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O care will be waaaay cheaper than sending 30% of the population through emergency wards. Negotiate the drug prices down with volume; it’ll be cheaper yet.
Well, of COURSE it takes more out of the economy. The AVERAGE American doesn’t NEED any health care RIGHTNOW. So why should he WASTE money on Insurance that could be so much more economically used to fund Investment Banker Bonuses? But no. The Heritage Foundation, Mitt Romney, and Barack Obama (But not the GOP) want you to take some personal responsibility and BUY Health Insurance from a Private Company like a Good Little Socialist, instead of getting free taxpayer funded medical care at the Emergency Room like a Money Gouging Capitalist.
In the middle — the MIDDLE — of The Great Depression Congress set about gold standarding the economy back into ‘balance.’ The Great Depression then lasted until the WWII.
If I need to work to live, and I need to commute to work, I do NOT sell my VW to put — momentarily — my gas bill into balance. I borrow, live frugally, string out gas payments, and plan to move up the income chain during better times. Better times are coming, Lisa, believe it or not.
Health care counts should count as inelastic demand; that is, some things (such as a new yacht) you can choose to buy or not, that’s elastic demand, but some things (such as basic food or basic health care) you pretty much have to buy, or else you’re in trouble. Basic economics would say that not all goods belong in the same demand/supply equation.
Why are American health care costs so high compared to other countries? It’s not because of the AHC. It’s not because of the high cost of malpractice insurance or defensive medicine. Economists have determined the total malpractice suits and defensive medicine bill adds about 1% to costs. . It is because: 1. For-profit health care insurance. All other countries have either eliminated the for-profit insurance companies in favor of government sponsored single-payer plans, or have decided that health care insurance must be non-profit plans. 2. Highly paid health care workers, particularly doctors and administrators. These healthcare workers earn consideraably more than their counterparts in other countries. 3. Complexity and resulting administrative inefficiency. All other countries have settled on one health care system for everyone and there’s one set of rules governing treatment and payment. The U.S. in contrast is a dog’s breakfast of different payment systems – Medicare for over 65, Medicaid for the poor, one for the military, different one for veterans, one for Members of Congress, one for Native Americans, and on and on. There are hundreds of different private insurance plans, each with its own set of rules. Americans like to think private enterprise and competition brings efficiencies and drives down costs. It doesn’t seem to work that way with health care. Some developed countries have administrative costs of 3%-5% of total health care costs. Most are around the 10% mark (Canada for example). The U.S. is about double that at 17%. The system is so complex that one operation in the same hospital on the same day can have ten different prices, depending on who is paying. A growing business is “compilers” – middlemen who compile the bills that doctors submit and then shuttle them through the payment system.
Yes, My BC/BS went up 80 or 90 cents a month starting this month. That is the least I can remember in the recent past. I guess back in the 60’s I did get refunds.
Here’s an interesting passage from Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom”, which many regard as the founding document of modern neo-liberalism/conservatism:
“To prohibit the use of certain poisonous substances or to require special precautions in their use, to limit working hours or to require certain sanitary arrangements, is fully compatible with the preservation of competition. The only question is whether in the particular instance the advantages gained are greater than the social costs which they impose. Nor is the preservation of competition incompatible with an extensive system of social services — so long as the organization of these services is not designed in such a way as to make competition ineffective over wide fields.” pp. 86-87.
Hayek, F. A. 2007. The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents: The Definitive Edition. Edited by Bruce Caldwell. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Mix a snifter of Bill Mauldin, a dash of Jeff McNelly and a very large dollop of common sense, and you begin to get an idea of Lisa Benson’s considerable talent.
Clay Bennett by Clay Bennett
Steve Benson by Steve Benson
Comments (57) (Please sign in to comment)
ConserveGov said, 3 months ago
Hold up Yo!
I’s thought we’s waz gon see prices cheapa?
Sky_Soldier
said, 3 months ago
@ConserveGov
I truly believe you are actually as ignorant as you pretend to be!
wmconelly said, 3 months ago
O care will be waaaay cheaper than sending 30% of the population through emergency wards. Negotiate the drug prices down with volume; it’ll be cheaper yet.
