With the average wait with DMV (a government budge

[buzz words]

With the average wait with DMV (a government budgeted service) being over two hours what would happen if Health Care Insurance was a government budgeted service?

[Samalicious]

That's about the same amount of time uninsured currently wait in the emergency room, so not much difference.

[waterboy]

What were you waiting for? A DL? I don't ever remember spending that much time at that office. There is one in North Tulsa that moves pretty well. The one in Jenks is always full of teenagers taking their tests.

[breitee]

We need at least one more in town.

[dggriffi]

funny thing is that tag offices are privately owned.   Nice try though

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by dggriffi

funny thing is that tag offices are privately owned.   Nice try though

Not too funny to me. Doubt you or I could own one unless we're real close to a state legislator.

[spoonbill]

That's an interesting question.  I watched a new spot over the hollidays (on NBC I think) talking about how Naples, FL has become a haven for physicians setting up businesses that cater to treating Canadians.  

Several MDs have found a nitch that allows them to go back to a cash business.  They have set up clinics that do not take any insurance nor do they treat US citizens.  The package services include airfare from canada, diagnostic and treatment services for conditions that would otherwise require months of waiting for the use of diagnostic equipment and surgical services in Canada.  It's actually saving lives.

To combat this, Canada is considering not honoring prescriptions from american physicians.  They have already made it illegal for Canadian physicians to accept cash payment from patients or to set up private practices.  Canadian physicians that seek treatment or diagnostic services in the US for themselves or their patients can be jailed.

Wanna fix the Medical system in the US?  Turn it back into a cash business.  You know that little glass window in the doctors office?  It used to have a cash register in it.  Seriously!  

I remember going to the doctor when I was young, and they would "ring us up" on the way out.  My mom would write a check and we were done.

[cannon_fodder]

I think I'm on board spoonbill. I have read reports that show a strong correlation between medical costs AND

1) government involvement (medicaid, medicare, FDA, other regs).  Makes sense because they have to subsidize those required services with other services (ie. mine).  Also the cost of compliance can be very high.

2) Prominence of insurance.  Also makes sense - compliance costs go up, negotiations in some areas reduce profits so they must be made up elsewhere... made it into a cat and mouse game.

3) Market shortages of medical services.  The AMA restricts the number of domestic MDs and the immigration service restricts the number of "import" MDs - leading to a chronic shortage of MDs.  Clearly evident in the ever increasing fees and salaries MDs can demand (they are well trained professionals who work hard and are highly educated, they deserve to be compensated well - but not by restricting the market).
- - -

Correlation is not causation.  But they all make sense as a contributing factor.  If I believed the government could do it well, I'd be happy to hand it over.  Unfortunately, I've never had a pleasant experience  with bureaucracy nor have I witnessed a government program improving much.