Health care in the US costs too much. It does not have to be this way. Here is my take on the reasons for the problem:
- People with insurance don't see the full cost of the care. A few years ago my doctor prescribed me an inhaler. It cost $110 per month. I told him, and he prescribed me another that he said was just as effective, but slightly less accurate in dosage. It cost $15. If I had traditional insurance, both would have cost me $10.
- People without insurance don't suffer the consequences. If you get really sick, you go to the emergency room and they have to treat you. The doctors are all still driving BMWs, so guess who pays? The people with insurance subsidize. A few weeks ago a doctor told me that 40% of his patients do not pay. Since he just went to Greece for a month long vacation, I assume the other 60% are paying 166% of what they would normally pay.
- There are artificial restrictions to competition and free markets. Doctors cannot show prices, and drug companies price US prices artificially high. See this link from CBS news for a great discussion.
