Why Healthcare Matters Blog: Recent Comments

Comment on Healthcare Reform: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2009-08-19T22:06:10Z

One reason so little attention has been paid to the demand side of the equation is that Americans are obsessed with finding someone else to fund their care. They worry so much about finding a third-party payer that they never consider that they could cover their own care at a much lower cost. This very un-American attitude is the root of our current dependence on insurance companies and leads us to the destination of dependence on the government for the funding of health care.

It has been a long time since Americans have been true health care consumers. They do not perform cost analysis of their health care spending and determine behavioral modifications that could save them money. Instead they keep track of when they have met their deductible and pile on doctor visits at the end of the year. Personal payment for their care could lead to attention to diet and exercise to avoid visits to the doctors office. Instead a third-party payer leads to false securities and putting off of personal maintenance.

I believe the current debate over socialization of health insurance leads the nation in precisely the wrong direction. Personal responsibility, not increased government parenting, is the answer to our nation's health care problems.

I address these issues more extensively in my blog at freemarketphysician.blogspot.com

Rusty Scalpel

Comment on Why Health Reform and Rationing May or May Not Be Linked: NY Times

2009-06-22T15:21:14Z

Very well thought out. No one talks about the price of Rx and how many of our insured take drugs in place of fixing the reason why they need the drugs - mainly diet and exercise. It's easier to take a pill to reduce cholesterol then to eat right. It's easier to take a drug to keep blood pressure down than to lose weight. The cost for these drugs is not transparent due to the fact many people still have Rx cards that cover the cost subject to copayments.

Comment on Health Reform Takes a Right Turn with Wellness Programs for Employee Health

2009-05-14T20:24:58Z

It amazes me that the part of heath care reform that can drive prices down and increase coverage for more working individuals has not been discussed.
Health insurance should remain part of the free market system. People who want the government to take over are not seeing what is happening to medicare. Since most people get their insurance through employers why not use the carrot and stick approach. Give employers a bigger incentive to offer insurance and pay for it, show a stick for the ones that won't. Use the system that is already in place and works great.

One other note. We can not restrict what drug companies earn. We are the only country in the world with such innovation in drug manufacturing. If you limit companies profit research and development will disappear. Look at other countries that have done this.
Smaller Government not bigger government!

Comment on Why Healthcare Matters, an Employer's Guide to Healthcare Consumerism, pre-released on Amazon

2009-03-05T13:49:59Z

Good post, but have you thought about Why Healthcare Matters, an Employer's Guide to Healthcare Consumerism, pre-released on Amazon before?

Comment on Healthcare Consumerism Gets an Index

2008-10-15T07:27:46Z

Nice Post. Thanks for sharing this information with us.