1984

Health care is an economic good regulated and partly funded by government.  It has all the characteristics of the TBTF banks that I rant against in my other blog.  Today's New Times front page article describes an insidious Orwellian concentration that needs busting up.

Hospital war reflects a tightening bind for doctors

High cost sector

I just had my collar bone reconstructed from a fall suffered a few days ago. Being awake and coherent before the procedure I got to witness first hand the sign offs and triple checking that goes on now to avoid mistakes. It is as if every procedure is a moon launch. I am not complaining, but it is obviously expensive. All the more reason to help people stay out of the high cost sector of medicine with good medical and nutritional educating throughout life.

3rd Party Pay

Youtube four ways to spend

Milton Friedman describes a pay value quadrant that describes the disconnect of value when a third party pays.  If a 3rd party pays for your care, then you will demand whatever resources it will take to get a 100% good result.  And if payment is predicated on solving a medical issue, you will wait until the issue is apparent before you have it looked at by the doctor, probably the most expensive time.

Currently my primary care physician is more a life style coach where he gets me to lose weight, reduce sugars in my diet and modify my diet in some counter intuitive ways so that I feel great. The expense of this type of education and supervision is not one that is compensated by insurance plans and so I pay cash directly to the doctor because it is apparent I find a good value proposition in reducing the chances of a cataclysmic medical incident and offset the risk by purchasing a high deductible medical plan.

This avoid 3rd party payment strategy for everything but the most catastrophic medical incident is not for everyone since it requires a good medical education, but it is the best value out there.

Triage

In a disaster with limited medical aid available, doctors do a triage where those easily cured are selected for treatment before others.  Government committing to the young and then letting private means takeover for middle aged and onward is a form of triage that provides the greatest good for society because a long, healthy and well lived life requires individual effort.   Private insurance and medical systems that encourage good health provide the best value to those willing to work at their good health.  Poor life style and habits could lead individuals to expensive medical interventions which can only be provided only to those that can afford it.  Any other system involves encroaching enslavement.

Old age

While I favor society investing in securing the health of our young I am completely opposed to such a commitment to the old.  It is in old age that recipients of health care services must be use private means with no government support.

Why create this blog?

I think in economic terms and as a Libertarian I believe in free markets and property rights.  Doctors and other care givers have a right to the fruits of their education and labor and therefore it is impossible for society to provide unlimited medical resources for every need.  We need a dialog to square unlimited need with limited resources or economic reality will do it for us in manner that maybe perceived as unjust.
My first suggestion is that society should take on health in a universal sense for everyone under the age of 21, or some year thereabouts, similar to its mandate to educate our youth. Youthful diseases get good results from the medical dollar spent and with early treatment many afflictions are cured and the regular consultation may engender a sense of responsibility to maintain good health in later years when costs will be high and more appropriately born by the patient.