What needs to be done in America so that citizens are cost sensitive when it comes to Health Care?

Question

If you give me a blank check, and tell me to go buy myself a car, and when I show up, none of the cars have prices on them, I'm going to be spending a lot of extra money, right?

Health care costs are out of control because consumers don't really care how much things cost, because someone else is paying for them directly while their costs go up in the long run as a result. People price shop for breast augmentation and vision repair surgery , but not for cardiovascular surgery. The difference is self pay vs insurance pay.

I realize that this isn't the ONLY issue, however I think its substantial.

Your thoughts?

I think it's worth pointing out that health care in America got screwed up the same time the government got so involved in it.

The US Government has had 3 shots at healthcare. Medicaid, Medicare, and the VA.

All 3 are poorly run, mismanaged, and effectivly bankrupt. .....and people like Hillary want to give it ALL to them?

Anyway...some good thoughts here.

Answer 1

Imagine how expensive car insurance would be if you filed a claim everytime you filled up with gas! That's what's wrong with a lot of the skyrocketing costs. If the free market would only be allowed to work its magic. Personal health care savings accounts are a much better option for many people vs. insurance pay which removes pricing accountability and competition from the equation.

Answer 2

I dont know what crack some of you have been smoking but keep smokin it cause you are out of this world.

All Medical care is standardized by the AMA so the thought of getting cheaper care is not gonna happen until the people of this country form a group to fight the special intrest groups like AMA. The same goes for gas prices, the oil companies can control the cost because they are all working together.

Start a special interest group and ask for donations for pressuring the politicians. Seems to be the only way to get anything done in this country any more. Buy someone off or take what they give you.

They think they should be able to charge a $100 an hour because they deal with peoples health and lives. Really? Then an electrician should be paid $200 an hour to make sure you dont freeze to death in the winter and your life is safe.

Their prices are outlandish and considering the fact that some small towns have people who take home a couple hundred dollars a week, it is crazy to think they can afford anything. Yaaay capitalism.

Answer 3

I agree with you. I have heard a number of times from people who had surgery and then found out they were paying $10 per tylenol after surgery, and things like that. Sounds about the same as government contracting to me. This is exactly the reason the republicans oppose universal healthcare. If you keep healthcare in the private sector and companies are competing for your business, there will be competition, better value. But if you only have one source to choose from, they can pretty much set the price on anything.

Answer 4

a serious related issue is that it is nearly impossible to shop for health care on a price/value basis.

consumers have almost no idea of the quality of care they receive. What few government and insurance data on the subject exist are either so arcane as to be unintelligible or inaccessible (access denied).

further, they have no way to discover in advance what the price will be, except for the most routine of care. Providers are all playing a shell game with consumers to try and eke the most money out of each buyer. [individually bargaining on price is a feature of the once every few years shopping for an automobile -- where the size and infrequency of the purchase make this economically feasible. the small size and frequency of medical services purchase make bargaining uneconomic.]

atm, one of the principle functions of having a health insurance plan is that the insurance company has already bargained with potential providers and neatly categorized them into "preferred" or "in network" (cheapest), etc. categories.

Afaik, only Maryland [in the US] has a law requiring all health care providers to bill all customers at the same price for the same service rendered. {If they still have it -- not sure} They solved the Medicare/Medicaid issue of the Feds not paying enough by supplementing such payments with state funds.

Afaik, no US jurisdiction has any significant method that allows consumers to effectively judge the quality of their doctors and/or hospitals.

Answer 5

Have them pay for their own health care.
Then they won't be running to the emergency room every time they cut their finger.

This is not my imagination. I used to work in a hospital, and those who had real emergencies had to wait because those who were on Medicaid came there for a cut on their finger. Why? Because they didn't have to pay for the visit or the drugs.

Answer 6

You Americans have an unique free market system,if it works for you then why complain, if on the other hand it doesn't work for you then contact your local congressman or woman and ask them 'how come if we are the richest country on Earth [and i do pay all my taxes!], then why is my health care worse than some third world countries'?

Answer 7

if health-care was government owned you wouldn't need to worry about the cost or competition it would be cheap to provide and free for the public anyway.