# NY Times Opinion writer explains affordability crisis **URL:** \ **Category:** Macro Economic Trends and Risks\ **Created:** [October 22, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889 "2026-10-22T02:43:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![intercst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/intercst/32/1543_2.png) [@intercst](https://discussion.fool.com/u/intercst)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/1 "2026-10-22T02:43:48Z")
With typical, “don’t touch the billionaires” clap trap.Then gets excoriated in the comments. free link: [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/21/opinion/affordability-crisis-prices-economics.html?unlocked\_article\_code=1.KlE.V2Jc.ygiZxQ52XTT6&smid=url-share](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/21/opinion/affordability-crisis-prices-economics.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KlE.V2Jc.ygiZxQ52XTT6&smid=url-share) My dermatologist prescribed a tube of skin cancer cream 3 weeks ago. My Part D drug plan wanted $293 for the tube that Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs sold me for $16.50. Why isn’t charging an insured patient $293 for a $16 tube of generic ointment some kind of felony insurance fraud? Likely because we live in a crony capitalist economy that’s protected by the bipartisan culture of corruption in Washington. Until we vote all of them out of office, there will be no relief. intercst ---
**Author:** ![Leap1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/leap1/32/72176_2.png) [@Leap1](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Leap1)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 3:46am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/2 "2026-10-22T03:46:53Z")
> [@intercst](#): > > Why isn’t charging an insured patient $293 for a $16 tube of generic ointment some kind of felony insurance fraud? Suing insurance companies for coverage? There is a law somewhere on the books preventing that or some of that. ---
**Author:** ![captainccs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/captainccs/32/3775_2.png) [@captainccs](https://discussion.fool.com/u/captainccs)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 10:46am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/3 "2026-10-22T10:46:12Z")
> [@intercst](#): > > Why isn’t charging an insured patient $293 for a $16 tube of generic ointment some kind of felony insurance fraud? The mistake was letting the insurance industry cover healthcare beyond what should be insured, the amounts we cannot pay ourselves. Killing **Major Medical** was a crime against humanity. **GoogleAI:** > **Your critique touches on a fundamental shift in how insurance works, aligning with the classic economic definition of indemnity: insurance should protect against unpredictable, catastrophic financial losses rather than predictable, routine expenses****. **The transition away from traditional** “Major Medical”** plans—which primarily covered severe illnesses and hospitalization while leaving routine care to out-of-pocket payment—toward modern, comprehensive managed care has structurally transformed the relationship between patients, physicians, and finance. Derived from… > **[How hospitals could kill the health insurance industry](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/02/hospitals-can-kill-the-health-insurance-industry-commentary.html)** > > Hospitals could do to health insurance what Amazon is doing to retail, says Jake Novak. Here's how. You want the government to take care of you? This is what you get! It’s time to reclaim our independence. The Captain ---
**Author:** ![ImAGolfer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/imagolfer/32/4868_2.png) [@ImAGolfer](https://discussion.fool.com/u/ImAGolfer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/4 "2026-10-22T14:05:55Z")
> [@intercst](#): > > My dermatologist prescribed a tube of skin cancer cream 3 weeks ago. As an aside be very careful with that prescription. I don’t remember the name of it but if it’s what I think it is use it very sparingly. It will burn the devil out of your skin. I used it once on my forehead (golf and sun) and although it works it’s kinda painful. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkwin](https://g.foolcdn.com/misc-assets/discourse-member-avatar_120px_green600.png) [@Hawkwin](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Hawkwin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 2:56pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/5 "2026-10-22T14:56:16Z")
> [@captainccs](#): > > The transition away from traditional **“Major Medical”** plans—which primarily covered severe illnesses and hospitalization while leaving routine care to out-of-pocket payment—toward modern, comprehensive managed care has structurally transformed the relationship between patients, physicians, and finance. Which is generally a good thing. Major Medical is a poor system. Much like the Broken Window theory, studies have shown that if you encourage people see a doctor for preventative care by making it either very cheap or free, you will often avoid the higher cost of urgent care. Major Medical coverage left preventative care as very expensive so people avoided it until it was too late. > **[The High Cost of American Health Care: Understanding the Deeper Roots of the...](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12920308/)** > > The recent tragic death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has renewed public scrutiny of the US health care system and reignited debate over why Americans face disproportionately high health care costs. This essay examines both the widely ... Relevant snip: > The American health care system is often described as reactive, focusing on treatment rather than promoting health and preventing illness [[4](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12920308/#CR4)]. It delivers advanced, high-quality care to those with financial resources or comprehensive insurance, yet millions face barriers to accessing basic services. > > Further, chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, which account for 90% of the nation’s health care spending, are often preventable through lifestyle changes and early interventions [[27](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12920308/#CR27)]. Despite the high needs, the US allocates only a small fraction of its health care budget to public health and preventive services when compared to other OECD countries [[28](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12920308/#CR28)]. This imbalance exacerbates health disparities, particularly among low-income and minority communities, where social determinants of health—such as housing, education, income, and access to nutritious food—remain unaddressed [[29](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12920308/#CR29)]. > > To prioritize individual and population health, the entire system of health care organizations and delivery must shift toward prevention, equitable access, and community-based care, recognizing that health outcomes are shaped more by contextual and individual “social determinants of health,” such as environment, and behavior, than clinical interventions [[30](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12920308/#CR30)]. ---
