How do you feel about X in your country?

[VAMatt]

the-pi-guy said:

VAMatt said:
Healthcare in the US is great in terms of quality, but way too expensive. This is squarely the fault of government, who drives up the prices with regulations that dictate every tiny detail. I'd like government to stay completely out of it, so that more Americans could afford the great healthcare that exists here.

As for gun control, I think the US is in decent shape. There's a little more infringement on one's right to bear arms than there should be. But, in comparison with much of the rest of the world, we're in good shape here.

This is not why.  One big reason is healthcare administration is expensive is because they have to deal with many, many insurance companies.  

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/080615/6-reasons-healthcare-so-expensive-us.asp

"The number one reason our healthcare costs are so high, says Harvard economist David Cutler, is that “the administrative costs of running our healthcare system are astronomical. About one quarter of healthcare cost is associated with administration, which is far higher than in any other country.” 

One example Cutler brought up in a discussion on this topic with National Public Radio was the 1,300 billing clerks at Duke University Hospital, which has only 900 beds. Those billing specialists are needed to determine how to bill to meet the varying requirements of multiple insurers. Canada and other countries that have a single-payer system don’t require this level of staffing to administer healthcare."

 

Drug costs could be reduced by having fewer government regulations, but it'd be at the cost of having dangerous medicines flood the US.

I'm not going to get into an argument with you about it here.  But, your statement is both true and false.   

Administration costs are extremely high in the USA.  That's true.  And, it is due, in large part, to regulatory compliance.  Those multiple insurance companies that providers have to deal with - they all have a mountain of rules to follow in each state, some localities, and federally.  That means they have to collect a ton of info from every claimant.  They're legally required to have burdensome processes. etc, etc, etc.  

(It should also be noted that there are now three or fewer major insurers per state, on average)

As for drug prices...... its a hell of a lot more expensive to bring drugs to market in the USA than anywhere else in the world.  Yet, nobody on planet earth is experiencing an epidemic of unsafe (legal) drugs.  So, lowering costs would not result in a significant drop in safety.