Obamacare and you

[Valmy]

I can't for the life of me understand what the hell are they spending all that money in.

We eat the worst foods, are the most obese, work the longest hours, and take the least vacation. It takes a lot of health care to keep our life spans as long as they are, even if they lag in international comparisons.

I am proud to report Mexico is now more obese than we are.  USA!  USA!

[The Minsky Moment]

Just saw this in an OECD report ... American exceptionalism:

Question is: what happens when you adjust for the usually high level of deaths by accident and violence in the US?
These deaths tend to be uncorrelated or even reverse correlated from age and thus tend to hit life expectancy, but they aren't really addressable by the health care delivery system.

I have seen studies that suggest that the US health care system does a very good job of extending life span and quality among similarly situated people who have various kinds of significant ailments and conditions.  OTOH some public health and extension of basic care across the population may lag behind the leaders.

[Razgovory]

Just saw this in an OECD report ... American exceptionalism:

Question is: what happens when you adjust for the usually high level of deaths by accident and violence in the US?
These deaths tend to be uncorrelated or even reverse correlated from age and thus tend to hit life expectancy, but they aren't really addressable by the health care delivery system.

I have seen studies that suggest that the US health care system does a very good job of extending life span and quality among similarly situated people who have various kinds of significant ailments and conditions.  OTOH some public health and extension of basic care across the population may lag behind the leaders.

Higher level of deaths by violence then Israel?

[fhdz]

It's obvious that we pay more for drugs than other countries.

I'm pretty sure our doctors are some of the highest paid in the world.

I suspect, but don't know, that we spend a lot more than other countries on "heroic" measures for dying patients.

You forgot advertising.  Because I just can't get enough of Kaiser Permanente's "Thrive" campaign starring the dulcet and comforting warmth of Allison Janney's voiceover.

I really appreciate Abilify's (antipsychotic) commercials with cutsey animations that suggest you ask your doctor about using it for depression.

I think we should ban advertising on all prescription drugs.

The idea is that your doctor is supposed to make an evidence-based diagnosis and create a prescription, not that Johnny Layman is supposed to go "hey, I'm a crazy fucker, maybe I should ask my doc about This Brand Name Anti-Crazy Pill."

[fhdz]

I'm flabbergasted. What possible benefit can such a thing have?

Patient awareness.

They're supposed to get that from their physician. You know. The trained person.

[Ed Anger]

I'm flabbergasted. What possible benefit can such a thing have?

Patient awareness.

They're supposed to get that from their physician. You know. The trained person.

Considering some of the quacks I've seen over the years, I want to know.

[fhdz]

I'm flabbergasted. What possible benefit can such a thing have?

Patient awareness.

They're supposed to get that from their physician. You know. The trained person.

Considering some of the quacks I've seen over the years, I want to know.

But the ads don't tell you anything even mildly approaching the opinion of a professional. I've seen any number of prescription drug ads where they don't even tell you what the fucking thing is FOR.

[DGuller]

I think we should ban advertising on all prescription drugs.

The idea is that your doctor is supposed to make an evidence-based diagnosis and create a prescription, not that Johnny Layman is supposed to go "hey, I'm a crazy fucker, maybe I should ask my doc about This Brand Name Anti-Crazy Pill."

I'm not sure I would go that far.  Doctors can be pretty set in their ways when it comes to drugs, it takes way too much effort to get them to prescribe me antibiotics every single time I have a cold.

[fhdz]

I think we should ban advertising on all prescription drugs.

The idea is that your doctor is supposed to make an evidence-based diagnosis and create a prescription, not that Johnny Layman is supposed to go "hey, I'm a crazy fucker, maybe I should ask my doc about This Brand Name Anti-Crazy Pill."

I'm not sure I would go that far.  Doctors can be pretty set in their ways when it comes to drugs, it takes way too much effort to get them to prescribe me antibiotics every single time I have a cold.

[Ed Anger]

I'm flabbergasted. What possible benefit can such a thing have?

Patient awareness.

They're supposed to get that from their physician. You know. The trained person.

Considering some of the quacks I've seen over the years, I want to know.

But the ads don't tell you anything even mildly approaching the opinion of a professional. I've seen any number of prescription drug ads where they don't even tell you what the fucking thing is FOR.

But.... Viagra gives men horns.

[fhdz]

I'm flabbergasted. What possible benefit can such a thing have?

Patient awareness.

They're supposed to get that from their physician. You know. The trained person.

Considering some of the quacks I've seen over the years, I want to know.

But the ads don't tell you anything even mildly approaching the opinion of a professional. I've seen any number of prescription drug ads where they don't even tell you what the fucking thing is FOR.

But.... Viagra gives men horns.

For erections lasting four hours or more, take advantage of that shit as much as you can in the limited time available to you.

Hey, a ban is win-win. Docs will be more likely to prescribe generics when those exist, they won't have to wade through as many kooky self-diagnoses, and the pharma companies can use the advertising budgets to create more neat drugs instead. Maybe it could even bring down the price of drugs a bit.

[Ed Anger]

I would like to see a ban on whore pill commercials. I know I don't want to hear about women shit while I'm eating.

[fhdz]

I would like to see a ban on whore pill commercials. I know I don't want to hear about women shit while I'm eating.

HAIL TO THE V

[Admiral Yi]

I don't think I've ever seen a whore pill commercial.

[Sheilbh]

I can't for the life of me understand what the hell are they spending all that money in.

Everything is more expensive:

We eat the worst foods, are the most obese, work the longest hours, and take the least vacation. It takes a lot of health care to keep our life spans as long as they are, even if they lag in international comparisons.

But you've also got way lower smoking rates than Europe and a younger population. Healthcare should be cheaper.

I'm pretty sure our doctors are some of the highest paid in the world.

Interesting that I believe the US has a below average number of doctors to population.