Healthcare isn't a business, it's peoples lives

[vlad321]

Viper1 said:

mrstickball said:
Sam - I think they do pay full price.

Of course, we now have the wide, wonderful world of generic prescriptions, which are rapidly driving down costs.

What used to cost $50 per 30 day supply now costs $5. Free market economics

This is exactly along the lines of what I was speaking of before.

Despite having multiple companies in every facet of health care, the principles of free economic capitalism do not exist for most fo it.

This brand name vs generic prescription example just illustrates how drastic the costs can be reduced when free market capitalism is allowed to work properly.

 

Other problems with the American health care system is actually over caring.   For some reason, Americans run to the emergency room for damn near everything.  Paper cut? Call an ambulance.   It's documented that we use our emergency rooms far more than any other nation AND for more frivilous purposes.  This is compounded by having the most follow ups (come back next week and we'll see how that paper cut is doing).   Another issue is no open wards.  Every patient is in a room with no more than 1 other patient; most are in private rooms.  It's also noted that every manner of personnel is paid higher than any other nation.  Let's not forget malpractice isurance for the doctors themselves.  That cost has skyrocketed the past decade.  On offshoot of this is the issuance of non-necessary tests and scans just to be extra thorough to avoid malpractice lawsuits.

 

The Regression Equation of GDP per capita and health care speing per capita suggest the US should be paying $4,819 (2006 figures) but we actually paid $6,714 (2006 figures) - way higher than any other developed nation.   What I noted above is the reasons why.

 

 

 

Again, maybe some, if not many of the deadlier illnesses (i.e. cancer, aids, etc.) for which we don't have a cure, will have a single way of being healed. Now, as I said earlier, patent the drug and you have exclusive rights to it for 20 years to do with whatever. No one else can produce it, nothing. So... WHAT free market economy there? Please illustrate to me how your system would work under these conditions. And remember, this is a business that is the only one that can produce something that is extremely needed by many people. Do you honestly believe they will drive down their price and allow everyone use of it, cause I sure as hell don't.

Businesses and ncesseities (and I mean actual necessities) DO NOT MIX.