**Author:** ![intercst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/intercst/32/1543_2.png) [@intercst](https://discussion.fool.com/u/intercst)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 5:13pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/6 "2026-10-22T17:13:42Z")
> [@ImAGolfer](#): > > As an aside be very careful with that prescription. I don’t remember the name of it but if it’s what I think it is use it very sparingly. It will burn the devil out of your skin. I used it once on my forehead (golf and sun) and although it works it’s kinda painful. Good luck. Fluorouracil. I did the same one month course of treatment on my right leg last year, about a month before the amputation, and my skin didn’t seem to be that bad afterwards. The dermatologist never saw the results, but confirmed that the amputation was fully curative of the skin cancer. {{ LOL }} Insurance price for the tube of Fluorouracil was $87 in 2025, $293 in 2026. That’s not inflation – just pure price gouging. intercst ---
**Author:** ![captainccs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/captainccs/32/3775_2.png) [@captainccs](https://discussion.fool.com/u/captainccs)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/7 "2026-10-22T19:16:17Z")
> [@Hawkwin](#): > > Which is generally a good thing. Major Medical is a poor system. > > Much like the Broken Window theory, studies have shown that if you encourage people see a doctor for preventative care by making it either very cheap or free, you will often avoid the higher cost of urgent care. Major Medical coverage left preventative care as very expensive so people avoided it until it was too late. You have just confirmed the gist of my post, the government wants to run your life because you are too stooooopid to do it well by yourself. You become the slave of the government. The Captain ---
**Author:** ![captainccs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/captainccs/32/3775_2.png) [@captainccs](https://discussion.fool.com/u/captainccs)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/8 "2026-10-22T19:38:34Z")
> [@Hawkwin](#): > > Which is generally a good thing. Major Medical is a poor system. What about this? > [@Corporate Supplied Health Insurance Becomes More Costly](https://discussion.fool.com/t/corporate-supplied-health-insurance-becomes-more-costly/126899/1): > > New surveys show that increases in premiums and deductibles are **forcing people to forgo treatments** or doctor’s visits while budgets are strained by higher food and gas prices. The Captain ---
**Author:** ![Hawkwin](https://g.foolcdn.com/misc-assets/discourse-member-avatar_120px_green600.png) [@Hawkwin](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Hawkwin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/9 "2026-10-22T20:29:12Z")
> [@Corporate Supplied Health Insurance Becomes More Costly](https://discussion.fool.com/t/corporate-supplied-health-insurance-becomes-more-costly/126899/1): > > New surveys show that increases in premiums and deductibles are **forcing people to forgo treatments** That supports my position - that the higher the barrier to preventive care, either due to expensive premiums or expensive deductibles, the worse overall health outcomes due to the increase in urgent care. > [@captainccs](#): > > The government wants to run your life That is a nonsensical inference from the suggestion that if we reduce the barriers to preventative care, that we will have a more health populace. No one is forcing you to go to the doctor for an annual exam, it just would not be so expensive that you avoid it and risk a more expensive major medical procedure that could have been prevented. ---
**Author:** ![captainccs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/captainccs/32/3775_2.png) [@captainccs](https://discussion.fool.com/u/captainccs)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 9:43pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/10 "2026-10-22T21:43:59Z")
Interesting that we see the same data as exact opposites. I was raised in the meritocracy era. Since then “human rights” have been extended to crazy levels. Human rights in quotes because there are no new human rights. In my second year at the IBM Service Bureau (1962) my boss called me to his office and asked: - Boss: “Denny, do you know the IBM 047?” - Denny: “That’s the tape to card punch machine, isn’t it? No, I don’t know it.” - Boss: “A customer having a problem with it is coming this afternoon. Take care of it.” - Denny: “I just told you I don’t know the IBM 047!” - Boss: “That’s your problem.” Curious coincidence, after our Mac software bombed in Silicon Valley in 1990 I tried to get a job at a Venezuelan owned business in Miami. While chatting with an employee he asked me, “Aren’t you the guy who solved the tape to card problem for Santa Teresa?” I guess I was raised in a different universe. The Captain ---
**Author:** ![mostlylong](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/mostlylong/32/3943_2.png) [@mostlylong](https://discussion.fool.com/u/mostlylong)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/11 "2026-10-22T23:25:16Z")
> [@captainccs](#): > > my second year at the IBM Service Bureau (1962) my boss called me to his office and asked: > … > “Aren’t you the guy who solved the tape to card problem for Santa Teresa?” > > I guess I was raised in a different universe. And that was quite a time. That day in 1962 was the last time a regular joe in our universe rolled up his sleeves and solved a problem. ---
**Author:** ![captainccs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/captainccs/32/3775_2.png) [@captainccs](https://discussion.fool.com/u/captainccs)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/ny-times-opinion-writer-explains-affordability-crisis/126889/12 "2026-10-23T17:24:46Z")
> [@mostlylong](#): > > That day in 1962 was the last time a regular joe in our universe rolled up his sleeves and solved a problem. Lovely sarcasm but it misses the point. Some years earlier I got the same treatment at the MIT when I asked for help to fix a mail box door, they said **“Use your MIT ingenuity.”** I also got the same treatment from my dad when I asked for money, which I have posted about here. **“Anyone can do it with money.”** Over the past six or seven decades I have watched America degenerate from **“Can do!”** to **“Help me!”** Thomas Sowell and Mike Rowe have documented the causes of the decline from top down and from bottom up respectively. Thomas Sowell - The Vision of the Anointed > **[The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy:...](https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Anointed-Self-Congratulation-Social-Policy/dp/046508995X)** > > The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy \[Sowell, Thomas\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy Mike Rowe - Dirty Jobs [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/original/3X/3/8/386c1b271a385594f86b96a92aaf24552008086b.jpeg "Dirty Jobs: 200 Job Look Back | Viewer's Choice Top 20") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTynEQ2cR38) The latest ignominy was asking Ukraine to capitulate to Russia to lower oil prices. The Captain