Hacker News Reader

Comment by standardUser | Hacker News Reader

It's a system that supports two set of clients, doctors and patients, and fails them both. Yet, Congress has considered it sacred and infallible for a hundred years. Democrat's most earnest attempt ended up strengthening and expanding that system, and Republicans for their part have fought tooth and nail to stack the system even further against the people it's supposed to serve.

View on HN

Congress has considered that the employees of this industry are wealthy enough to contribute generously and often to their "re-election campaigns." They couldn't care less if your medical bills bankrupt you or not.

This would all be well and good if the doctors weren't also profiteering. When you visit one, you still don't know if their recommendations are good for me or for them. I have seen allergists which are no less slimy than used car salesmen. See also studies on dentists and their varied recommendations for the same patient.

The US insurance system doesn't seem to be giving us low prices, but let's not pretend it's all their fault. It's just a complex market where it's hard to compare providers, and therefore is prone to a lot of inefficiency.

I'd argue the problem is that doctors and insurance companies are two for-profit entities fighting it out for every penny, whereas the people who ultimately pay for the services aren't part of that conversation. If making me an afterthought makes you (the doctor) more money, I become an afterthought (assuming I don't have other options, which most people don't). I can't imagine it working any other way, aside from magical altruism.

The dental industry gets no defense from me as I've been subject to attempts at swindling and coercion more times than I can remember, as if it's standard practice.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com