Another Government-Program That Works!

[Andy]

It's not so much a matter of how much is spent, as it is of how much is wasted.

What could be more important than good health? Who among us would choose to be wealthy and sick, over being moderately well off and healthy?

I would say that how much is wasted, is a matter of perspective. Another problem is that people have only Apple and Oranges to compare to.

Let me give you an example of something that increases cost, but depending who you talk to, may or may not be a 'waste'.

In my MP3 of the guy interviewing a hospital administrator, one of topics that came up under "why does it cost so much" was a question about how a hospital will charge $30 bucks to give a patient aspirin. Obviously it doesn't take $30 dollars to grab a bottle with 20 aspirin in it at the corner drug store, and pop a pill.

One problem is that the aspirin itself is not the same as what's at the store. The store buys in bulk shipments. The shipment itself can be 20 per bottle. Further, obviously the patient can get, and take the medicine themselves.

Hospitals on the other hand, can not buy in bulk because they are not licensed resellers. Further, they have to purchase in individually wrapped aspirin. Finely a trained, certified, or registered nurse must get and administer the medication, even if it's aspirin.

All of this is mandated by law. Patients can not get the medication themselves, they can't take it themselves. The medications can't be in general bottles to prevent accidental contamination by other patients or dirty nurse gloves, and on and on and on.

Between the higher cost of non-bulk, medications specially wrapped, and the cost of having skilled professionals administer the drug, the price has gone way up.

This is a systemic increase in cost to all hospital activities.

Now unfortunately, we can implement any payment system we want, socialist or capitalist, but this problem will not go away. As long as they must follow these rules, the price will go up.

Moreover, we can not possibly change these rules because doing so would render the person in favor of them, as being against safety, and the mass media would cream them.

 

[PLC1]

I would say that how much is wasted, is a matter of perspective. Another problem is that people have only Apple and Oranges to compare to.

Let me give you an example of something that increases cost, but depending who you talk to, may or may not be a 'waste'.

In my MP3 of the guy interviewing a hospital administrator, one of topics that came up under "why does it cost so much" was a question about how a hospital will charge $30 bucks to give a patient aspirin. Obviously it doesn't take $30 dollars to grab a bottle with 20 aspirin in it at the corner drug store, and pop a pill.

One problem is that the aspirin itself is not the same as what's at the store. The store buys in bulk shipments. The shipment itself can be 20 per bottle. Further, obviously the patient can get, and take the medicine themselves.

Hospitals on the other hand, can not buy in bulk because they are not licensed resellers. Further, they have to purchase in individually wrapped aspirin. Finely a trained, certified, or registered nurse must get and administer the medication, even if it's aspirin.

All of this is mandated by law. Patients can not get the medication themselves, they can't take it themselves. The medications can't be in general bottles to prevent accidental contamination by other patients or dirty nurse gloves, and on and on and on.

Between the higher cost of non-bulk, medications specially wrapped, and the cost of having skilled professionals administer the drug, the price has gone way up.

This is a systemic increase in cost to all hospital activities.

Now unfortunately, we can implement any payment system we want, socialist or capitalist, but this problem will not go away. As long as they must follow these rules, the price will go up.

Moreover, we can not possibly change these rules because doing so would render the person in favor of them, as being against safety, and the mass media would cream them.

yes, part of the reform needs to be changing such rules. How ridiculous is it that a hospital can't keep a bottle of aspirin to give patients when they need one, just as most people do at home? That, and reforming the tort system could do a lot to contain costs.