If the general public wants to reign in the cost of medical care they would do one simple thing... ban health insurance or at least limit coverage to catastrophic coverage.
One of the reasons health care costs continue to rise is that insured users of health care operate as if they have a blank check on their medical care. I'm as guilty as anyone, I had a surgery a few years ago and I asked no one how much any of the procedures was going to "cost" me because in my mind it wasn't going to cost me anything.
But Gordon, wouldn't your idea limit medical technological advances and, subsequently, substandard care?
Ask anyone who has had laser eye surgery and a boob job lately if the technology is better or worse than it used to be. Remember RK? the predecessor to laser eye surgery. Many of the procedures can be paid for on your credit card or the provider will set up a payment plan for you.
It used to be that breast implants were only for the rich and famous... now, apparently if you can afford a gym membership you can afford the procedure.
And guess what, rarely are either of those procedures covered by insurance.
Out of curiosity, how much would your car insurance cost if every time you had an oil change you only had to pay a $10.00 co pay? Or how about a $5.00 gasoline fill up co pay?
The fact of the matter is medical care will not become more affordable until the public takes an active role in deciding what procedures are affordable. Somehow, we find it distasteful that we would negotiate our health care like buying a flat screen TV. Yet, I bet that your doctor had no problem negotiating terms on that new Mercedes.
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