The fundamental problem with healthcare costs has 3 aspects: 1. For reasons that can only be described as ridiculous, health insurers are not allowed to compete across state lines. Remove this (intentional!?) inefficiency created by government regulations, and that's all the "competition" the market will need to reduce prices dramatically, without having to use this bogus argument about a "public option" supposedly increasing competition. Its purpose is plainly to destroy the private market, not increase its competitiveness.
2. Any time you add a middle man you add costs. What was intended to be a risk mitigation mechanism -- known purely as "insurance" -- has become a "third party payer" system, with layers of corporate bureaucracy involved because (again!) government mandates insist that policies cover more than just "pure" insurance and in fact micromanage every small detail of patient care. So of course, once you have bought the premise of "third party payer" no sensible person will want to defy Occam's razor -- we really only want a single payer, right? Eliminating "third party payer" and re-establishing the direct patient-doctor relationship (excepting for truly catastrophic "insurance" needs) will do more to bring costs down naturally than anything else. Period. Why? Doctors won't be able to charge what people cannot pay in a market where prices are governed by normal market rule of supply and demand. Government mandated third-party payer regulations have destroyed any semblance of normal market function, and totally messed up the pricing mechanism. Intentionally, I believe. 3. Points 1 and 2 have been a boon for trial lawyers. While one can argue about the direct dollar contribution to the problem of frivolous lawsuits, a more interesting argument is how many more would (in a sane world) be frivolous absent the labyrinth of rules and nuances from state to state that lend the suits credence. Also, considering Congress is mainly made up of lawyers, does anyone really believe "health care reform" a la Pelosi's forest-killing proposal is going to reduce legal costs to the system? I go back to what I said before. We're screwed if that monstrosity passes. BTW, I like your 10 page rule. Constitution fits nicely in that rule using the right font and some reading goggles. ;) - Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Pete Theisen > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 7:52 AM > To: ProFox Email List > Subject: Re: [OT] Early story on Health Bill > > Bob Calco wrote: > > Just know that if passed, and if it only costs the $894 billion > dollars they > > project, and only has the ~400,000 words currently in the text when > it's > > finally voted on (I have already heard that several 500+ page > amendments > > wait in the wings), then each and every word you read represents > $2.24 > > million dollars. > > > > http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28904.html > > > > What an unmitigated disaster. We are so toast if this passes. And > just > > imagine! Cap and trade is waiting in the wings to finish off the last > > vestiges of republican government and wipe prosperity off the face of > the > > earth for generations. > > Hi Bob, > > I have a couple rules of thumb regarding such things. I say that > anything longer than 10 pages is bullsh*t and anything that is > confusing > is intended to deceive. > > Anyone who disagrees on either of my rules of thumb is in league with > the enemy. Might see some friends this time, though. > > They have no Rs, and are lacking at least 20 Ds. We need a health bill, > but it has to be clear and unambiguous. Neither Rs nor Ds seem to be > able to be clear or unambiguous. That said, Joe Barton is an honest > man. > > >> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aTtREvJnEK4w > >> > >> "The bill has no Republican support > > -- > Regards, > > Pete > http://pete-theisen.com/ > http://elect-pete-theisen.com/ > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[email protected] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
