Why Are American Health Care Costs So High?
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In which John discusses the complicated reasons why the United States spends so much more on health care than any other country in the world, and along the way reveals some surprising information, including that Americans spend more of their tax dollars on public health care than people in Canada, the UK, or Australia. Who's at fault? Insurance companies? Drug companies? Malpractice lawyers? Hospitals? Or is it more complicated than a simple blame game? (Hint: It's that one.) For a much more thorough examination of health care expenses in America, I recommend this series at The Incidental Economist: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/what-makes-the-us-health-care-system-so-expensive-introduction/ The Commonwealth Fund's Study of Health Care Prices in the US: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Issue%20Brief/2012/May/1595_Squires_explaining_high_hlt_care_spending_intl_brief.pdf Some of the stats in this video also come from this New York Times story: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/health/colonoscopies-explain-why-us-leads-the-world-in-health-expenditures.html?pagewanted=all This is the first part in what will be a periodic series on health care costs and reforms leading up to the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, in 2014.
Comments
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IMHO the biggest way to lower medical costs is to abolish med insurance; then limit what lawyers can make out of it; then fight price-gouging. doctors cud be obligated to provide some pro bono service to poor persons based on the fact that they themselves were subsidized in their medical training.
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How cud there be many competing artificial hip makers if only 1 got the contract?
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The hole dug is doctor's & hospital & insurance profit bank accounts, not to mention lawyers
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Let's see if Trump can get a handle on exorbitant medical bills.
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The legal expenses are astronomical -- cases drag on while lawyers insist on huge payments from those suing, or they get huge contingency payments.
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If it were not for insurance, doctors & hospitals cud not charge more than the market would bear. Having a 3rd party pay changes the dynamic; this is like govt backed student loans which drive up university tuition.
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Causes are insurance, lawyers, & greedy doctors. When there is a tornado & lumber yards jack up prices, that is denounced as gouging. But when a sick person not only has his disease, but also the doctor cleans him out of his life savings, what is that?
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You need food too yet we can negotiate there. So need isn't an argument.
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Still waiting for that new season of Sherlock though.
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So, it is confirmed. It is nearly all due to the bloodsucking capitalist drug companies creaming off excessive profits. In other words, making money of the sick and the dying.
You could say they are making a killing. And this is what ordinary people have voted for to continue by electing Donald Trump.
You really have been suckered. -
nation
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good luck in trump naqtion
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and even if you dont have money the cant refuse you
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it should be on your taxes its like that here and every body has access to a doctor
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in sweden healthcare coast me about 20 bucks every time i visit adoctor but when i have visit him so it him 14 times its free for a year only in sweden succers
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USA is almost double richer then S.Korea... And our medical system is not 100% free like many richer nations. But it helps you out when it is most important moment.
If you got blood cancer in US: You pay....... your house.
If you got blood cancer in Kor (My father actually got it) : You will pay nothing.(government will pay you 90% of total cost. 10% will be covered by blood cancer association)
USA is rich enough to offer far better medical system to their citizens but they never do.
I really admire USA and envy USA in many aspects (culture, military, wealth, etc...) but this is the one thing I never understood. -
Reason 1. Medicare and Medicaid create excess demand.
Reason 2. Employer provided health insurance (which is encouraged by the income tax) creates a over reliance on third party payment which eliminates competitive pricing.
3. FDA regulations set the entree barrier to high thus restricting competition, this is what happened to the EpiPen.
4. Licensing laws.
5 . Regulations that prohibit alternative forms of care.
6. Government mandates that require insurance companies to cover non-catastrophic care. -
Well im Scottish where all health/dental care is free. even prescriptions are 100% free, Both my children were born in Australia where it didnt cost a penny and the service was outstanding so how come the rest of the Western world can do it but the USA cant? and as for the taxation im not sure what the US pay but Australia we paid 48% and the UK 36% so thats fairly high by anyone's standard
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It seems that Doctors find profit in a persons calamity. They say they care when in reality they care for their own pockets. Doctors always like to say they volunteer outside of the U.S. so they make it seem like they care but they don't. why can they not find it in their moral to volunteer to those people here who are dying and cant afford the gouging prices of healthcare? Its like that old rude statement" put out the money or get out of my office." they take advantage of people all the time as if they are the creamm of the crop and we should bow and beg before them. Doctors are highly educated con artists and profit on peoples hardships. Really, one hundred thousand plus a year to take advantage of people in hardship. put a cap on that crap. fireman and soldiers and police put their lives on the line daily to help people and they dont make a hundred thousand plus a year. put a cap on how much a dr. can charge and then we can see how much they really care. there would be a massive strike. Doctors are cochroaches in lab coats waiting to devour what little you have leaving you the to starve or die.
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America is not richer than Australia and Sweeden and other countries, that is a myth! Salaries in America are actually low, and many countries pay more money in China, Gulf states, etc....
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