Competition is needed to improve health insurance options for Americans

[countryboy]

US privatized health has a lot going for it, if you can afford it. For those that can’t I imagine it’s a nightmare. I suppose you could say, 'well, I'm alright, sod everyone else', but that's not the way we see it.

Governments aren’t good at business, I think we’d all agree with that. However, not everything is socialist just because a government runs it. The US armed forces are not socialist because they’re under the command of the Federal Government. Similarly, the UK National Health Service is not socialist because it’s managed by the government and it’s actually a non-profit insurance scheme that removes the middle men corporate profiteers.

Compulsory deductions are taken from salaries at source, there is no opt out. You pay depending on your income level, which can be as low as $7 a month to those on a minimum wage, to a more realistic $300 for higher earners in the middle income bracket. Prescription drugs are charged a set rate at, I think at the moment $12, although if you’re young, old, pregnant … there’s no charge.

Co-pay and deductibles are unknown as is crowd funding for money to buy treatment and everyone gets a one level service. Those with lesser ills stand in a queue, emergencies go straight to the front.

We all complain and it’s always aimed at funding levels, but it’s a fact that in every western country that abandons privatized medicine, no population ever demands its return. We just value our health above profit, but for those who have never lived under other health care systems, I suppose it’s normal to make a profit.

I'll read your diatribe later, if I have time. Your NHS is failing miserably, why you tout it is beyond comprehension. You must be relatively healthy. Healthcare is very affordable in this country, you are either completely ignorant on the subject, or deliberately attempting to misinform. The poor in this country get free healthcare.

[carolina73]

That’s fantastic. So why does anyone bother to buy health insurance? Do they also provide cheap medicines?

Maybe you should ask why anyone that can afford private health insurance in countries with public insurance do exactly that. Many times a private health insurance policy comes with the job, especially in the UK.

[Chris]

Four changes would help competition and lower prices.

1) Open health insurance markets to the entire nation. Don't restrict to individual states.

2) Allow groups of people to pool resources and purchase insurance the way they used to before to government got in the way.

3) Stop tiered pricing where the cost of treating those who can't pay if passed on the Medicaid, and that onto managed care, and that onto private.

4) Stop regional pricing which regulate prescription costs such that those in the US pay much more than those in Mexico and Canada.

[Refugee]

Then you don't know the constitution. The powers of the federal government (the central government) are limited by the Enumerated Powers Clause. Article 1, Section 8. All other powers are vested in the states or the people. The constitution provides that protection for the citizens from the overreach of the central government. Again, they are welcome to change the Constitution. My guess, though, is that they don't have the votes or they would.



Note: video removed by responding poster.

You don't put people first, you put government control and power first. I was in London this fall, I stayed at the Doubletree in Westminster. The Mrs. and I walked all over London. I was struck by the acceptance of their lot in life by the people I met. 'We don't have much, but we get by...' 'That's how it is...' 'Why kill ourselves, we'll never get ahead...' A lot of us grew up dirt poor and have made something of ourselves - through hard work, risk, gambles etc. For us stingy Americans, the United States' Citizens donate nearly three times the percent of GDP to charity than do our United Kingdom friends. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...table_donation In fact, the United States has been the most generous country in the world over the past decade. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/th...ity-2019-10-18

As I said, if enough people wanted change it would eventually happen. Obama made a mess of his attempt, which proves it can be done, but as I said previously, it would be very hard because of the US profit mindset. Yet no one, not one country having moved away from private medicine ever wants to have it back.

You can find plenty of videos of Americans and their views on a British or European health service having been there and used it. I can’t find one person that is complaining about it. We’re not talking of charity comparisons, but medical care. You outclass every country on earth in healthcare spending and have one of the most dependent drug and obese population in the world. Biggest is not always best.

'My Healthcare Experience in Europe as an American'

First, at the heart of US medical care there is a conflict of interests. It’s in the interests of the insurance companies to get you well as soon as possible as they’re losing money. On the other hand you have the hospitals and pharmaceuticals wanting to keep you unwell and on medication as that’s where they get their profit from. The crisis epidemic of obesity and those dependent on prescription drugs in the US is not a coincidence.

Conversely, in the UK it’s in everyone’s best interests to get you well and back to work and continue funding the medical health system as soon as possible. I’ve lived under privatized health care. The last health check I had was in a modern well equipped hospital in China, 2017. A full health check, blood, urine, X-Ray, bone density, eyesight … The lot. It cost my company the equivalent of about $40 and no, that’s not a typo.

Second, competition doesn’t always mean low prices. If we all sold iphones, there’s going to be competition and prices usually fall due to that. Yet for necessities and the basics of life such as medical care, gas, water, electric … prices will rise because we’re a captive market and the private insurance companies and pharmaceuticals know that. Demand determines cost.

‘True cost of US healthcare shocks the British public’

[DGUtley]

As I said, if enough people wanted change it would eventually happen. Obama made a mess of his attempt, which proves it can be done, but as I said previously, it would be very hard because of the US profit mindset. Yet no one, not one country having moved away from private medicine ever wants to have it back. You can find plenty of videos of Americans and their views on a British or European health service having been there and used it. I can’t find one person that is complaining about it. We’re not talking of charity comparisons, but medical care. You outclass every country on earth in healthcare spending and have one of the most dependent drug and obese population in the world. Biggest is not always best.

