Is Canadian health care all it is cracked up to be

[southsider2k5]

I disagree that waste and inefficiencies are unique or even more so in government programs. Listen to posters here rant about their employers. Look at the front page of executives going to jail and paying record fines. Look at the lawsuits against HMOs, private insurance companies, etc. Be one of the millions of Americans that cannot get health insurance, and see how great the current how much profit can we make based system is.

 

The incentive to keep costs down is their budget is voted on every year. Unless we build a system that requires citizen A to only go to Doctor A, I don't see how the government would be the only choice. It would be the only choice in guaranteed payments to the Doctors. I would also envision people being able to spend their own money and visiting private Doctors as well.

 

Insurance companies have profit as one of their primary responsibilities, tell me how that helps patients get the best care?

 

If we cannot trust the government to cure a cold, should we trust them to execute citizens or what types of health care should be available and to whom?

 

Its not really opinion, but economic law. Ineffeciencies are always more present in fields where their is monopolistic pricing models. There is no incentive to reduce cost, because of lack of competition, there is no pressure to keep prices down. They can put whatever price they want on it, because people have to have it, and there is no one to undercut their pricing.

[Texsox]

Its not really opinion, but economic law.  Ineffeciencies are always more present in fields where their is monopolistic pricing models.  There is no incentive to reduce cost, because of lack of competition, there is no pressure to keep prices down.  They can put whatever price they want on it, because people have to have it, and there is no one to undercut their pricing.

 

Exactly where will the inefficiencies be? In the Doctor's office and Hospitals or at the payment centers? As far as keeping costs down, first of all wouldn't that mean making it more difficult to seek treatment and tests and a reduction in the quality of health care you would receive?

 

Interestingly Doctors are more concerned about dwindling reimbursements for treatments. They are worried that the government will not be as generous with their payments as private insurance. They also worry about differences in costs between say Manhatten, NY and Manhatten, IL. If the reimbursements per procedure are the same, it would be a disaster for big city Doctors.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

Exactly where will the inefficiencies be? In the Doctor's office and Hospitals or at the payment centers? As far as keeping costs down, first of all wouldn't that mean making it more difficult to seek treatment and tests and a reduction in the quality of health care you would receive? 

 

Interestingly Doctors are more concerned about dwindling reimbursements for treatments. They are worried that the government will not be as generous with their payments as private insurance. They also worry about differences in  costs between say Manhatten, NY and Manhatten, IL. If the reimbursements per procedure are the same, it would be a disaster for big city Doctors.

 

Oh my God...sorry to be off topic but you've actually heard of Manhattan, IL. ::faints:: (its my home town)

[Queen Prawn]

Oh my God...sorry to be off topib but you've actually heard of Manhattan, IL.  ::faints::  (its my home town)

 

Brian's friend (one of our groomsmen) lives there. Been out there once and really liked it.

[kapkomet]

Having just come from the health care industry, I can tell you that the billing side of things is a nightmare, and there is a huge amount of manipulation, formulas, consortiums, etc. to make sure health care costs stay high. The lobby power of private industry is MASSIVE, probably one of the biggest lobbying powers in Washington. That's ultimately what led to the doom of Hillary-care.

 

However, I can also tell you that I wouldn't want the government involved in this any more then they are now. Talk about lobbyists getting even more power then they already have... how do you think they would set prices?

 

Then what about all the lawsuits? How do doctors keep up with their malpractice insurance when the limits of what they get are set by one price system?

 

I'm sort of all over the board with this post but I wanted to throw out there some chum.

[southsider2k5]

Exactly where will the inefficiencies be? In the Doctor's office and Hospitals or at the payment centers? As far as keeping costs down, first of all wouldn't that mean making it more difficult to seek treatment and tests and a reduction in the quality of health care you would receive? 

 

Interestingly Doctors are more concerned about dwindling reimbursements for treatments. They are worried that the government will not be as generous with their payments as private insurance. They also worry about differences in  costs between say Manhatten, NY and Manhatten, IL. If the reimbursements per procedure are the same, it would be a disaster for big city Doctors.

 

Oh dear lord... Exactly where would the ineffeciencies be? That's a laugh. That's why they hire guys like Kap and pay them the big money to find them. Being a small business owner, do you know exactly where all of your ineffeciencies are? Now multiply that times billions to get governmental health care scale and try answering that again.

 

Pricing is in Economics 101. Quantitative Analysis is quite a different field.

[Texsox]

Oh dear lord... Exactly where would the ineffeciencies be?  That's a laugh.  That's why they hire guys like Kap and pay them the big money to find them.  Being a small business owner, do you know exactly where all of your ineffeciencies are?  Now multiply that times billions to get governmental health care scale and try answering that again.

 

Pricing is in Economics 101.  Quantitative Analysis is quite a different field.

 

Are you saying the inefficiencies would be on the payer side or the provider side? If it is on the payer (government) side that would not affect the health care you receive. I don't know why my Doctor would be any more or less efficient if he was receiving a check from the US or from Blue Cross.

 

Would the inefficiencies cost more than the profits the insurance companies are generating now?

[Texsox]

Oh my God...sorry to be off topic but you've actually heard of Manhattan, IL.  ::faints::  (its my home town)

 

One of my favorite customers moved to Manhatten. I have used that comparison numerous times and have won a bet or two as a result. Internationally I use the Cairo and "Kay-Row"