Health care in the US isn't bad (mostly). It just isn't better than in countries where there's 100% coverage of the population. And it's many times more expensive.
There's unlikely to be any solution though, barring a massive shift in public opinion. True reform would reduce a bunch of insurance companies to smoking craters and would certainly involve some sort of tax increase, both of which would be regarded by most in government as unacceptable outcomes.
As it is, the horrible expenses paid by the sick help to subsidize those who can't pay (who are anyway discouraged from getting regular care as much as possible). Costs are already distributed, just not evenly, because you only pay the horrible prices when you get sick. And most people prefer not to think about it until then.
> As it is, the horrible expenses paid by the sick help to subsidize those who can't pay (who are anyway discouraged from getting regular care as much as possible).
The expenses are covered not just (or mainly) by the sick but by the insured. There's a reason my insurance is nearly $500 a month, though I"ve never been sick or injured and rarely visit a doctor (I've thus contributed probably $50,000 to healthcare without consuming any). Given my general health, young age, and low chance of catastrophic injury, the only explanation is that i'm subsidizing other people's care.
Well, you are subsidizing the insurance industry too :-).
There are clearly indirect costs that go into inflating insurance premiums. I find it very hard to understand why it's acceptable to pay in one way (high premiums, catastrophic care bills) but not in another (nationalized health care). I've never heard an argument against it that didn't strike me as pure FUD. [Incidentally, not trolling Republicans here—I'd love to hear a good explanation that goes beyond distaste for anything government-run.]
Oddly enough that's the way it used to be, doctors were doctors because they said so. Although, if you had a friend sew up a bad cut and you gave him twenty bucks for his trouble I doubt the police will come knocking on your door. I suppose if your friend decided to do it as a business off his front porch I'm sure somebody's bound to come around at some point.
I parsed it as: The doctor is charging over 5,000$ an hour for his time, that's terrible. Worse yet even with 200$/month insurance the guy ended up paying 70% of that rate.
For many people moving to the US the cost of medical bills seems insane.
PS: It's not that he is actually charging that for his time. It's just rolling a lot of overhead into it.
We have examples of private-paid costs by the same education-level doctors in first world countries that have higher cost-of-living than USA - say, Switzerland. Everywhere the full cost of the same procedure is at least twice less than USA.
And before you say it, no, legal/malpractice expenses aren't the cause, because in USA that adds up to <5% of total medical budgets and can't explain the other 45% "bonus price".
When I was living in Finland, where I last paid my whole bill by myself (a private, specialist doctor), A 30 minute visit was 90 euros (115 USD).
If you add some tests, they're usually 20-40 euros each. Of course this is free if you go to the public doctors. And now here in Germany, all doctors are private and the mandatory insurance will cover most of the expenses.
Ignoring the actual price, any industry is broken if you are charged random prices that they don't (and can't) tell you before you choose.
At the very least, it is by definition not 'free market economy' since you can't even choose where to buy based on price if they aren't telling you the prices.
