US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
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Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#2I think everyone is aware of this by now - the question is, do we understand what is preventing reform? It seems that we need to move beyond the revelation that 'the system is bad' and starting doing something about it. If so, what?
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#3I think everyone is aware of this by now - the question is, do we understand what is preventing reform? It seems that we need to move beyond the revelation that 'the system is bad' and starting doing something about it. If so, what?
All of that surplus spending is going to someone who isn't interested in seeing their cut reduced.
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#4I think everyone is aware of this by now - the question is, do we understand what is preventing reform? It seems that we need to move beyond the revelation that 'the system is bad' and starting doing something about it. If so, what?
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Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#5>the system is bad
Doctors aren't paid when you are healthy. How would you suggest fixing such a system? Because if you figure it out, there's a whole system of auto mechanics that could probably benefit from the solution.
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#6I think everyone is aware of this by now - the question is, do we understand what is preventing reform? It seems that we need to move beyond the revelation that 'the system is bad' and starting doing something about it. If so, what?
The issue is the medical-industrial complex in the US, intimately tied with a huge medical insurance industry, that spends a lot of money lobbying to fight against reform. And healthcare is already a heavily regulated industry so any political barriers become even harder to overcome. I believe Obamacare was an attempt to wiggle around to a (somewhat shitty) solution.
I suspect change will only come once the existing tensions towards healthcare expenses boil to an outrage. Talk to anyone in the US though, they will complain about their healthcare!
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#7I think everyone is aware of this by now - the question is, do we understand what is preventing reform? It seems that we need to move beyond the revelation that 'the system is bad' and starting doing something about it. If so, what?
The issue is the medical-industrial complex in the US, intimately tied with a huge medical insurance industry, that spends a lot of money lobbying to fight against reform. And healthcare is already a heavily regulated industry so any political barriers become even harder to overcome. I believe Obamacare was an attempt to wiggle around to a (somewhat shitty) solution. I suspect change will only come once the existing…
Well, some won’t and I think that exposes another issue: the poor outcomes have a lot to do with a lot of people not getting care or waiting too long due to cost. If money is no object the US healthcare system is as good as any (I bet you would see this if you broke down by socioeconomic status).
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#8This isn't at all surprising, for multiple reasons. The entire insurance industry existing is a big one. That we are all overweight is another.
I'm generally a very conservative person. But even I am for government funded healthcare. Who in the hell is against it? I've not met a single person completely against it, mostly just people against people abusing emergency rooms.
Certain big media and politicians are against it, saying we have the best in the world and often pointing at waiting lists in other places. My last gastro had a 7 month waitlist. What in the hell am I paying a fortune for every paycheck, then?
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#9I think everyone is aware of this by now - the question is, do we understand what is preventing reform? It seems that we need to move beyond the revelation that 'the system is bad' and starting doing something about it. If so, what?
All of that surplus spending is going to someone who isn't interested in seeing their cut reduced.
So what?
Both of the countries I've lived in have carried out health-related reforms (one a really big reform — almost half of hospital beds were closed, the other a much smaller reform). The people who lost income didn't matter for the success or failure of either reform.
Re: US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
All of that surplus spending is going to someone who isn't interested in seeing their cut reduced.
So what? Both of the countries I've lived in have carried out health-related reforms (one a really big reform — almost half of hospital beds were closed, the other a much smaller reform). The people who lost income didn't matter for the success or failure of either reform.
So they can spend a lot of money to convince people that reforms are bad, they can buy influence among powerful politicians, and all the rest of the moves that make it so elite preferences do a lot to dictate policy the world over. Are we being naive here?