LogFAQs > #904532230

wolfy42 posted...

In America you basically pay what they can get away with....at least in most cases.

The main problem is that health care providers and drug companies know insurance exists as a safety net, which allows them to radically overcharge. If you're a hospital and you know the patient isn't going to pay their own bill anyway, you can charge $400 for a Tylenol and get away with it (with the intent of using the extra to pay for the $47 million piece of medical equipment you bought for specialized surgeries that you only use four times a year). If you're a pharmaceutical company, you can rely on patent rights to allow you to charge $100+ for a life-saving medication knowing that the patient's insurance will cover it.

Of course, this overpricing does absolutely screw anyone who hasn't bought in to the pyramid scheme and doesn't have insurance to offset your bullfuckery. But who cares about them?

Pushing mandatory health care in the US arguably made the problem worse, not better - because now they have even more justification to exploit the system (because hey, everyone's supposed to have health care, right? Raise prices!) and victimize those who either opt out or who still lack insurance for whatever reason.

The real solution is for a massive overhaul and pricing regulation of the industry itself, which will never happen because lobbyists exist and throw massive amounts of money at politicians on both sides of the political aisle. Democrats are no more likely to push for real worthwhile change than Republicans are, regardless of whatever ideals either side claims to support.


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"Wall of Text'D!" --- oldskoolplayr76
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