First, at the heart of US medical care there is a conflict of interests. It’s in the interests of the insurance companies to get you well as soon as possible as they’re losing money. On the other hand you have the hospitals and pharmaceuticals wanting to keep you unwell and on medication as that’s where they get their profit from. The crisis epidemic of obesity and those dependent on prescription drugs in the US is not a coincidence.
Conversely, in the UK it’s in everyone’s best interests to get you well and back to work and continue funding the medical health system as soon as possible. I’ve lived under privatized health care. The last health check I had was in a modern well equipped hospital in China, 2017. A full health check, blood, urine, X-Ray, bone density, eyesight … The lot. It cost my company the equivalent of about $40 and no, that’s not a typo.

Second, competition doesn’t always mean low prices. If we all sold iphones, there’s going to be competition and prices usually fall due to that. Yet for necessities and the basics of life such as medical care, gas, water, electric … prices will rise because we’re a captive market and the private insurance companies and pharmaceuticals know that. Demand determines cost.

Note: more videos deleted by responding poster.

The health insurance market is the most-regulated industry in the United States. Conflict of interest? I don't necessarily agree or disagree. Profits are regulated. Loss ratios are regulated. It's all regulated. Regardless, I am happy that you are pleased with your system. I think that eventually we'll get to UHC, regrettably. I think that it'll be a great tool for the government to mandate behavior. Again, they'll have to change the US Constitution to get there. IMHO.

Me, personally, I'm very happy with my health insurance and health care. Mrs. U had a cardiac-related incident while in London. We flew home and she had double bypass surgery at the best place on the planet for that surgery - the Cleveland Clinic. While there, I was excited to meet loved-ones of patients there getting the same treatment from Germany, Australia and Denmark (as well as Oregon, California and two from southern Ohio) - that was just some of the people I met in our post-op waiting room (and there are 12 of those rooms). I was almost embarrassed to say I lived 31 miles from there. I can see my PCP within 24 hrs, get an MRI within 48 and have any test I need within a few days. Days, not weeks. That's the norm here. We have the best and brightest in the Medical Field b/c they are well paid. They come from all over the world to learn here.

All in all though, I think it's going that way - UHC.

[carolina73]

Four changes would help competition and lower prices.

1) Open health insurance markets to the entire nation. Don't restrict to individual states.

2) Allow groups of people to pool resources and purchase insurance the way they used to before to government got in the way.

3) Stop tiered pricing where the cost of treating those who can't pay if passed on the Medicaid, and that onto managed care, and that onto private.

4) Stop regional pricing which regulate prescription costs such that those in the US pay much more than those in Mexico and Canada.

5) Stop the law suits! It creates unnecessary testing. It creates significant cost increases per visit, per procedure. It removes the judgement of the doctor.

This is the cause of your $20 Tylenol at the hospital. This is responsible for the high cost of US prescriptions. This is the additive cost to every piece of equipment used.

I am not talking about protecting criminally negligent people but the US system just says that someone is going to pay even if they did nothing wrong or were forced to make a best judgement. The doctor is not trying to kill you. The drug companies are not trying to kill you. The opioid crisis was about people that were trying to kill themselves, who then blamed and sued the drug companies.

[DGUtley]

5) Stop the law suits! It creates unnecessary testing. It creates significant cost increases per visit, per procedure. It removes the judgement of the doctor. This is the cause of your $20 Tylenol at the hospital. This is responsible for the high cost of US prescriptions. This is the additive cost to every piece of equipment used. I am not talking about protecting criminally negligent people but the US system just say that someone is going to pay even if they did nothing wrong or were forced to make a best judgement. The doctor is not trying to kill you. The drug companies are not trying to kill you. The opioid crisis was about people that were trying to kill themselves, who then blamed and sued the drug companies.

Defensive medicine does impact costs.

[Chris]

5) Stop the law suits! It creates unnecessary testing. It creates significant cost increases per visit, per procedure. It removes the judgement of the doctor.

This is the cause of your $20 Tylenol at the hospital. This is responsible for the high cost of US prescriptions. This is the additive cost to every piece of equipment used.

I am not talking about protecting criminally negligent people but the US system just says that someone is going to pay even if they did nothing wrong or were forced to make a best judgement. The doctor is not trying to kill you. The drug companies are not trying to kill you. The opioid crisis was about people that were trying to kill themselves, who then blamed and sued the drug companies.

Related to that stop all the unnecessary procedures and medical items. Last visit to my PCP he examines my feet. Good strong feet he says. You know, your insurance covers it, so it's free to you, so I'm going to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist. What the heck, why? Nothing is ever free. It raised health care costs.

[gamewell45]

We are a nation of laws. Our federal government's hands are tied by the defined powers clause of the United States Constitution. There simply is no way to provide UHC under the federal constitution. It all sounds nice and all, but it would require a constitutional change. If we 'look the other way' constitutionally, or other rights will erode.

I agree that it would violate the constitution.

New York state is taking it on its own to create their own single payer option. There is nothing stopping other states from creating their own single payer option insurance. In fact, other states are considering single pay health plans as well although I think it will be a while if they decide to go that route.


https://www.news10.com/news/ny-capit...r-health-plan/


https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/a5248

https://www.westsiderag.com/2019/11/...e-forum-monday

https://www.singlepayernewyork.org/

https://www.modernhealthcare.com/gov...lans-hard-look

[DGUtley]

I think that the states can do it as it doesn't violate the US Constitution for the states to do it.