A simple way to fix healthcare and pay off national debt in 6 years

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Annual U.S. Healthcare Spending Hits $3.8 Trillion

Figure we could save 80% of we had capitalism and pat off national debt in 6 years.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Look at the numbers! It will not work!

most estimates say we spend $8322 per person. OP plan is to let people spend the money to get health care but keep what they don't spend. Now do you understand where the savings come from??

 

[Freewill]

Put everyone on Medicare [or what we'll call Medicare capitalism] all providers publish prices, and give everyone vouchers for $8332 (on average) to buy health care that could be converted to cash if unspent at the end of the year.

As prices would slowly drop 80%, govt could reduce the vouchers accordingly until eventually most people could afford their own health care. The savings could pay off the national debt in 6 years. It's the perfect plan, it seems.

Why would the price drop and not go up?

 

[Freewill]

So we're just handing every person in the US $8000 per year.

a voucher for 8000 that can only be spent on medical care. What is left at end of year is converted into cash

Who fronts the initial 8K?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Why would the price drop and not go up?

people would be shopping with what could become their own money if they don't spend it

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Who fronts the initial 8K?

the govt with the same money they normally spend on health care

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Here's the smart way to fix health care:

the smart way is to change to capitalism

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

I should be able to pick up the phone and call any insurance company in the country and buy the insurance I want.

insurance makes it too complicated since you don't know what you want or will need when sick. This makes it hard for good clean competition. OP plan is better wherein everything has a price that is published before you buy it. Then you can see who has the lowest prices. It is hard to see who has lowest insurance price since every policy would be different. Plus an insurance company limits you to its network.

 

[RDD_1210]

Here's the smart way to fix health care:

the smart way is to change to capitalism

That doesn't even mean anything.

That's like saying, The best way to fix healthcare is banana.

 

[TheProgressivePatriot]

Put everyone on Medicare [or what we'll call Medicare capitalism] all providers publish prices, and give everyone vouchers for $8332 (on average) to buy health care that could be converted to cash if unspent at the end of the year.

As prices would slowly drop 80%, govt could reduce the vouchers accordingly until eventually most people could afford their own health care. The savings could pay off the national debt in 6 years. It's the perfect plan, it seems.

Perhaps you can explain where you got that $8332 number from and why you think that prices would drop 80% Another question. You do know that Medicare does not cover everything , right?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

That doesn't even mean anything.

.

cant you use google yet??? and look up what capitalism is????

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Perhaps you can explain where you got that $8332 number

Its a little different depending on how its calculated but not important for purposes of OP argument

$10,345 per person: U.S. health care spending reaches new peak ...
www.pbs.org/.../new-peak-us-health-care-spending-10345-per-person/
‎
Jul 13, 2016 ... The nation's health care tab this year is expected to surpass $10000 perperson for the first time. The new peak means the Obama ...

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

why you think that prices would drop 80%

people would be spending what might become their own money if they didn't spend it on health care and providers would be competing for your business on basis of price and quality.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

You do know that Medicare does not cover everything , right?

sure but in the end we spend $10,000 per person per year and with capitalism we could spend $2000

 

[Freewill]

Who fronts the initial 8K?

the govt with the same money they normally spend on health care

And you think that the money they spend now is the same as if they gave everyone 8000 dollars? Really?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

And you think that the money they spend now is the same as if they gave everyone 8000 dollars? Really?

if they gave everyone a voucher for $8000 that they would use to buy health care( keep what they don't spend) in a capitalist environment they would shop very carefully and thus save 80% over time.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Put everyone on Medicare [or what we'll call Medicare capitalism] all providers publish prices, and give everyone vouchers for $8332 (on average) to buy health care that could be converted to cash if unspent at the end of the year.

As prices would slowly drop 80%, govt could reduce the vouchers accordingly until eventually most people could afford their own health care. The savings could pay off the national debt in 6 years. It's the perfect plan, it seems.

People would avoid preventative care to hang onto their 8000 in cash.

I say have the government self insure everyone via taxes up to a certain point of cost, and then buy catastrophic stop loss insurance from the insurance market to cover the costs if the self insure payouts exceed a certain level.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

People would avoid preventative care to hang onto their 8000 in cash.

so govt libNazi govt must infantalize them so they will take care of themselves properly????

 

[Freewill]

And you think that the money they spend now is the same as if they gave everyone 8000 dollars? Really?

if they gave everyone a voucher for $8000 that they would use to buy health care( keep what they don't spend) in a capitalist environment they would shop very carefully and thus save 80% over time.

You do realize that for 300 million people that would be 2.4 trillion dollars?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Put everyone on Medicare [or what we'll call Medicare capitalism] all providers publish prices, and give everyone vouchers for $8332 (on average) to buy health care that could be converted to cash if unspent at the end of the year.

As prices would slowly drop 80%, govt could reduce the vouchers accordingly until eventually most people could afford their own health care. The savings could pay off the national debt in 6 years. It's the perfect plan, it seems.

People would avoid preventative care to hang onto their 8000 in cash.

I say have the government self insure everyone via taxes up to a certain point of cost, and then buy catastrophic stop loss insurance from the insurance market to cover the costs if the self insure payouts exceed a certain level.

far better to use capitalism to drive down prices 80% and then pay off national debt!!!