Comments on: Sicko Discussion: Many Nays, Few Yeas http://politics.drumsnwhistles.com/2007/06/sicko-discussion-many-nays-few-yeas/ rants and ramblings of a political junkie Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:15:40 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: tummy tuck http://politics.drumsnwhistles.com/2007/06/sicko-discussion-many-nays-few-yeas/comment-page-1/#comment-6535 tummy tuck Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:22:52 +0000 http://politics.drumsnwhistles.com/2007/06/sicko-discussion-many-nays-few-yeas/#comment-6535 The abdominoplastia is the surgical intervention directed on elimination tummy tuck. Simultaneously at this operation can be eliminated and other accompanying problems. The abdominoplastia is the surgical intervention directed on elimination tummy tuck. Simultaneously at this operation can be eliminated and other accompanying problems.

]]> By: Stan http://politics.drumsnwhistles.com/2007/06/sicko-discussion-many-nays-few-yeas/comment-page-1/#comment-384 Stan Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:17:10 +0000 http://politics.drumsnwhistles.com/2007/06/sicko-discussion-many-nays-few-yeas/#comment-384 I'm not convinced that a single payer system is the way to go, but the current system is clearly broken. Before we start treatment we should try to make the correct diagnosis of what's wrong. The problem in my opinion is the way most health care is paid for in the country (i.e. employer provided benefits). You have one party providing the service and another receiving it, and a third party that gets stuck with the bill.The providers have no incentive to improve their service or make it more cost effective. They get paid for providing a service, making services more efficient and cost effective doesn’t put any extra cash in their pockets. The person receiving the benefit usually doesn’t even know (or care) what the total bill is, most people are only aware of the small co-pay or deductible they make out of pocket. With this kind of system is it any wonder costs have gotten out of control. To fix the problem we need to change the financial incentives the various players in the market have. To your list of 3 financial prongs I would add doctors and hospitals. Doctors-If you look at the top paid jobs in the U.S. almost all of them are doctors. A study by Mckinsey Global Institute found that they are paid roughly twice what doctors make in 13 other industrial countries. This factored in cost of living differences and was after malpractice insurance premiums were paid. Hospitals-An interesting study in Pennsylvia found that charges for heart by-pass surgery ranged from $20k to $100k. That there was no big difference in outcomes between the highest and lowest paid hospitals. This kind of information is not generally available today. Maybe it should be. Maybe the hospitals that deliver the best outcomes for the lowest costs should be getting the patients. Those hospitals that are very expensive should perhaps find something else to do. Most of the proposals that the politicians are putting forward are just a continuation of the current system with even more money being thrown at it. The best proposal I have seen with some possibility it might work is the one by Guliani. I would rate the chance of meaningful change occurring anytime soon as fairly low, a lot of people are getting fat off the current system. They are spending a lot of money on contributions and lobbyists to make sure the status quo is maintained. They have a lot of our elected representatives safety tucked in their pockets. I’m not convinced that a single payer system is the way to go, but the current system is clearly broken. Before we start treatment we should try to make the correct diagnosis of what’s wrong.

The problem in my opinion is the way most health care is paid for in the country (i.e. employer provided benefits).

You have one party providing the service and another receiving it, and a third party that gets stuck with the bill.The providers have no incentive to improve their service or make it more cost effective. They get paid for providing a service, making services more efficient and cost effective doesn’t put any extra cash in their pockets. The person receiving the benefit usually doesn’t even know (or care) what the total bill is, most people are only aware of the small co-pay or deductible they make out of pocket. With this kind of system is it any wonder costs have gotten out of control.

To fix the problem we need to change the financial incentives the various players in the market have. To your list of 3 financial prongs I would add doctors and hospitals.

Doctors-If you look at the top paid jobs in the U.S. almost all of them are doctors. A study by Mckinsey Global Institute found that they are paid roughly twice what doctors make in 13 other industrial countries. This factored in cost of living differences and was after malpractice insurance premiums were paid.

Hospitals-An interesting study in Pennsylvia found that charges for heart by-pass surgery ranged from $20k to $100k. That there was no big difference in outcomes between the highest and lowest paid hospitals. This kind of information is not generally available today. Maybe it should be. Maybe the hospitals that deliver the best outcomes for the lowest costs should be getting the patients. Those hospitals that are very expensive should perhaps find something else to do.

Most of the proposals that the politicians are putting forward are just a continuation of the current system with even more money being thrown at it. The best proposal I have seen with some possibility it might work is the one by
Guliani.

I would rate the chance of meaningful change occurring anytime soon as fairly low, a lot of people are getting fat off the current system. They are spending a lot of money on contributions and lobbyists to make sure the status quo is maintained. They have a lot of our
elected representatives safety tucked in their pockets.

]]>