Health-care spending was estimated to account for about 18 percent of the U.S. economy last year, far more than in other developed nations. Despite efforts to curb costs, studies suggest that U.S. doctors and hospitals continue to provide too much health care.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-30/amazon-berkshire-jpmorgan-to-set-up-a-health-company-for-staff?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social



I've always said that's the problem with healthcare in America: there's just too much of it!

I spent an hour last weekend going through my father's insurance claims to figure out what if any he had to save for tax season. He had a colonoscopy last year. The surgical center charged $4800 for about 2.5 hours total including check-in, the actual procedure, and a recovery room. Medicare paid less than $500, and his supplemental BCBS plaid about $100. The GI doc and the anesthesiologist got paid in similar proportions, and the total insurance outlay was about $1300.

This ratio, quite simply, is insane. I see so many claims paid out at 10 cents on the list price.

Even with Medicare, my dad pays $375/month for supplemental insurance and prescription cost defraying insurance.

I spent an hour last weekend going through my father's insurance claims to figure out what if any he had to save for tax season. He had a colonoscopy last year. The surgical center charged $4800 for about 2.5 hours total including check-in, the actual procedure, and a recovery room. Medicare paid less than $500, and his supplemental BCBS plaid about $100. The GI doc and the anesthesiologist got paid in similar proportions, and the total insurance outlay was about $1300.

This ratio, quite simply, is insane. I see so many claims paid out at 10 cents on the list price.

Even with Medicare, my dad pays $375/month for supplemental insurance and prescription cost defraying insurance.

And this is what's being blamed for part of the 500+ fall on the Dow

seems accurate given the biggest drops are in the health care field. It will be interesting to see how this new health system does as it certainly represents a disruption to the current market.

Honestly this is probably what we need to lower prices.

So private businesses can do some good for healthcare?

They would do much better today if the government didn't ban the import of most drugs from outside the US. That's the quickest way you could lower health care costs.

They would do much better today if the government didn't ban the import of most drugs from outside the US. That's the quickest way you could lower health care costs.

You understand why drug prices are lower in other countries, right? I work in the industry and prices in other countries are essentially set by the government.

The pharmaceutical industry would never allow the importation of drugs into the US.

Aren’t many of the drugs you want to import actually manufactured here?

Anyway, what saves more money? Billionaires starting this up, Rick killing off all the old sick people or importing drugs? I’m still going to go with malpractice reform.

Aren’t many of the drugs you want to import actually manufactured here?

Anyway, what saves more money? Billionaires starting this up, Rick killing off all the old sick people or importing drugs? I’m still going to go with malpractice reform.

1: open pharma to foreign competition and imports, also generics for expired patent drugs should not require FDA hurdles when they are chemically the same product.

That's a lazy answer that'd do little to lessen costs.

The opacity of health care pricing is the largest driver of spending. The incentives are all screwed up. There little reward to be wise with your health care dollars for insured persons. Once you've blown past your deductible...time for a feeding frenzy.

You don’t think the costs of healthcare to include drugs has anything to do with bad lawsuits and/or outrageous payouts on credible ones.

Well I for one will agree that government isn't the one to fix it. I also think it is far too complex to be treated as some singular entity that requires an all encompassing "comprehensive" plan/fix.