insurance companies. Let people buy insurance from any company in any state across the nation. Given the opportunity to buy cheap insurance in other states, people will flock toward lower-cost insurance providers. The "invisible hand" of the market will (hopefully) ***** slap the insurance execs who have flourished under anti-competitive policies.
2. Remove all licensing restrictions on doctors and hospitals.
Simple supply-and-demand economics here. Make licensing an elective process rather than a mandatory. This will allow more doctors into the market. More supply equates to a decrease in cost. Likewise, what the **** is up with hospitals requiring permits to be built? That's a bunch of bull**** right there.
3. Drastically alter how drug patenting functions.
Sorry, folks, but we need heavy, heavy restrictions on how this works. Patents are a government-granted monopoly on drugs that prevent the free market from working. Once a drug can be made generic, costs drastically plummet due to competition.
4. Tort reform.
And lots of it. Malpractice insurance is too expensive as-is (meaning that doctors charge more for procedures to pay for this out-of-pocket expense), and defensive medicine drives up the demand for medical services. Greater demand equates to higher price.
5. Institute a public option.
Yes. We need one. People with pre-existing conditions need to be able to afford health insurance. If you don't like it, tough. Part of being a first-world country means that you sacrifice the freedoms of anarchy for a better society.
__________________ Ask me about my "obvious and unpleasant agenda of hatred."
I believe in the principle of following evidence rather than guesswork, and nothing is more obvious than the fact that single payer consistently creates better results than hybrid or purely private systems.
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
Gender: Unspecified Location: With Cinderella and the 9 Dwarves
That's of course not true, at all. Even your WHO (whose metrics you know I am not quite in love with) states France to have the best health care system in the world...a hybrid system.
Hybrid systems can be as good, and often even better if done right. Because you can get the general safety for everyone as well as faster help from better doctors.
Additionally they tend to pay better for themselves.
I quite agree with the points Zeal raised, people need to be insured, but it shouldn't be at the expense of a functioning system. The biggest problem the US has is government backed monopolies.
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
I have little complaint with the Canadian Health Care system, which is universal. We look and wonder why the USA can't fix such a basic problem.
Just remember Bulworth's rap about medicare and the insurance companies: "Do it the Canadian way!...C'mon say that dirty word...Socialism...SOCIALISM..."
__________________
"I'm not smart so much as I am not dumb." - Harlan Ellison
I can see removing licensing for hospitals. Doctors, not so much.
You can't really just declare that all drugs are going to be generic now. If the maker doesn't get exclusive use for a while then there's much less motive to sink tremendous amounts of money into development. Kill patents and corporations will keep their trade secrets in a different way, probably causing considerable inconvenience or expense.
Tort reform is usually a good idea, so, agreed.
[sarcastic joke relating to libertarianism]
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Graffiti outside Latin class.
Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
A juvenal prank.
Listen, buddy. American will swell its military to ridiculous proportions, invade anyone they deem an as "evildoers", support who they wish and police who the **** they like (someone has to do it; you should be thankful America foots the bill).
Mock if you will, but wait until China starts policing the world, you faggy Euro bitches will be crying for America to stick its poop-covered penis back in the world's business.
KMC Community Forums
Sep 3rd, 2010 06:39 AM
