Amazing how much lifesaving meds are overpriced in the US

[noserider]

I’m not defending it and agree it needs to be overhauled - but socialized medicine and the much higher taxes that go with it are not the answer I want to see.

Folks need to also take accountability /responsibility for their own health as well - society should not have to subsidize the healthcare of people who knowingly make bad choices and don’t manage their own health. Sadly, that lack of personal responsibility is the case with many things in the US these days…

I would like to see evidence that taxes are higher than insurance and co pay for medical care at inflated prices.

For many years the U.K. had the best performing and most cost effective healthcare in the world and was state run. Has an insurance based country ever been the most effective health system globally?

 

[BlueTrin]

I would like to see evidence that taxes are higher than insurance and co pay for medical care at inflated prices.

For many years the U.K. had the best performing and most cost effective healthcare in the world and was state run. Has an insurance based country ever been the most effective health system globally?

I think one issue with public funded healthcare is that it does not seem to be “officially” matching the active population.

I.e. I think the level of healthcare should match some kind of rolling average of the budget going in and that should be someone related to the active population contributions.

At the moment, in some European counties, it’s unclear how we will close the gap for healthcare and pensions.

 

[noserider]

Some interesting life expectancy data released that shows across all income levels life expectancy in the USA is far lower than in England .

Surely there must be a direct link between the different health care systems and costs of treatment / drugs that mean Americans die early

 

[Angelo Farina]

Some interesting life expectancy data released that shows across all income levels life expectancy in the USA is far lower than in England .

Surely there must be a direct link between the different health care systems and costs of treatment / drugs that mean Americans die early

Interesting.
But some other factors also affect life expectancy: education, food, weather, transportation methods, etc.

 

[UofMI_Divegeek]

In discussing US health care / pharma costs, this is often overlooked, but since costs are always passed to the consumer, this may be a significant contributor to overall pricing on many items in the US:

In 2016, > 440,000 people died in hospitals from people health care processionals not reading or following directions. An additional 1.2 million folks suffered non-fatal, but legally active injuries. The US has the highest health care / pharma costs on the planet, in part, 'cause of the legal costs associated with liability insurance, litigation, and judgements resulting from the carnage created from people not reading and following directions.

Slide (Not Trivial) from my chemistry slide set on measurements is attached.

Incidentally, as of 2015. Lloyd's of London is advising its health care insurance providers to no longer provide coverage for long term injuries derived from cell phone/ WiFi devices. Swiss RE (which insures health care insurers) stated in 2015 (pre-pandemic) that by 2025, injuries from exposure to WiFi / cell phones would be a major health hazard.

Slide (Insurance) from my "No Cell Phones" in class slide set is attached.

BTW: The link to the "No Cells" Slide set (132 slides, 18 meg) can be found on this page:

Divegeek Lecture Slides

It seems to me that over the course of my life, insurance costs more and more for covering less and less.

At a recent legal aspects of diving instruction seminar, an attorney said that it was disgusting that so many injuries are derived from people not reading and following directions. Then he smiled and said, "But its made me a wealthy man!"

 

[UofMI_Divegeek]

Interesting.
But some other factors also affect life expectancy: education, food, weather, transportation methods, etc.

Absolutely, life expectancy is very complicated. But, its clear that US life expectancy is on the decline. We are among the lowest of the so-called "wealthy nations."

Attached is a slide from one of my classes

 

[DandyDon]

Interesting.
But some other factors also affect life expectancy: education, food, weather, transportation methods, etc.

True, but notice in Noserider's graph that in the top 1% income, it's almost the same. Got the dollars to spend for the best? Then you get it.

 

[Angelo Farina]

True, but notice in Noserider's graph that in the top 1% income, it's almost the same. Got the dollars to spend for the best? Then you get it.

Very rich people live in a world apart.
They have excellent food and beverages, live in luxury villas with air conditioning, forced ventilation with anti-pollution filters, wear high qualty cloths made of natural fibers, etc.
Furthermore they don't work in highly polluted environment such as foundries, mechanical workshops, farms, etc.
They are protected from most environmental factors affecting life expectance.

 

[berndo]

In my opinion, the US pricing is effectively subsidizing lower prices in the rest of the world. I wonder how many drugs these European drug companies would bring to market and at what price if the US forced the same prices as paid in Europe.

What are you basing your opinion on?
I think some American don't realise how much of their stuff was developed by other people.

In general, companies don't charge what they need to charge but what what they can charge.

 

[berndo]

I’m not defending it and agree it needs to be overhauled - but socialized medicine and the much higher taxes that go with it are not the answer I want to see.

Folks need to also take accountability /responsibility for their own health as well - society should not have to subsidize the healthcare of people who knowingly make bad choices and don’t manage their own health. Sadly, that lack of personal responsibility is the case with many things in the US these days…

This is very much a red hering. People get sick without it being their fault. It's not only people that smoke and eat at McDonalds every day. Are going into a childrens hospital and tell them they should take accoutability for whatever they have?
Socialized medicine is cheaper for everyone. The US right wing doesn't want you to know for some reason. You're being lied to. You really are.

Socialized medicine in Germany for instance is not paid by tax money, btw. So there is not 'much higher tax'. American are paying more for healthcare...