Comments on: USA’s “private” health care http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/ Looking Forward to Freedom Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:03:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Julian H http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-1900 Julian H Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:57:41 +0000 http://www.liberal-vision.org/?p=2626#comment-1900 Niklas, I entirely agree - the debate became absurdly polarised, especially given that neither the UK nor the US can affect <i>each other's</i> healthcare system. I don't think the Dutch system is perfect, but it has been an improvement on the "social insurance" model they had before. I'll take up your recommendation for constructive suggestions; drop me a reminder if I haven't done this within a week. Niklas, I entirely agree – the debate became absurdly polarised, especially given that neither the UK nor the US can affect each other’s healthcare system.

I don’t think the Dutch system is perfect, but it has been an improvement on the “social insurance” model they had before.

I’ll take up your recommendation for constructive suggestions; drop me a reminder if I haven’t done this within a week.

]]> By: Niklas Smith http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-1891 Niklas Smith Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:11:07 +0000 http://www.liberal-vision.org/?p=2626#comment-1891 The fact that the US government spends more per person on healthcare than the NHS, while employers and citizens also have to shell out large amounts of money for insurance, is a reminder that the American system has serious problems. I'm disappointed by the way the "debate" has descended into mudslinging by the left ("if you don't tweet #welovetheNHS you must be an evil murderer") and the right (who seem to believe that the current American healthcare system is an embodiment of consumer choice - even though about half of the population is covered by various public programmes and most of the rest are covered by their employers). I would like Liberal Vision to make some constructive suggestions for reforming British healthcare, rather than simply defending the American system. Perhaps Dutch-style compulsory insurance with competining providers would be a good start? The fact that the US government spends more per person on healthcare than the NHS, while employers and citizens also have to shell out large amounts of money for insurance, is a reminder that the American system has serious problems.

I’m disappointed by the way the “debate” has descended into mudslinging by the left (“if you don’t tweet #welovetheNHS you must be an evil murderer”) and the right (who seem to believe that the current American healthcare system is an embodiment of consumer choice – even though about half of the population is covered by various public programmes and most of the rest are covered by their employers).

I would like Liberal Vision to make some constructive suggestions for reforming British healthcare, rather than simply defending the American system. Perhaps Dutch-style compulsory insurance with competining providers would be a good start?

]]> By: Julian Harris http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-1847 Julian Harris Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:43:00 +0000 http://www.liberal-vision.org/?p=2626#comment-1847 Are you anti-IP, Tris? Are you anti-IP, Tris?

]]> By: Tristan http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-1846 Tristan Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:35:50 +0000 http://www.liberal-vision.org/?p=2626#comment-1846 Oh, and a lot of people protesting about Obamacare are actually on medicaid or medicare. They believe they will lose out - and those schemes are meant to help the most needy... Oh, and a lot of people protesting about Obamacare are actually on medicaid or medicare.
They believe they will lose out – and those schemes are meant to help the most needy…

]]> By: Tristan http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-1845 Tristan Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:33:55 +0000 http://www.liberal-vision.org/?p=2626#comment-1845 Add in inflated costs due to: 1) Licensing of medical practitioners 2) Patents 3) The FDA approval bureaucracy and it mounts up. Also, does that include the government spending of R&D? Big pharma gets lots of R&D money, but they get to keep the patents. There's also an argument that the agricultural subsidies and price fixing helps put up medical costs by encouraging unhealthy foods. All in all the US system is almost as far away from a free market as the NHS. Add in inflated costs due to:
1) Licensing of medical practitioners
2) Patents
3) The FDA approval bureaucracy

and it mounts up.

Also, does that include the government spending of R&D? Big pharma gets lots of R&D money, but they get to keep the patents.

There’s also an argument that the agricultural subsidies and price fixing helps put up medical costs by encouraging unhealthy foods.

All in all the US system is almost as far away from a free market as the NHS.

]]> By: Mark Littlewood http://www.liberal-vision.org/2009/08/17/usas-private-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-1844 Mark Littlewood Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:13:55 +0000 http://www.liberal-vision.org/?p=2626#comment-1844 If memory serves, that's about - as a % - what we spend on the NHS. 1% lower, I think. If memory serves, that’s about – as a % – what we spend on the NHS. 1% lower, I think.

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