ABC has no shame in their mission...

Oh, so it's a question now? Well, OK then, my answer is sometimes. For instance, a pacemaker? Hell yes. If that thing fails, you might die right then. Plus, there was surgery involved in "installing" it. But not for something that amounts to a souped-up version of this:

It shouldn't even be classified as a "medical device" in the first place.

 

Sweet, I'm sure the companies will be happy to hear this.

 

Most prosthetics are class I exempt. They are not subject to the same regulations as ppacemakers. They're no more regulated than canes and crutches. The cost of these devices has nothing to do with government rregulations.

 

Ah, well thank you for kicking the legs out from under their argument. I had wondered how regulations could drive costs up so much, but I didn't know what regulations there actually were concerning prosthetics. It didn't seem reasonable that there could be a whole lot of regs for something like this, but the government often regulates the crap out of things unreasonably.

 

Quite the contrary. I've demonstrated many facts and you've not provided
anything that counters.

Not true. This has been an ongoing topic since the first page.

Not true. I've not argued any such thing? Maybe you think you're arguing
with another member.

You've convinced me that you think you're replying to someone else
since I've provided ample evidence that I do understand the economic
principles and the technology involved by explaining why prosthetics
are expensive.

Is this supposed to be significant? If so, why?

 

You are just making baseless claims. My conservatism matters as you implied I was a "knee jerk leftist". Keep up.

Why do you think you cannot produce an already designed prosthesis with a 3d printer for 350 dollars?

 

Didn't read whole thread. Remove insurance, regulatory, tax and litigation costs, among many other costs, and lots of things get lots cheaper. There's a huge difference between a one-off charity case and an ongoing business. The story quoted in the OP just goes to show how utterly and completely out of touch the gov-bureau-edu-union-MSM complex is with the realities of providing goods and services in the private sector they scorn and vilify hourly.

 

You should ask OSHA, DOT, EEOC, EPA, DOL, IRS, FTC, unions, the plaintiff's bar, etc., etc. that question. The US regulatory bureaucracy and litigation machine is far and away the most costly in the world.

 

All of these regulations are exempt?

http://www.emergogroup.com/resources/regulations-united-states

 

As I stated, most prosthetics are not subject to any more regulation than canes and crutches. The fact that canes and crutches do not cost thousands of dollars shows that the cost of prosthetics is not due to government regulations.

 

Looks like 4 engineering students at $50000 per year tuition ,times 4 , times 4 years . Let's see ...,,,...,,,
That arm cost $800,000 just in college tuition and that's not including materials. Leftist math brought it down to $450 ! Sounds about right.

 

You can but do you want it to work as it's supposed to?

 

Why do you think you cannot make one that works for that cost?

 

Now you are spinning.

 

No, I am not. Two types of products, subject to the same regulations, one costs thousands the other does not. The unavoidable conclusion is that Government regulations are not driving the price difference . That is not spin.

 

Comparing crutches with high tech prosthetics that are intended to mimic human function, not just support a crippled human, is where you went wrong.

 

That's been answered. They are custom made for each individual
and off the rack isn't an option. What kind of damage, besides losing a limb,
was done to the body? What needs to be fabricated for it to work properly?
What are the other ramifications are present with the injury?

 

None of this is an issue. You have a few designs with regard to functionality of the mechanism, from the housing outward, its the same set of mechanisms... the housing is the custom part, and a 3d scan takes care of most of that.

You think the (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)bag that hangs out in the mall taking impressions for custom orthopedic shoes has a PhD? This seriously isn't rocket surgery.

 

All of it is an issue. And there are more than a few designs with regard to
functionality that relate to the issues I mentioned in post 142.

Irrelevant.