Life is complicated

I haven't written in a while because I can't seem to find the pithy answers. Or even a topic worth writing on that I can summarize sufficiently in a simple blog.



I have figured out some of the healthcare problem. Clearly, we are in the process of getting thoroughly ripped off, lied to, and painted into a corner by our governement. I haven't said anything about it sooner because I didn't understand it well enough as yet.



On the topic of what is wrong with healthcare.



The costs are growing much faster than the income of individuals. There are three key causes to this. First of all, the body is complicated and sophisticated beyond belief. This means that it takes a lot to train doctors and learn more about the body, which equates to high cost. Second, it is a high liability profession. If a doctor or pharmaceutical company does cause some harm, then the fiscal consequences for them can be atrocious. This works with the other two causes in a synergistic fashion to increase health care costs. The third cause is that we have an infinite immediate value on life. By this I mean that when faced with a life threatening situation we are willing to do anything and pay anything. So, the price can go up to meet our full fiscal capacity. Not just the capacity of an individual or family, but of a whole society. (The truth is that we aren't. People drive recklessly, eat all kinds of garbage, and engage in dangerous sports, sex ... etc. It helps define our lives and ... well that is another topic about which I am not entirely ready to discourse.)



The last part of the health care problem is that we have a contradiction between the basic doctrines of our society. We cannot value all life essentially equally and still maintain a strictly competitive free-market. Really some people have to be worth more in a competitve free market. It is the whole profit motive thing. I am not a fan of the competitive free market theory that we have created, but I think that is another topic for another blog.



Well, that is enough for me for what is wrong. Now for potential solutions, without going through the obviously disasterous and deliberately deceptive plans of our government.

First, open up insurance to interstate sales. Auto insurance already is, so why not health insurance.

Second, change the liability laws for doctors and lawyers. There are two big changes that come to mind. Lawyers should not be awarded on the win-amount of the lawsuit, but only on the paid amount. Lawyers should also be liable to a certain percentage of the sue amount and a fixed cost for legal fees in a frivolous or even failed suit. I understand the the fiscal liability of lawyers will only serve to reduce the number of lawsuits and make the individuals more vulnerable. So, there needs to be some discretionary aspects to the application of the liabilities of the lawyers. Clearly, not a simple solution. And, one that would face a lot of opposition.

Third, also not a simple solution, require health insurance at some minimal level for everybody. We are already requiring insurance to drive a car, so why not breath? It is not the same since we cannot revoke a breathing liscence, but it is also not the same since we are currently required to treat everybody regardless of how expensive and their ability to pay for it. Obviously, there are massive complications with this, how to enforce it, how to regulate it, and what exclusions to allow.

Fourth, create an information net. Doctors would be required to disclose anonimous patient histories. (the patient is anonimous, not the doctor) These histories would be published by cases and not by patient. This information would be AVAILABLE for all with a nominal access fee to support the network costs. There would be a minimum delay of 3 months and maximum delay of 1 year before information is added. The information can then be google-mined by everybody. Very expensive. Very difficult. But also very valuable. It would allow people to make real decisions, as well as pushing doctors in their development. Too often diagnostic tests cloud the problems more than resolve them. With correlated statistical information of symptoms, tests, diagnosis, treatment, and results it would be amazing what we could save.