ACA Repeal/Replace: Progressives Face Moral Dilemma

[David Horn]

(01-24-2017, 01:33 PM)Warren Dew Wrote:

(01-24-2017, 01:21 PM)David Horn Wrote:

(01-22-2017, 11:48 AM)Warren Dew Wrote: The reason it's stupid to tie health care to employment is because then the incentives are misaligned between the payer - the employer - and the patient, resulting in inefficient allocation of resources.  That problem applies in spades when you tie health care to the government.

What's needed is for people to pay for their own health care, whether it's directly or through an insurer.  If you really want to subsidize it, give everyone a voucher or a universal basic subsidy.

Healthcare is not a product or even a service in the commercial sense.  It has more in common with fire and police protection.

To the contrary, health care is comprised mostly of services and some products.  There's no fundamental difference between prescription drugs and, say, vitamin D pills other than distortions imposed through regulation.  There's no fundamental difference between the market for doctors and the market for mechanics.

You have an ailment that your fee-for-service doctor indicates is rheumatoid arthritis.  He recommends Humera.  Are you good with that?  If so, start shopping.  

You're having a heart attack, and need: a hospital, a cardiologist and emergency transport.  Start shopping.  

Warren Dew Wrote:Police and the associated justice system are different because it involves use of force, and likely devolves to warfare if there are competing "providers" - although I would point out that there are substantial areas that are primarily policed by private police forces, such as many university campuses, so it's really the justice system that's the natural monopoly.

Most university campuses have duly sworn officers (i.e. real, actual police officers), because they have the power of arrest and are self sufficient, unlike the mall cops with the fancy Smoky Bear hats.

Warren Dew Wrote:Fire protection is less clear; the issue there may be that there's too much incentive for private services to engage in criminal activity, though there have also been cases of publicly employed firemen resorting to arson to protect their employment.

The real reason has to do with your local PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), better know to you as 9-1-1.  They are the ones who coordinate public service response, and also typically sworn officers.  They are not going to dispatch from a menu, and just know how to escalate if your house starts the one next door on fire?

Frankly, you really stretched with this entire response.  I know you have to be loyal to the meme, but really?