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Healthcare, the (somewhat) free enterprise system and the future of medicine.

by Joe Mobley
10 replies
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From the "you knew it was coming" department:

Sherpaa Inc ., a startup whose staff physicians give medical advice and treat employees of its clients via a mobile app.
The company's customers pay a monthly fee per covered employee that has ranged between $15 and $30. Employees get access to Sherpaa's physicians around the clock. Sherpaa says it resolves about 70% of requests virtually, avoiding trips to the emergency room and doctor's offices.
Sherpaa Rethinks Health Care Delivery on a Budget - Venture Capital Dispatch - WSJ

Could it be that the (somewhat) free enterprise system will not only help with (absolutely) broken health care but also propel us into the future of medicine?

We'll see.

Joe Mobley
  • Profile picture of the author ThomM
    Ever notice that things like Lasik eye surgery, contact lens, and elective plastic surgery aren't covered by health insurance. Ever notice the price of all three of those have come down over the years as the procedures and lenses have improved.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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      Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

      Ever notice that things like Lasik eye surgery, contact lens, and elective plastic surgery aren't covered by health insurance.
      Contact lenses are covered by some insurance policies, Thom.

      Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

      Ever notice the price of all three of those have come down over the years as the procedures and lenses have improved.
      That tends to be true for almost all "new technological development", though, I think? Prices invariably reduce as uptake and supplier competition increase? So it's pretty hard to attribute that, causally, to the fact that those examples happen to medical and/or to any criteria of medical economics/funding?

      .
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        Contact lenses are covered by some insurance policies, Thom.



        That tends to be true for almost all "new technological development", though, I think? Prices invariably reduce as uptake and supplier competition increase? So it's pretty hard to attribute that, causally, to the fact that those examples happen to medical and/or to any criteria of medical economics/funding?

        .
        Wasn't true in MY case! HECK, HOW COULD IT BE? Lasik and the like would get their pants sued off if they did what hospitals did! Ever try to find out how much something at a hospital costs? Every once and a while they will ask me:

        DON'T YOU HAVE INSURANCE?

        me: YES

        THEM: THEN WHY DO YOU CARE?

        HECK, coworkers and even employers workers ask me why I try to get low prices on hotels and fligjhts. "AREN'T YOU REIMBURSED?"!!!!!!!

        Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author ThomM
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        Contact lenses are covered by some insurance policies, Thom.



        That tends to be true for almost all "new technological development", though, I think? Prices invariably reduce as uptake and supplier competition increase? So it's pretty hard to attribute that, causally, to the fact that those examples happen to medical and/or to any criteria of medical economics/funding?

        .
        Not over here that I am aware of Alexa.
        It's rare to see even eye glasses covered here, which is another area where prices have gone down.
        But why would the cost of anything covered by insurance go down when the insurance basically covers the cost?
        Doctor visits started going up when medicare was enacted. One reason was the additional cost to the doctors in the extra staff they needed to handle the paper work. Also medicare doesn't really pay that much so doctors had to raise their prices for other patients to cover what they where loosing on medicare patients (same with hospitals). With insurance companies basically guaranteeing payment there was no reason to lower costs. Same goes with anything covered by insurances. If I bring my car to the body shop for work, when they do an estimate the first question they ask is if the work is an insurance claim or not. If not the estimate is always lower then if covered.
        The last time I saw a doctor their bill was $375, when I told him I didn't have insurance it went down to $150.
        So where is the motivation to lower costs when those charging know they will get what they are asking for?
        Same goes for education (over here). Colleges know they will get what they ask for because of the grants, student loans, etc., that guarantee payment.
        There's no motivation for competitive pricing at all.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    YEAH, IMAGINE what college would cost if you had NO financing or scholarships! If they charged the same amount they do NOW......

    1. The poor would NEVER go to college!
    2. 98% of the middle class wouldn't go to college!
    3. Many of the RICH would likely not bother, since it would simply be a mostly empty status symbol.

    Ironically, there would likely be NO doctors!

    ANOTHER thing! Some publisher and/or internet firm would likely present some kind of self study course, and national proctoring, to give you 90%+ of any value of college at a small fraction of the cost, effort, and time. SOME may even make arrangements with hospitals and healthcare agencies to do this even with DOCTORS!

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      YEAH, IMAGINE what college would cost if you had NO financing or scholarships! If they charged the same amount they do NOW......
      If there were no financial assistance, college would be a lot less expensive. The system we have now is in essence Federal funding of higher education... with our tax dollars picking up the tab.

      Joe Mobley
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

        If there were no financial assistance, college would be a lot less expensive. The system we have now is in essence Federal funding of higher education... with our tax dollars picking up the tab.

        Joe Mobley
        YEP! Just my point! I even finished off by showing a logical outcome, if they dared to keep the cost so high.

        Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      1. The poor would NEVER go to college!
      Well, this is more or less what happens in some countries (apart from small numbers who qualify for subsidized/funded scholarhsips, or whatever). The irony being that education is one of the ways out of poverty ...

      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      Ironically, there would likely be NO doctors!
      Well, that also nearly happens in some countries, where they have to import all their doctors (and don't have nearly enough) because they can't sustain their own medical school. It's quite interesting looking at the various arrangements different countries make to educate, pay and regulate their doctors (I'm very biased, of course: it's part of "my research subject" ).

      .
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        Well, this is more or less what happens in some countries (apart from small numbers who qualify for subsidized/funded scholarhsips, or whatever). The irony being that education is one of the ways out of poverty ...



        Well, that also nearly happens in some countries, where they have to import all their doctors (and don't have nearly enough) because they can't sustain their own medical school. It's quite interesting looking at the various arrangements different countries make to educate, pay and regulate their doctors (I'm very biased, of course: it's part of "my research subject" ).

        .
        I wasn't advocating EITHER situation. Apparently some people are ONLY NOW realizing that the paper of a college degree was NEVER truly magic. Ssomeone that has a degree in philosopical methods, for example, isn't necessarily more able to be a programmer or actuary or doctor.

        It is amazing what people will pay. And many now are being ridiculed for paying high prices to become a cook at a carreer that is often thankless and low pay. Or sure, SOME make a fortune, but most DON'T.

        Of course, college is interesting in a way. Some colleges won't even LOOK at you unless your grades are high enough. in those SAME colleges, you may get a pass based on your family history. I kind of wonder how one university would treat me. My family setup a scholarship there, and has gone there a lot. A building is even named after a family member that was at the school.

        And I don't know about other countries, but grades in the US are very arbitrary. One person could get Ds(a bearly passing grade) and actually be a better student than a kid that got As(considered Excellent). I once got a B in a class, and found that the guy considered the smartest in the school only got a B! A group off us confronted the teacher. He said he simply doesn't give out As!!!!!! Anyway, classes don't teach the same thing. They don't teach at the same rate. They don't grade the same way.

        One college tried to develop a test to overcome that. Today, it is simply called the SAT. Nearly every college uses it, but the have courses on passing that test, etc... Many even get 100% of it right!

        TODAY, many states do the same with lower grades BUT, AGAIN, they "TEACH TO THE TEST"!

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

          I wasn't advocating EITHER situation.
          Nooooo, I know ... I was "just saying", Steve.
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