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Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

mattstoller.substack.com

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Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#261

Post by s1artibartfast »

longwick wrote: post #229
s1artibartfast wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the huristic I'm pushing back on: Big = bad, efficient = bad, ect. Some problems are indeed exaserbated at scale, others are not. I think this is especially true for the ag industry and the issues mentioned up thread. You can bust up the biggest factory farms into 100 smaller companies, but they would still have the same practices. Same with monocrop farming.

But at least the concentration of wealth would not occur, and right now wealth = power, which often means anti competitive practices like simply buying competitors.

I'm not sure that true either. All the same people could own 100 farms as easily as one. They would just be independent companies.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#262

Post by nr3msd »

summerlight wrote: post #95
ampdepolymerase wrote: post #7

How about Big Telecom and Big Fintech and Banking? Or is it simply because the rest did not pay enough to the lobbyists?

This executive order is really comprehensive, it touches literally every economical areas where competitions are withering away. To be specific, I think this part addresses your concern on big telecoms. > (l) To promote competition, lower prices, and a vibrant and innovative telecommunications ecosystem, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission is encouraged to work with the rest of the Commission, as appro…

There is nothing concrete in any of those three points.

I read through the whole thing, there are some decent ideas but a lot of filler.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#263

Post by kyawzazaw »

bilbo0s wrote: post #30
ampdepolymerase wrote: post #7

How about Big Telecom and Big Fintech and Banking? Or is it simply because the rest did not pay enough to the lobbyists?

The ISPs have been getting hit in this series of orders. That said, yes, fintech and banking are conspicuously absent. Which kind of lets you know that they are just too powerful.

when you say fintech, which companies are you referring to

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#264

Post by long_time_gone »

giantg2 wrote: post #249
renewiltord wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lobbying to: A. Limit medical care to being provided by these people B. Limit number of residencies

"Limit medical care to being provided by these people" Who else would provide this care? This licensure is similar to other professions, like lawyers, and really doesn't take very much lobbying since the majority of the public want oversight of these sorts of professionals. Residencies simply haven't kept pace with medical student numbers. They have gone up though. The main question is "where does the funding come fr…

==Who else would provide this care?==

Nurse practitioners.

AMA has a whole campaign on their website celebrating it: https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/scope-practice/...

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#265

Post by ambicapter »

jbluepolarbear wrote: post #239
Black101 wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it is not my fault that they are being let run free

Oh I’m not calling you vile. The insurance companies are. Mine is already very intertwined with the hospitals in my area.

I think you misunderstood GP. I don't think he was claiming that the insurance company was literally buying stocks, he is saying his manner of insuring his health is buying hospital stocks (in the hope that their value will go up high enough to pay off any medical procedures he needs in the future).

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#266

Post by hn_acc_2 »

borski wrote: post #227
adventured wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is it fscked for physicians and various healthcare professionals It's an underappreciated point. The US healthcare system is one of the largest wealth transfer systems ever invented. It's a heavily protected cartel that plunders wealth from the top 2/3 and lines the pockets of a few million employees in the system. There is an excess cost bounty of $1.2 trillion (or more) being plundered and redistributed every yea…

I see your point, but I will raise you that medical training in other countries doesn't also put you in hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt before you've even begun to practice. The cost of a medical education has a large impact on why salaries are "artificially" inflated.

Sure, high salaries are justified for this minority.

The people mentioned specifically in the comment are of more concern; sales, admin, etc. salaries in this field are also inflated compared to other industries.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#267

Post by ak217 »

t-writescode wrote: post #259
WillPostForFood wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s the entire model It is part of large complicated model. If it was their entire model they wouldn't be operating medical offices and hospitals. It is the whole package that helps them control costs.

It is my understanding that obligatory routine care is a major component of Kaiser’s model. In the experience of those I know who use Kaiser, effectively, if they come in for something and their routine checkups are out of date, they’re obligated to get that routine checkup (at the same time due to streamline of service), before they can get what they came in for. From this, I derived the argument that routine checku…

Kaiser has no specific preventative care requirements and does not withhold care if you are not up to date on some schedule. In fact Kaiser works pretty much exactly like any other HMO with the main difference being that insurance is in-house (but a different department, so insurance screwups still happen, but at least the hospital and the insurance are not constantly fighting each other with you stuck in the middle).

Well that and with Kaiser it's a lot easier to tell who is in network (they never commingle in and out of network care).

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#268

Post by raspasov »

alisonkisk wrote: post #93
revscat wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure what your point is. These contracts between seller and merchant were voluntary. There are other hospitals available should you choose, and if not then you have no one to blame but yourself.

Are you trolling? A hospital has even more lock in than the App Store. They can literally legally lock you in.

At least in the US, that would have to go through a court. I don't think a hospital can force you to stay in.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#269

Post by fallingknife »

SignalNotSecure wrote: post #257
fallingknife wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a medical condition with no cure, yet I still have to pay a doctor every 6 months to keep my prescription with no changes. Total racket.

Have you considered stocking up at the Mexican border? So many things are available over the counter in Mexico its awesome.

Is that legal?

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#270

Post by fallingknife »

koheripbal wrote: post #260
fallingknife wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a medical condition with no cure, yet I still have to pay a doctor every 6 months to keep my prescription with no changes. Total racket.

Having a doctor verify that you're not having any issues with your prescription medication is pretty normal. Maybe you can find someone that'll do telehealth.

If I'm having issues I'll call the doctor. I don't need a babysitter.
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