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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cogito who wrote (76235)	7/24/2008 3:19:43 PM
From: Sam	Respond to of 543327

The excess costs are spread throughout the medical system, because almost every single part of it is designed to generate a profit. Not just "a" profit, but a BIG profit. They are used to high margins and high salaries in many parts of the medical care system (many, though clearly not all parts). Those expectations are unique in the world, and, frankly, must be changed. High margins and profitability clearly has not resulted in the "best medical system in the world," as many people have trumpeted in the past and some still trumpet.

To: Cogito who wrote (76235)	7/24/2008 4:28:17 PM
From: Katelew	Respond to of 543327

Exactly, Allen! There are so many layers of costs in our health care system just in the distribution network. Then if you add in the layers of costs in the insurance side in the form of marketing, legal, and gatekeeping functions, it's all compounded. Much of these costs could easily be stripped out with enough political will and public support.

To: Cogito who wrote (76235)	7/24/2008 6:37:08 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 543327

I think the only real solution is going to be some kind of socialized medical system, probably supplemented by private practitioners that people can go to if they wish to pay extra. Dans le modele Francais. France is private practitioner based, IIRC. And France is the second most costly system, next to ours. Their parliament has been looking at various cutbacks and controls because of their concern over growth. I don't know how their private practitioners get their IV tubes, whether they have middlemen or not. Do you know for sure they have no profit-making middlemen distributors? They may not, but then they're a lot smaller than we are, which is a factor. Distribution in, say NY, is a lot more immediate than in the US. As for "real solution," I would be curious about what you consider that to mean.