[ExI] Tools for improving health care in the USA, now

[BillK]

On 8/26/09, Max More wrote:
>  I'm really puzzled by this statement. Does that mean we would be better of
> with an attitude of "Oh, fuck it. Let's not bother trying to improve it."?
> If you think the particular ways that the USA's so far tried to fix the
> problem have been bad attempts, I agree. But that's not what you seem to be
> saying.
>


What I intended was to point out was that preventive medicine and
health advice would produce a huge improvement in life expectancy for
very little cost.
(As compared with rearranging the financing of major medical interventions).

But there is no drama or excitement in this option.
You won't get a tv series with House looking solemn at the patient's
bedside and saying, "I'm sorry to break this to you, but you've got to
eat more salad".


>
>  Yes, of course. But why does that mean we shouldn't *also* work
> (intelligently) on improving the health care system?
>

In an ideal world, yes, do both.
But one option is virtually free with huge benefits and the other
option costs over a trillion dollars with debatable benefits.

Again, I don't think we're disagreeing very much.


BillK