[ExI] USA Health Costs

[painlord2k at libero.it]

Il 07/06/2009 4.33, Stathis Papaioannou ha scritto:
> 2009/6/7 painlord2k at libero.it<painlord2k at libero.it>:

>> The doctor choose, the government choose, and the patients pay.

> The decision is the patient's but the patient will probably rely on
> the advice of the doctor more than when buying a car, for example.

True, to a point.
Without a real market, it is impossible to develop real alternative to 
the current situation.
For example, it is not possible to have comparative quotations on the 
value/cost of some procedures, like happen with the car market.
I want know the market value of a car? a look on-line or I buy a 
magazine about cars. Why I can not know how much is the price/cost of a 
surgical procedure?

> And
> even if the patient does his own research, an environment where drug
> companies and other vendors of medical products or services can
> advertise freely will result in a bias towards unnecessary treatment.

Better a bias towards unnecessary treatments than a bias towards not 
enough treatments. Then, in a free market, this become a client 
decision, not a medical decision. The main point is to make possible for 
the buyers to know what is buying and how much is the cost of it.


> Look at how much money is spent on "alternative" therapies with no
> scientific evidence in their favour whatsoever, and extrapolate this
> to therapies that are not completely inert, but which lack evidence to
> show that they are helpful in a particular situation.

Well, I call this "extended experimentation". If it is done with the 
informed agreement of the patient, there is nothing wrong. Main point is 
to make sure the data about the treatment is recorded and used to gauge 
his value.

> You might say
> that it's OK if people are willing to pay,

So I do.

> but apart from the fact
> that these therapies may do more harm than good,

"May" is the word, we are not sure.
Until the patient is correctly informed, it is his choice.


> it does add
> needlessly to the total cost of health care, and takes resources away
> from where they might yield greater benefit.

It is not your or my or anyone right to choose how to use someone else 
money. It is the right of the people owning the money to choose how use 
it. Who are you or someone else to rule how they must use their wealth? 
Are you morally better than them?

Mirco


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