Thanks for the article, LJ. I will want to follow the links and see what else Denninger had to say about healthcare. There is zero doubt that it needs reform. Throwing out the silliness called ObamaCare is not enough.
Only a very affluent nation could support - and only for a period of time - a super expensive system like ours. It combines the costs - and complexities And inefficiencies - of BOTH a private system AND of an incredibly tightly regulated statist enterprise. I think it is becoming clear that this cannot and will not go on for long.
Ultimately, I think the best way would be to establish a very basic (and cheap) government administered safety net -- AND deregulate everything else to the max. Let people do whatever they want - pay out of pocket, buy first dollar or catastrophic insurance, accumulate funds in savings accounts, etc., etc.
Emergency departments are a special case. Operating under the current legal requirements, they are always in danger of being overused and overwhelmed. OTOH, their pricing is becoming beyond obscene.
I don't know very much about the British system, but from what I know, it seems they may have found a promising direction - they have their NHS, but also private healthcare. If you want, you can wait for your hip surgery to be done under NHS in a few months or a year or two. But if you are willing to reach deeper into your pocket and pay your way, you can have it done by next Friday. |
