Obamacare and you

[Admiral Yi]

Tons of counties have their own hospitals. I wonder how hard it would be for them to form some sort of buying alliance. Maybe they already did, I dunno.

There are two aspects to the "bargaining power" concept.  One is economies of scale, which you're alluding to.  The other aspect, the one that proponents of nationalized health care tend not to focus on, is the option to decline to provide a medication if the perceived cost/benefit is not favorable.  Bargaining power does not mean the power to impose a price on a seller.

[MadImmortalMan]

Also even in the US medical malpractice accounts for 2.5% of health care expenditure. It's nothing.

Malpractice insurance?

Docs are spending more than a hundred grand a year in premiums in many places, so the insurance has to be more significant than that.

[Sheilbh]

There are two aspects to the "bargaining power" concept.  One is economies of scale, which you're alluding to.  The other aspect, the one that proponents of nationalized health care tend not to focus on, is the option to decline to provide a medication if the perceived cost/benefit is not favorable.  Bargaining power does not mean the power to impose a price on a seller.

Isn't that side just about drugs though? One of the major issues in the US is the cost of hospital treatments and visits to doctors:
http://hushp.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/downloadable_files/IFHP%202012%20Comparative%20Price%20Report.pdf

In the UK GPs for example are normally independent contractors, but the price they are allowed to charge the NHS is set by the government. And the NHS does set prices for primary care suppliers (hospitals and doctors) as part of a sort-of internal market:
http://www.monitor.gov.uk/nt

Also I think anyone would say that state provided care should have no limits on cost. There has to be cost/benefit analysis, it's no different than any other part of government.

Edit: Except for Nye Bevan and he lost that argument - though he was probably right on the facts.

[Sheilbh]

Also even in the US medical malpractice accounts for 2.5% of health care expenditure. It's nothing.

Malpractice insurance?

Docs are spending more than a hundred grand a year in premiums in many places, so the insurance has to be more significant than that.

It includes malpractice insurance:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/medical-liability-costs-us/

[MadImmortalMan]

Wow. I guess if things were reasonable, then it would be an outrageous cost. But with things the way they are it's just one of many factors.

[Sheilbh]

It's a big enough cost, but I think it's like the preventative care of the right. So it achieves this vast, almost silver bullet and entirely erroneous enormity.

[crazy canuck]

BC doctors are awesome.

Here it averages 3 days if you have a family doctor. Getting to see specialists is the hard part.

Three days is a lot better than the three months BB suggested.

In Quebec, if you had a serious acute problem like cancer or a matter that required immediate surgery is there really an issue with waiting times?  It seems to me our system is very good at dealing with things that are urgent.  Where we get the waits is for things that can wait.

[Grey Fox]

BC doctors are awesome.

Here it averages 3 days if you have a family doctor. Getting to see specialists is the hard part.

Three days is a lot better than the three months BB suggested.

In Quebec, if you had a serious acute problem like cancer or a matter that required immediate surgery is there really an issue with waiting times?  It seems to me our system is very good at dealing with things that are urgent.  Where we get the waits is for things that can wait.

Yes, which is, btw, what BB said too.

[crazy canuck]

Yes, which is, btw, what BB said too.

It depends on what one considers "serious" I suppose.  I had a serious but not "life threatening condition" and got immediate care.

[Iormlund]

The main problem with waiting lists is access to the first test/specialist visit in cases were time is an issue (eg. cancer). If your family physician does not consider such tests/visits urgent you might end up losing precious months.

In Spain - at least - there's an easy way out of this. The private sector can and does offer what the public cannot: comfort (single hospital rooms, etc) and prompt care for all circumstances (not just urgent cases). And they have to be aggressively competitive in price since their main rival costs nothing beyond taxes that you have to pay anyway.

[crazy canuck]

The main problem with waiting lists is access to the first test/specialist visit in cases were time is an issue (eg. cancer). If your family physician does not consider such tests/visits urgent you might end up losing precious months.

In Spain - at least - there's an easy way out of this. The private sector can and does offer what the public cannot: comfort (single hospital rooms, etc) and prompt care for all circumstances (not just urgent cases). And they have to be aggressively competitive in price since their main rival costs nothing beyond taxes that you have to pay anyway.

We have the same option.

[Phillip V]

Obama Gives Health Plans Added 2-Year Reprieve

'The action helps Democrats in tight midterm election races, because it avoids the cancellation of insurance policies at the height of the political campaign season.'

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/us/politics/obama-extends-renewal-period-for-noncompliant-insurance-policies.html

[11B4V]

Obama Gives Health Plans Added 2-Year Reprieve

'The action helps Democrats in tight midterm election races, because it avoids the cancellation of insurance policies at the height of the political campaign season.'

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/us/politics/obama-extends-renewal-period-for-noncompliant-insurance-policies.html

[garbon]

What a mess.

[Savonarola]

The administration announced that the March 31 deadline won't be extended.  Do all the Americans on this forum have some form of approved health insurance (or plans to get one by March 31)?  Is anyone planning on taking the penalty?