It probably makes it sound like some ficiton novel, but I personally think the medical business is probably one of the most sinister organizations living. Why? Because I believe a very simple thing. The sicker you are, the more they profit. The Health Care industry is an industry not as concerned with your health as with profits. Maximum profit would not tolerate you dying or being fully cured, but stringing you out on a long train of drugs designed to keep you more in a limbo than anything else. Perhaps the reality is not as extreme as my thought, but personally, there is a reason why I opt out of making myself an organ donor.
If by "sinister" you mean "life-saving", "altruistic", "noble", "extraordinary", then you would be correct. Otherwise, you'd be wrong in a most dramatic fashion. Absolutely false: A plastic surgeon giving a single botox injection or a dermatologist seeing three simple acne patients will each get paid more then an intensive care unit physician running a Code Blue (e.g. cardiac arrest procedure) for an hour. Trust me, as a practicing physician, I can say with all seriousness that I could have made a TON more money going into many other fields, such as business/finance or engineering. I strongly advise those who plan on going into the field of medicine with aspirations of becoming rich to STRONGLY rethink their plans and go into another line of work where it is much easier to make money (such as becoming a plumber or electrician). What in the world are you talking about here? Reality is absolutely NOTHING like your wacked out thought. ???????
There is enough of a "perfect market" out there that there is always competition to be better. While much of what you've written is correct, in that market, you have to show results. You have to be able to truthfully say, "we do better at healing/restoring/preserving people than our competition. People are now living longer by a factor of nearly two since the 1900s. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056796.htm
Well, I could be more specific and say that I don't think everyone is like this, but I think that the major, very big ones might be like this. And the market and competition does not solve anything because their are official and unofficial bargains among the top to set a minimum price or adhere to a set policy when puling off certain functions. Though the law and practice says that these thing should be broken up, reality is different....or maybe. But I have heard of various policies like how hospitals will always get people to take MRI's when CAT scans are much more cheaper. I've heard how doctors are quick to cut if you listed yourself as an organ donor. I suppose I should get some information first, otherwise this is going to be another pop and shot thread...
The US "medical business" isn't one orginisation though - far from it. Like everything else, it contains good, bad and indifferent. That really isn't true. The most effective profiteering in medicine is actually having healthy people under the impression that your products are what is keeping them healthy. Emergency and crtical care will have very low profit margins - the real sinister indivudals will generally avoid them. There can be elements of that but under the insurance system, it's actually in the industries interests to keep you healthy and paying in rather than receiving treatment that they're paying out for. There will be lots of people on the actual medical side who's priority is the health of their patients though. It isn't in their interests to keep you sick.
As far as manufacturers are concerned, they are a business so expect a profit. Obamacare now will tax them at a greater percent so government, as ususal, makes health care more costly. As far a physicians are concerned, I don't know one that does not care or are not interested in the latest technique to do their work in a more efficient manner with a better outcome.
So what do you suggest should happen to people who voluntarily pay a doctor to provide him with medical services?
This post is a nice effort of dragging people to this concept of health care in effective and appropriate manner. Keep on posting information like this
The idea that turning it into a government social program is the exact opposite of turning it into and effective program and certainly not an efficient one. Countries that do soon learn that the biggest driver of their budget is healthcare and as Canada has been discussing, turning some of it back to the private sector. High tax countries face higher taxes or reduced services. That is what happens when you run out of other peoples money.
We pay much more via the government on healthcare than many of the other countries with a universal healthcare plan and tend to do worse in preemptive care which is why costs go up, a person with regular checks will most likely be healthier and able to catch things early than not which drives up costs of medical procedures.