NebulousRikulau
said, 3 months ago
Well, of COURSE it takes more out of the economy.
The AVERAGE American doesn’t NEED any health care RIGHT NOW. So why should he WASTE money on Insurance that could be so much more economically used to fund Investment Banker Bonuses?
But no. The Heritage Foundation, Mitt Romney, and Barack Obama (But not the GOP) want you to take some personal responsibility and BUY Health Insurance from a Private Company like a Good Little Socialist, instead of getting free taxpayer funded medical care at the Emergency Room like a Money Gouging Capitalist.
Kylie2112 said, 3 months ago
I still think it’s humorous that Republicans are complaing (again) about a Democrat who proposed an idea they’ve had for decades.
russell5419 said, 3 months ago
obummer sucks
Bandusia15 said, 3 months ago
@russell5419
No, Lisa Benson sucks. Her pettiness and ignorance is apparent in all her cartoons.
wmconelly said, 3 months ago
In the middle — the MIDDLE — of The Great Depression Congress set about gold standarding the economy back into ‘balance.’ The Great Depression then lasted until the WWII.
If I need to work to live, and I need to commute to work, I do NOT sell my VW to put — momentarily — my gas bill into balance. I borrow, live frugally, string out gas payments, and plan to move up the income chain during better times. Better times are coming, Lisa, believe it or not.
Ms. Ima said, 3 months ago
Lisa has a grasp on the reality of the situation of OTaxCare.
mnsmkd said, 3 months ago
Good one
Ransom D Stone said, 3 months ago
@Bandusia15
Amen!
lonecat said, 3 months ago
@ScottPM
Health care counts should count as inelastic demand; that is, some things (such as a new yacht) you can choose to buy or not, that’s elastic demand, but some things (such as basic food or basic health care) you pretty much have to buy, or else you’re in trouble. Basic economics would say that not all goods belong in the same demand/supply equation.
Gypsy8 said, 3 months ago
Why are American health care costs so high compared to other countries? It’s not because of the AHC. It’s not because of the high cost of malpractice insurance or defensive medicine. Economists have determined the total malpractice suits and defensive medicine bill adds about 1% to costs.
.
It is because:
1. For-profit health care insurance. All other countries have either eliminated the for-profit insurance companies in favor of government sponsored single-payer plans, or have decided that health care insurance must be non-profit plans.
2. Highly paid health care workers, particularly doctors and administrators. These healthcare workers earn consideraably more than their counterparts in other countries.
3. Complexity and resulting administrative inefficiency. All other countries have settled on one health care system for everyone and there’s one set of rules governing treatment and payment. The U.S. in contrast is a dog’s breakfast of different payment systems – Medicare for over 65, Medicaid for the poor, one for the military, different one for veterans, one for Members of Congress, one for Native Americans, and on and on. There are hundreds of different private insurance plans, each with its own set of rules. Americans like to think private enterprise and competition brings efficiencies and drives down costs. It doesn’t seem to work that way with health care. Some developed countries have administrative costs of 3%-5% of total health care costs. Most are around the 10% mark (Canada for example). The U.S. is about double that at 17%. The system is so complex that one operation in the same hospital on the same day can have ten different prices, depending on who is paying. A growing business is “compilers” – middlemen who compile the bills that doctors submit and then shuttle them through the payment system.
Justice22 said, 3 months ago
Yes, My BC/BS went up 80 or 90 cents a month starting this month. That is the least I can remember in the recent past. I guess back in the 60’s I did get refunds.
lonecat said, 3 months ago
Here’s an interesting passage from Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom”, which many regard as the founding document of modern neo-liberalism/conservatism:
“To prohibit the use of certain poisonous substances or to require special precautions in their use, to limit working hours or to require certain sanitary arrangements, is fully compatible with the preservation of competition. The only question is whether in the particular instance the advantages gained are greater than the social costs which they impose. Nor is the preservation of competition incompatible with an extensive system of social services — so long as the organization of these services is not designed in such a way as to make competition ineffective over wide fields.” pp. 86-87.
Hayek, F. A. 2007. The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents: The Definitive Edition. Edited by Bruce Caldwell. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.