Our system encourages waste. You spend hundreds a month, for years, not needing any (significant) medical care. Then, when you need something, neither you or your doctor are spending their own money - you’re both spending a 3rd parties money (insurance company). Of course, the “give me the works” attitude kicks in, from both patient and doctor. The patient wants the best care possible and the doctor can be held liable if they don’t (and something happens).
This entire 3-way system, which is really a 4-way system when you include lawyers, does nothing but encourage high costs. Of course, nobody feel sorry for the insurance industry because any denial of coverage makes them look like monsters. If they didn’t though the costs would go up even faster.
This low-cost MRI, along with LASIC, are great examples of lowering cost via competition when the consumer spends their own money. Somehow, we need to inject this approach into medicine in general. Maybe have insurance companies provide a percent based reimbursement of health services purchased, so it’s in my best interests to shop around.
I pretty much agree. However, you said, “Then, when you need something...”. I would change it to “IF you need something”. And often, I don’t need what they are selling. e.g. if I get cancer, I’m not going for Chemo. I’ll go for something like the Gerson method, which is just a few thousand dollars. And since I have friends that have been cured of stage four cancer using that, I’m good with it.
Chiropractors have been medical marvels for me as well. And I had high blood pressure so the doctor prescribed pills. I took two and threw the rest away. That was seven years ago. I changed my diet and my blood pressure is completely normal.
Fact is, most of the expensive stuff the “AMA approved” community wants to do is not something I’m interested in. Not all, but most. It would be dumb for me to get insurance to cover stuff I wouldn’t even want if they thought I needed it.
At 63, the only pills my wife and I take are over the counter pain killers. Meanwhile, our insured peers and contemporaries are ALL complaining and concerned about the cost of their prescription drugs. It’s like we live in two worlds and their world is trying to force itself on us.
That is not how it works in a free country. This isn’t the old USSR. Yet...