How to Make Health Care Better and More Affordable

One Simple Solution for US Health Care

On this episode of Common Sense Soapbox, Seamus explains to Sarah, Ron, and Bob one thing that could vastly improve the US health care system and make it more affordable.

Is it more spending? Is it more insurance? No.

It’s something that would let the market drive down costs the same way it does in other well-functioning sectors: A functioning price system.

'What's that,' you say? Stay tuned and find out!
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CREDITS:
Written by Seamus Coughlin and Sean W. Malone
Research by Tyler Brandt & Matt Hampton
Reviewed by Michael D. Tanner
Storyboards by Mila Brosam
Animation by Seamus Coughlin, Natasha Borrero, Caleb Black, Jaime Velasquez, Amazil
Produced & Edited by Sean W. Malone
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LINKS:
-- Understanding Price Signals --

-- Health Care --

[OntheOtherHandVideos]

I so appreciate that the way to make health care better isn't presented as a miracle fix - Seamus does a great job of not over-promising.

[IchNachtLiebe]

My girlfriend once was in urgent need of surgery. We went into one hospital and the doctor said they wanted to keep her overnight and see if the issue passed. I asked them, "So, you're basically going to do nothing and send me a giant bill?" The doctor literally replied, "Yes". So I walked out with my girlfriend in arm and went to a different hospital 100 miles away.

The first hospital still tried to send me a bill. I fought the bill and didn't end up having to pay. My girlfriend got the surgery she needed at the other hospital.

If more people were stubborn and didn't fall for the, "we're doing everything we can by doing nothing but charging you" sales point we could push some of the scam artists off the map.

[sircoloniser]

the US healthcare system
combining the worst parts of public and private healthcare

[Rickety]

Patients should approve the cost before services delivered. Just like EVERY OTHER COST IN THE WORLD

[Saint_Wolf_]

Bob's character arc is better than the entirety of Cal arts animation arcs on TV.

[grahamturner]

The funniest part was that the person having the issue was made out of paper.

[Ethan-ztky]

A few clinics already do this, they charge 80 bucks a month for any injection, any minor injury, any counseling, at ANY time with unlimited visits. Not to mention doctors can make even more money this way. All the while preserving the finest health care for those who can afford it.

[baltoflyer]

A couple of weeks ago I went to urgentcare (a chain clinic). I had just went off my parent's insurance and was paying myself. I asked how much it would be and was told $100 which I paid upfront. A few days later I get a bill in the mail saying I owe them another $330. That's not how that works. You can't charge someone more than you told them for a service, except if it's medical, then they can charge you what they want, when they want, and make your life hell if you don't pay.

[watchdealer]

Doctors are also overpaid with their supply artificially kept low by the AMA. We need to increase the number of med school seats and allow top international doctors to practice here.

[mlevin]

When people say that our system of private healthcare is broken they’re forgetting that we don’t actually rly have a private system. What we have is a horrendous amalgamation of both private and public elements which causes runaway increases in price. It’s actually pretty similar to what is happening to college tuition. As far as affordability goes, a fully public system may be better than what we have right now (although quality may go down), but going back in the other direction toward a private system will have even larger positive effects on affordability and on quality.

[mackinbox]

I always smile when I see that there’s another common sense soapbox out

[StlStrife]

All of the hospitals I've been lucky enough to do my clinicals in have had Charities for this exact situation. Now if only all of them did instead of relying on the government...

[hisgreasiness]

It WAS affordable when EVERYONE paid for their OWN insurance. The start of the downfall was in the late 90s when the insurance companies and hospitals started working together against the consumer, rather than against each other.

[SupersuMC]

Funny thing about the papercut is that, with our excessive use of antibiotics, we're approaching an age where papercuts can kill. ._.

[Mintstar_Oceanpop]

And then Bob discovered how hard it is to open his own clinic.

[robrazzano]

I've always found it interesting that Healthcare is the only service you purchase and no one tells you how much it cost

[nathansixteen]

I always love the "that just means that rich people will be treated first" comment... Yes, because we all know that in countries with universal, taxpayer funded healthcare, rich people never get to jump the line... 🙄🙄🙄

If you believe that, I have some beach front property in Kansas to sell you

[rys.]

My mom is a doctor, and I grew up with all that. Also worked for her for 10 years, and I can confirm that the system is broken.
Can't list prices to be competitive, have to charge certain prices as part of the agreement with insurance companies. Beyond that, the disaster of medicare is not sustainable for any private clinic.
Some real reforms are needed.

[cr]

It’s so weird how if you mess up pricing transparency things get expensive real fast. It’s almost as if there’s no incentive from anybody to keep costs down.

[SC-mfgc]

Canada here: went in for an eye exam years ago and asked beforehand how much it would cost, so I could know if I could afford it, or whether it was worth it.

They said they didnt know.

How could you not know? It's like not knowing a price until after you buy something.

Anyway, I went ahead with it. Simple eye exam. Loe and behold it was several hundred bucks. I a poor student. So I just said...well I didnt bring THAT much. Not much they could do since they did the exam first. So I just paid what I could and paid the rest later.

Same thing happens at the doctor. They have no idea what anything costs. They just write a prescription for the name brand stuff, unless you request otherwise. In either case you never know what it will be until you go to the pharmacy and even then the pharmacist doesnt know until they fill the damn order and it's time to pay.

You cant just be like, how much will this cost?

It's insane