This commentary is pretty much everything I've said here about practicing medicine

[Guynemer]

If only we had a system which incentivized people to only consume goods and services to the extent that the value of these goods and services (to them) was greater than the cost of those same goods and services...

Self-rationing would work; I'm not particularly fussy about how the rationing happens.

[MRT144]

This, people. Make it cost money.

More accurately, make the cost fall directly on the consumer.

Will this make cancer treatment less likely to bankrupt people? No?

Why do you want people to choose death or destitute.

[loinburger]

About half of men ages 18 to 50 don't have a primary-care physician, and a third haven't had a checkup in more than a year, a new survey shows.

I haven't been to a doctor in more than a year because I haven't been ill in more than a year (aside from a few colds). I did however get a physical back in 2006 so that I could get a tetanus booster.

[MRT144]

Self-rationing would work; I'm not particularly fussy about how the rationing happens.

No more caesarians!!!

[MRT144]

I haven't been to a doctor in more than a year because I haven't been ill in more than a year (aside from a few colds). I did however get a physical back in 2006 so that I could get a tetanus booster.

I have only gone in the last year after an 8 year absence.

[Hauldren Collider]

Will this make cancer treatment less likely to bankrupt people? No?

Why do you want people to choose death or destitute.

You are missing the point. Make them pay for the little things. Insurance can cover what they can't afford and occurs unexpectedly. This is the only way to get people to rationally consider "hm, would homeopathic cures really help? And do I really need antibiotics?"

[Guynemer]

No more caesarians!!!

Good example. Many caesarians simply aren't necessary, but done out of convenience. Even those that are necessary are typically just as brief as the aforementioned skin surgery.

[loinburger]

Will this make cancer treatment less likely to bankrupt people? No?

It makes sense for health insurance to cover the costs of things like cancer, where the cost of treatment is high but only a small to moderate percentage of people are afflicted with the condition; this is similar to how insurance works in sane professions, e.g. auto insurance and homeowners insurance. If car insurance were more like health insurance then it would cover oil changes and tire rotations; if homeowners insurance were more like health insurance then it would cover fresh paint and lawnmowing fees.

[MRT144]

You are missing the point. Make them pay for the little things. Insurance can cover what they can't afford and occurs unexpectedly. This is the only way to get people to rationally consider "hm, would homeopathic cures really help? And do I really need antibiotics?"

Homeopathic **** isn't covered by insurance as it's filed under "magic", and antibiotics are over prescribed. You're essentially putting the onus of medical application on people who don't know anything about medicine and not shaping incentives at the doctor level to reduce over-prescription/over-procedure.

[MRT144]

It makes sense for health insurance to cover the costs of things like cancer, where the cost of treatment is high but only a small to moderate percentage of people are afflicted with the condition; this is similar to how insurance works in sane professions, e.g. auto insurance and homeowners insurance. If car insurance were more like health insurance then it would cover oil changes and tire rotations; if homeowners insurance were more like health insurance then it would cover fresh paint and lawnmowing fees.

That makes sense to a degree. I'm looking at this article right now that states that 5% of patients made up half the costs of health care.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-01-11/health-care-costs-11/52505562/1

[Hauldren Collider]

It makes sense for health insurance to cover the costs of things like cancer, where the cost of treatment is high but only a small to moderate percentage of people are afflicted with the condition; this is similar to how insurance works in sane professions, e.g. auto insurance and homeowners insurance. If car insurance were more like health insurance then it would cover oil changes and tire rotations; if homeowners insurance were more like health insurance then it would cover fresh paint and lawnmowing fees.

MRT, this is exactly what I mean.

[Guynemer]

Not only that, over half (IIRC) of health-care costs come in the last year of life. Our societal attitude towards "do everything" is destroying our economy.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You are missing the point. Make them pay for the little things. Insurance can cover what they can't afford and occurs unexpectedly. This is the only way to get people to rationally consider "hm, would homeopathic cures really help? And do I really need antibiotics?"

Health Insurance, as it currently works, does not show the consumer how much each procedure costs. As loin says, it usually covers everything.

Though, we'd also like to promote more preventative care, as that results in finding things earlier and preventing a super costly procedure later.

[Hauldren Collider]

Though, we'd also like to promote more preventative care, as that results in finding things earlier and preventing a super costly procedure later.

This isn't always true, Imran. And you shouldn't be looking simply at "cost". That's deceptive. Preventative care might enable someone to live longer, vastly increasing the cost of their medical care. But that doesn't mean we should have let them die.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's more true than not, however.