You can find competing private health insurance plans with community rated premiums and government sponsored risk adjustment in Belgium, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands and Switzerland – where participation is mandatory. Ireland and Australia have voluntary enrollment, as does Medicare Advantage and the (Obamacare) marketplaces in the United States.
Category: Health Insurance
Friday Links
Telemedicine is being used for assisted dying.
Why was a Texas woman charged with murder over a self-induced abortion?
Will 10,000 steps a day make you healthier? No. 7,000 steps seems to get the job done.
Why do companies invest in finding drugs to treat rare diseases?
How did the Middle Ages respond to the Back Death? With price controls and more. (recommended)
Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care
There are a variety of reasons, both good and bad.
The bottom line: U.S. health care is tailored to an affluent population that suffers from the afflictions of an affluent population. The solution is more individual control.
HT: Chris Pope, Manhattan Institute, writing in City Journal.
Why Dogs Get Better Care Than Most Humans
My dog had to go to the veterinarian on Tuesday for her annual visit. Where I live vets aren’t particularly cheap, but they have one thing us human patients do not: price transparency. Since most pet owners don’t have health insurance for their pets, they are more price sensitive. Because vets don’t have many different insurance companies to bill, prices tend to be uniform. One vet we’ve patronized even has a list of lab test prices on each exam room wall. It explains the cost of various individual tests and a package price if all were performed together. Another vet has a note on the interior door that reads, “Did you make an estimate???” When is the last time you saw a sign like that in your physician’s office? Probably never.