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I've posted several times about physician incomes only accounting for 10% of healthcare costs.
Well the newer study shows that number down to 8%. Before I even started medical school, physician compensation was around 17% of healthcare costs in the early 1990s.
So the question is:
Where the heck is the other 92% of healthcare spending going? That's the moneyball if we want to control healthcare costs.
I know some of the answers but no politician would ever risk their necks.
1. Cut out the "middle guys" All big pharma, reps, device makers. I know some device reps who "brag" about making over $500K easy just selling orthopedic devices for surgeries.
2. Cut out all the "mid level" managers at each hospital. There's a lot of dead weight in many hospitals
3. Ration, ration, ration
Notice I didn't even mention tort reform to lawyers out there. Tort reform is a whole different beast out there. I don't believe in tort reform but in exchange I would rather have a loser pays system. This will deter most of the frivolous cases. If an attorney has the balls to go after a case, they will risk their own money to go after that huge settlement/jury award.
However, the problem with the some of the above solutions is it will probably lead to 20% unemployment instead of our current 9-10% unemployment rate since so much of this country depends on healthcare spending and the jobs that are involved.
There is just no easy solution to this healthcare mess the US is in.
Where the heck is the other 92% of healthcare spending going? That's the moneyball if we want to control healthcare costs.
Since you asked:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roadking2003
Get the government out of health care and costs would go down.
Thats a nice theory. Very simple and intuitive. Of course, in the real world, economics tend to be complicated and counterintuitive, and do bad things to simlple-looking theories behnd the barn. Any actual real-world case where that has worked?
I've posted several times about physician incomes only accounting for 10% of healthcare costs.
Well the newer study shows that number down to 8%. Before I even started medical school, physician compensation was around 17% of healthcare costs in the early 1990s.
So the question is:
Where the heck is the other 92% of healthcare spending going? That's the moneyball if we want to control healthcare costs.
I know some of the answers but no politician would ever risk their necks.
1. Cut out the "middle guys" All big pharma, reps, device makers. I know some device reps who "brag" about making over $500K easy just selling orthopedic devices for surgeries.
2. Cut out all the "mid level" managers at each hospital. There's a lot of dead weight in many hospitals
3. Ration, ration, ration
Notice I didn't even mention tort reform to lawyers out there. Tort reform is a whole different beast out there. I don't believe in tort reform but in exchange I would rather have a loser pays system. This will deter most of the frivolous cases. If an attorney has the balls to go after a case, they will risk their own money to go after that huge settlement/jury award.
However, the problem with the some of the above solutions is it will probably lead to 20% unemployment instead of our current 9-10% unemployment rate since so much of this country depends on healthcare spending and the jobs that are involved.
There is just no easy solution to this healthcare mess the US is in.
Yet the left vilifies physicians, instead of the Trial Lawyer's Association, who has purchased the democratic party, fair and square.
We had a benefits meeting a few weeks ago at my job. It was led by our benefits dept along with reps from the health ins. company they use. The premiums, out-of-pocket, and deductibles are skyrocketing this year (just like last year) and they are making huge changes to the plan. After a good half an hour of dodging angry questions and backtracking, in the end the health ins. company reps answer for the cost increases was give as this: "Don't blame us! Blame your own doctors! It's the doctors who are making hundreds of thousands and refuse to negotiate lower rates! It's them, tell them what you think of that!"
I laughed at out loud at that and blurted out that they 'suck at lying.' I was glared at by them, got a couple claps from the audience though. I was disgusted. The docs are not to blame for this whole mess and that these people are trying to peg it on them is appalling. Our health care system in the country is fubar and docs are getting sucked down along with the rest of us.
I've posted several times about physician incomes only accounting for 10% of healthcare costs.
Well the newer study shows that number down to 8%. Before I even started medical school, physician compensation was around 17% of healthcare costs in the early 1990s.
So the question is:
Where the heck is the other 92% of healthcare spending going? That's the moneyball if we want to control healthcare costs.
I know some of the answers but no politician would ever risk their necks.
1. Cut out the "middle guys" All big pharma, reps, device makers. I know some device reps who "brag" about making over $500K easy just selling orthopedic devices for surgeries.
2. Cut out all the "mid level" managers at each hospital. There's a lot of dead weight in many hospitals
3. Ration, ration, ration
Notice I didn't even mention tort reform to lawyers out there. Tort reform is a whole different beast out there. I don't believe in tort reform but in exchange I would rather have a loser pays system. This will deter most of the frivolous cases. If an attorney has the balls to go after a case, they will risk their own money to go after that huge settlement/jury award.
However, the problem with the some of the above solutions is it will probably lead to 20% unemployment instead of our current 9-10% unemployment rate since so much of this country depends on healthcare spending and the jobs that are involved.
There is just no easy solution to this healthcare mess the US is in.
I question the validity of your statements. A doctor may only make 10% personally ,but does that figure include his office rent, staff, electricity, telephone, staff etc.? How about malpractice ins. at $100k a year?
It's no different than education. Lots of money at the top but very little makes it down to the end..the teachers.
In healthcare..lots of money at the top but very little makes it down to the end..the doctors.
I was just thinking the exact same thing while reading this thread. We spend much more than other 1st nation countries on education but get far worse results comparatively speaking.
I question the validity of your statements. A doctor may only make 10% personally ,but does that figure include his office rent, staff, electricity, telephone, staff etc.? How about malpractice ins. at $100k a year?
I concur, I'm not buying that figure. Any specialist in the US is making pretty serious money. If they own a practice, they may take a smaller "salary" but the practice also makes money depending on how it's incorporated.
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