Single-Payer Health Care

[Person Man]

it seems that single-payer is increasingly becoming an inevitability the next time Democrats regain control of the trifecta

What country are you posting from?

I like to say that Fee For Service HC is basically the Roe v. Wade for the left. It's basically the #1 justice issue they have. They campaign and win elections on the issue, and may threaten ancillary action or might even unsuccessfully push it at the state level every now in then in the most partisan states, but they need to keep running on it. They also fear that there won't be a new issue and that they secretly fear that if we do overturn Roe v. Wade or pass Single Payer, it will be very unpopular and unsuccessful.

[Person Man]

With that said, what will single-payer look like?

One things for certain. Spending will have to go down. There's no way the government can afford all that healthcare spending plus all the additional usage that will happen when people pay out of pocket. Some of the cuts will be popular (insurance company profits, all those jobs related to managing billing, selling health insurance etc), but a lot of it will have to be from actual healthcare. If the Canadian experience is any indicator, most of the cuts will be on chronic, non life threatening conditions.

The Canadian healthcare system is excellent if you broke your leg or are having a baby or lung cancer, but it's stinks if you need a knee replacement (two year waiting list in my province), or need a family doctor (chronic shortages in many parts of the country). Now, I like the Canadian system and see it as a major improvement over the American one, but you guys ought to know what you are getting into. A large segment of Americans will see a decline in their quality of care.

Can't we just allow more paraprofessionals, like nurses, and high skilled subprofessionals (PRNs and PAs) handle
more routine care?

[Person Man]

We could possibly try instituting a profit cap to keep expenses down first.

You can't be serious... before we even get into how immoral and impractical the idea of profit caps are in general, the only thing this would do consolidate healthcare providers since they are the ones who are really making money, and greatly reduce healthcare product development. The healthcare capital market would collapse, and one failed blockbuster would take down most innovative drug manufacturers.

The best way to lower prices in a market is to put more power into the hands of consumers. Insurance companies are currently acting as a shield for healthcare providers against consumers - that needs to end, whether we are talking about private insurance or public universal insurance.

Lol, child, it's immoral to charge people exorbitant amounts of money for a life giving/sustaining service to the point they can't afford it and die or live substandard lives. It's not like we're talking about large flat screen TVs, luxury cars or jewelry here that is not a necessity.

You should be able to make a living delivering or arranging Health Care, but not to seek rent over it.