The Soapbox

Joined: 10/18/1998 Posts: 697
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U.S. health care spending

The US spends about $7,000 per person on healthcare every year, or about 18% of GDP; the next highest spender is Switzerland, with about $4,500.

Yet the assumption underlying the current health care debate seems to be that we aren't spending enough. I.e. it's important to extend insurance coverage to those who don't have it, so they can access health care that they're currently not getting.
That may be true, but how much of GDP should reasonably be spent on health care? Shouldn't we be devoting our energy to finding a way to reduce, rather than increase, health care spending?

Posted: 06/22/2017 at 4:52PM

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Current Thread:

U.S. health care spending -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 4:52PM

And that really is the problem. We can create all the various models in . -- GoochlandHoo 06/23/2017 09:55AM

Joey can you provide a link to those numbers? I ask because -- 111Balz 06/22/2017 8:28PM

I got it from here (link) -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 8:54PM

The $9,900 is the number I saw, and the source sems to be the same -- 111Balz 06/23/2017 07:18AM

Yes we should. But we will have to destroy the food industry. ** -- Hokieesith 06/22/2017 6:55PM

Yes- bring the normalized (per citizen) numbers down -- Capital City Hoo 06/22/2017 6:29PM

Excellent question. To reduce the money spent without people dying -- KaHOOnah 06/22/2017 5:59PM

Systems being different because patients are different. -- Lich 06/22/2017 6:54PM

Admin and wildly variable pricing are much bigger factors. -- hoodeyo 06/23/2017 04:17AM

I hate taxes so much I'm almost allergic but we need MASSIVE taxes on food -- CharlestonSC 06/22/2017 7:32PM

Haha- I just finished a salad and generally agree -- Capital City Hoo 06/22/2017 8:28PM

I just got back from a visit to Detroit. There are no supermarkets -- Hooddihsm 06/23/2017 09:21AM

I understand there /ARE/ food deserts, but Charlottesville certainly isn't -- CharlestonSC 06/22/2017 8:44PM

Yup- never said those factors explain all of it, definitely -- Capital City Hoo 06/22/2017 8:55PM

Haha! I'm glad you started the cycle studio, fella -- KaHOOnah 06/22/2017 7:43PM

That's a good point, too. And the way we fund agriculture plays into that -- KaHOOnah 06/22/2017 6:56PM

Where the fuck are you buying broccoli?? ** -- wahoo138 06/23/2017 06:04AM

Acme. 10th and Spruce ** -- KaHOOnah 06/23/2017 09:53AM

We need to quit repeating the claim that healthy food is too expensive imho -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 7:21PM

Yeah...all this stuff is cheap at Aldis ** -- GoochlandHoo 06/23/2017 09:30AM

I think a big part of it is lack of time and resources. -- WahooRQ 06/22/2017 8:40PM

Most people do not plan ...... -- VaTechie 06/23/2017 10:04AM

That's true for some, but we see the same thing even among the unemployed -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 9:04PM

There is a difference between cost to produce and the cost to the consumer -- 111Balz 06/23/2017 07:27AM

Dude, I love your message and applaud you for trying to change minds. -- WahooRQ 06/22/2017 10:55PM

Why does it have to be kale and heirlooms though? -- wahoo138 06/23/2017 06:14AM

It doesn't, of course. Although packaged frozen veggies aren't overly -- WahooRQ 06/23/2017 09:15AM

Frozen veggies are actually very nutritious -- Joey Wahoo 06/23/2017 10:56AM

You can get a kale salad with steelhead -- Capital City Hoo 06/22/2017 8:59PM

They are significantly more expensive, but not always to the consumer. -- KaHOOnah 06/22/2017 7:32PM

In this case I actually do know what I'm talking about -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 8:50PM

And a dozen eggs at Aldi's is $0.49 cents. Yeah, that is not a misprint. -- GoochlandHoo 06/23/2017 10:06AM

We spend far less of our income on food than any civilization in history -- Joey Wahoo 06/23/2017 10:50AM

It's the "make it yourself" part that's the problem -- wahoo138 06/23/2017 06:20AM

Then I stand corrected. -- KaHOOnah 06/22/2017 11:32PM

Thats crazy...8% for dialysis. CKD caused by DM and HTN... -- Lich 06/22/2017 7:06PM

Right. And it's 8% of Medicare's budget. Sorry for my brainfart. -- KaHOOnah 06/22/2017 7:11PM

Oh gotchya. Down in NC (near Winston Salem now) but -- Lich 06/22/2017 8:40PM

.** -- Lich 06/22/2017 7:05PM

Unfortunately, the best way to reduce health care cost is -- Hokie5150 06/22/2017 5:55PM

I agree that's a significant part of the problem. But... -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 6:36PM

Right, and I think his point is largely a red herring -- 111Balz 06/22/2017 8:18PM

Fear of lawsuits is a huge factor in our health care cost. Lots of -- ESHooFan 06/22/2017 8:54PM

I think that is over stated and while there is some opportunity -- 111Balz 06/23/2017 07:10AM

It also makes the machine a profit center for them. ** -- KCHoo 06/22/2017 9:11PM

Those countries restrict what doctors can do on a cost/benefit -- KCHoo 06/22/2017 8:12PM

I would rather have the insurance company handle it than a politician. ** -- ESHooFan 06/22/2017 8:56PM

I believe a single payer system is the best way ** -- NJHoo 06/22/2017 6:01PM

It's going to make you healthier? ** -- Hokieesith 06/22/2017 6:12PM

Yes -- Quaker 06/22/2017 6:55PM

It would do that for those who would otherwise not be able to have insur. ** -- NJHoo 06/22/2017 6:21PM

I doubt it. ** -- Hokieesith 06/22/2017 6:28PM

We are in a conundrum because that would wreck our economy -- Hoepner 06/22/2017 5:38PM

Per our discussion yesterday, we should seriously consider -- HoosWillWin 06/22/2017 5:26PM

The Medical Assistance Guarantee for Americans. Or MAGA for short. ** -- WahooMatt05 06/22/2017 5:32PM

I agree, but I don't see how this bill addresses rising costs -- WahooMatt05 06/22/2017 5:06PM

My post wasn't related to the bill. Just saying that whatever our... -- Joey Wahoo 06/22/2017 6:32PM

It doesn't -- ConnHoo 06/22/2017 5:10PM