No, I provided stats on US paying 2x more than OECD countries as the benchmark. I think bj mentioned Europe (and you mentioned “Scandinavian nations” when I asked you to provide top 5 countries “protecting the minority of one and our individual pursuits of happiness.”)
It’s basic, common sense: the US is paying 100% more than a very reasonable benchmark (other relatively prosperous countries).
What’s happening is, USians are getting ripped off for an extra 100% markup in healthcare costs.
Some stakeholders, probably hospitals, doctors, insurers, drug companies, medical devices companies (and probably some others) are taking way more cash out of the system relative to the value they provide. (and USians can be better stewards of their health, no doubt - **hey, look**, part of the solution, a conservative principle: individual responsibility).
In other words, USians are getting ripped off.
A large majority can see this obvious ripoff.
And for an economics discussion board, the above simple facts, that nearly everyone agrees on, should really not be debated.
As has been said in US business world, “your profit is my opportunity” (**look again**: a free market principle we can adopt towards a solution).
There is an opportunity for the US people to take back some of that 2x cost, which is a silly and excessive 18% of GDP, much higher than peer countries, and get more value for our money.
Now, how to do it is tough because those stakeholders will not loosen their grip on that 18% of GDP easily.
But we are smart and industrious and I’m sure there is a way to recover some of that 18%.
As I said upthread, I’m not stuck on ideology - that’s stupid, frankly.
Here’s what I’m stuck on: let’s draw the best ideas, be they more free market or more government intervention and take back some of that 18%.
It would be naive to think we can quickly, easily cut the 2x cost in half.
Instead, how about we take the systems that we have (Medicare, Medicaid, VA, ACA, employer-based) and try to improve them?
Let’s try to get that 18% down to 16%.
And then if we can do that, down to 14%.
And so on.
But you know what?
It’ll be a fight, because that stakeholder group will not give up the cash easily.
Are you in?