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Kasz216 on 16 January 2010
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TheRealMafoo said:
Rath said:
The problems I see with healthcare in America from an observers point of view (costwise that is).

1) You pay people way too much. (like doctors)

2) Big pharma seems to have you guys by the throat more than in other places

3) Lawsuits.


Is that an accurate set of reasons for why your healthcare costs are obscenely high?

I agree with #3, partly #2, and not so much #1.

I think the, by far, biggest issue is we just don't live healthy lifestyles. 

I don't mind what Pharma charges for drugs, but laws need to change on how long they can have a patent on that drug. If someone invents a cure for something that without them spending the money would not exist, desirves to get paid for it. After a few years however, cheaper versions need to be produced.

I think another big problem is just... people don't shop around.

Different companies will quote you way different amounts for healthcare, a cheaper healthcare company for 20 somethings may be really expensive for people over 60 etc.

 

To cut costs and prices a lot of insurance companies focus on one specific demographic. 

They focus on making that demographics healthcare affordable by making deals specifically for that group and making their good deals specifically on that group's care and then once the contract is in play, they raise the prices on everyone but that group to try and "force" those people to jump to another insurance provider that specializes in their kind of treatment. 


Problem is, most people just sit there, take the increases and just assume all healthcare is getting that much more expensive.

Heck, that happened to me until I heard a friend of mine jumped to another insurance plan that was 40% cheaper AND had more benefits.

 

That's what makes the "public exchange" Idea interesting... but my god.  That doesn't take billions of dollars.

That just takes a website.  I mean hell, car insurance companies do it.

 

There are people out there who can't afford health insurance... mostly people who already have or were born with major illnesses, people who qualify for medicare yet don't apply to it, and people who are slightly above the welfare limit. 

Really all we need is to slightly raise the welfare limit, find a way to increase medicare enrolling... and we're about done outside of figuring out what to do with people born with major illnesses or people who develop major illnesses after choosing to not get healthcare.