Comments on: What is the "Basic Problem" of Health Care Costs? http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/ A Stitch in Time Saves Nine ... But Haste Makes Waste Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:02:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: willybobo http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-8832 willybobo Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:49:31 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=11355#comment-8832 This is a useful insight. Indeed, other products where the consumer is not the customer, such as enterprise software and newspapers, also tend to have costs run out of control and provide inferior benefits. However, I'm not sure the comparison between health insurance and life insurance and auto insurance, etc. is apt. That's because health "insurance" isn't really insurance in the same way. It's a health care plan. If auto insurance had to pay for engine upgrades any time they might improve the performance of your car, or new speakers when your sound system started to sound less rich, you might have similar problems with cost as you do in health care. This is a useful insight. Indeed, other products where the consumer is not the customer, such as enterprise software and newspapers, also tend to have costs run out of control and provide inferior benefits.

However, I'm not sure the comparison between health insurance and life insurance and auto insurance, etc. is apt. That's because health "insurance" isn't really insurance in the same way. It's a health care plan. If auto insurance had to pay for engine upgrades any time they might improve the performance of your car, or new speakers when your sound system started to sound less rich, you might have similar problems with cost as you do in health care.

]]> By: A Realistic Health Care Alternative Going Nowhere | The League of Ordinary Gentlemen http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-8831 A Realistic Health Care Alternative Going Nowhere | The League of Ordinary Gentlemen Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:18:26 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=11355#comment-8831 [...] occasions and as our friend Kip recently pointed out, the employer-based system ensures that the consumer and the customer are two very different entities with two very different sets of interests.  Meanwhile, the leading proposal adds ever-more [...] [...] occasions and as our friend Kip recently pointed out, the employer-based system ensures that the consumer and the customer are two very different entities with two very different sets of interests.  Meanwhile, the leading proposal adds ever-more [...]

]]> By: Mark Thompson http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-8829 Mark Thompson Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:45:57 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=11355#comment-8829 This point can't be made enough. I, personally, am getting to the point where I sound like a broken record on it. Yet, I've yet to hear it mentioned even once in the higher levels of discussion about health care. Liberals tend to ignore it because ultimately they are focused on getting some kind of single-payer system, thinking that what distinguishes the US health care industry is that we have a higher percentage of private insurance. Conservatives ignore it because, for some reason, they seem insistent on pretending like the current system is all fine and dandy. In fact, of course, there are a huge variety of health care systems, ranging from almost entirely public to almost entirely private, with the vast majority (including the US) falling somewhere in the middle. What makes our system unique isn't the degree of privatization; it's that to the extent it is private, it is employer-based such that the consumer and the customer are two different entities. This point can't be made enough. I, personally, am getting to the point where I sound like a broken record on it. Yet, I've yet to hear it mentioned even once in the higher levels of discussion about health care. Liberals tend to ignore it because ultimately they are focused on getting some kind of single-payer system, thinking that what distinguishes the US health care industry is that we have a higher percentage of private insurance. Conservatives ignore it because, for some reason, they seem insistent on pretending like the current system is all fine and dandy.

In fact, of course, there are a huge variety of health care systems, ranging from almost entirely public to almost entirely private, with the vast majority (including the US) falling somewhere in the middle. What makes our system unique isn't the degree of privatization; it's that to the extent it is private, it is employer-based such that the consumer and the customer are two different entities.

]]> By: Windypundit http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-8785 Windypundit Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:54:48 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=11355#comment-8785 Not that I love the current system, but one big advantage of employer-based health insurance is that it makes the groups large enough to keep the adverse selection problem under control. I'm not sure what you'd do about that. A system of individual insurance also has to solve the problem of how people with pre-existing conditions can shop for insurance. You need some way for the old insurance company to pay the new insurance company to take over coverage. Not that I love the current system, but one big advantage of employer-based health insurance is that it makes the groups large enough to keep the adverse selection problem under control. I'm not sure what you'd do about that. A system of individual insurance also has to solve the problem of how people with pre-existing conditions can shop for insurance. You need some way for the old insurance company to pay the new insurance company to take over coverage.

]]> By: Chris Collins http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-8783 Chris Collins Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:27:18 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=11355#comment-8783 I agree with you. This is not the first time I heard this argument. You are also forgetting about the fiasco known as 'malpractice', whose beneficiaries are not the 'innocent victims', but are the trial lawyers who make a name for themselves on these and similar cases. Yes, there are legitimate errors and wrong-doings in the medical field. But, do they justify the cost put on the medical profession, often passed to customers and consumers of medical care? I agree with you. This is not the first time I heard this argument. You are also forgetting about the fiasco known as 'malpractice', whose beneficiaries are not the 'innocent victims', but are the trial lawyers who make a name for themselves on these and similar cases. Yes, there are legitimate errors and wrong-doings in the medical field. But, do they justify the cost put on the medical profession, often passed to customers and consumers of medical care?

]]> By: Ian http://www.kipesquire.net/2009/07/what-is-the-basic-problem-of-health-care-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-8780 Ian Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:57:57 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=11355#comment-8780 It's easy to see the influence of government meddling in another insurance arena. Check homeowners options in the hurricane belt these days. It's easy to see the influence of government meddling in another insurance arena. Check homeowners options in the hurricane belt these days.

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