Medicine is now at the point where insurance companies are dictating to doctors how they should practice medicine while demanding huge premiums. They are also constantly bitching to keep costs down at the expense of patient health. I find this all rather disgusting to say the least when CEO's of the HMO's are making millions per year.
Malpractice insurance isn't getting any cheaper either. I agree with you. Charging patients what they can pay works. Not dealing with insurance billings also keeps the overhead down. Working out of your home keeps costs down also.
Bingo.
This is the cure for Medicare and Medicaid too. Instead of CMS rules and regulations, just give poor seniors and those with clear disabilities a $50,000-per-year healthcare account in the form of a debit card. Of course there'll be monthly premiums to keep costs down - but no more deductibles, co-pays, and other BS. Unused monies won't carry over - whatever the existing balance is will be added to the X amount to bring it back to the $50,000 level. They can use the account to buy prescription drugs (NO MORE "DOUGHNUT HOLE" NONSENSE), dental, medical, vision, nursing home care, etc without the BS. Some FReepers will scream that this is socialism but it's not. This immediately reduces 90% of paperwork and saves billions in bureaucratic costs. The program phases itself out on it's own.