Steven Leavitt's healthcare proposition

[IndependentProfessor]

Was reading his latest book, and he had a blog post about this. Obviously, it's not fleshed out completely. But, the idea is intriguing.

Government covers all medical expenses exceeding $5000 per year. The individual pays full cost for first $5000.

His reasoning is that this would fully cover larger procedures (which can bankrupt people), but still disincentivize needless/wasteful spending on smaller things. I tend to agree with the premise. However, it should be income-based. Say, instead of $5000 - make it 5% of income (or something similar). Enough to discourage abuse, but not enough to really hurt.

[Indy]

So basically the gov't covers catastrophic.

This might work if people were able to buy private policies to cover some/all of that first $5000--that's still a lot of scratch for most people. But it wouldn't have to be huge premiums--think renter's insurance.

[NAB]

A lot of bills will be sent out in the amount of $4,999.

[IndependentProfessor]

[IndependentProfessor]

[Dylan]

[Saz]

Most of the f**k waste is old people using useless but expensive procedures at end of life. Most people should go to the doctor more to get preventative care. But this won't stop costs from running away as every 89 year old throws in 5k for a 250k operation that extends life by 2 weeks maybe.

Plus, what are you gonna do if someone can't pay. Kid shows up with broken arm and mom doesn't have 5 bucks never mind 5000. Not gonna treat the kid?

As for means testing new the amount, Americans are f**k broke. Set it at 100 dollars and it would be a struggle for half the country. Not to mention at such a low amount, just make it f**k free. What you are collecting is negligible.

How about instead of overly complex idiotic work around we just have a civilised single payer system like every other civilised country.

[Saz]

[Winchester]

[Dylan]