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Costs are high, largely, because we have a fragmented mess of a system rather than a single payer.



How do you know that that, rather than something else, accounts for the high costs?

Edit: for example, Scott Alexander's point about US providers feeling they have to provide expensive treatment just to cover the possibility of a lawsuit: http://slatestarcodex.com/2017/02/09/considerations-on-cost-...

Edit2: Also, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, and several others have typical cost savings but aren't single payer.


Costs are high for many reasons, but having for profit companies whose own overheads far exceed those of public options (such as Medicare) are the the most obvious contributor.


If private insurace cost as much as medicare you wouldnt still have rising cost of healthcare. Medicare has less admin cost but also they pay the least to providers.

I would not adovcate for public health in the us before the government fixes medicare.




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