Originally Posted by oldtrapper
Hospitals have been used as an instrument of redistribution of wealth. Hate the government for this.

Having said that, I have run my own healthcare facility for decades. The whole works. I have run it for a fraction of the national average. Dental care, for the most part during my life has been far closer to a free market than hospital care and the cost, in real dollars reflects that fact.

When I go into hospitals, I see monumental waste and I know what I am looking at. IMO the reason is not so different than government, the accountability has been obfuscated by second and third party payers. Which docs know what something costs? None. Which patients ask? Few. Why, because insurance or the govt or someone else pays for it. Then there are the tort drivers that drive up the costs because of CYA medicine and insurance. There are many reasons.

If you doubt that the market place can positively impact health care look at the cost of complex surgical cosmetic procedures. They are competitive to say the least. Why? Insurance does not cover them.

Govt out, tort reforms, and real market based reforms (patients need an incentive to ask, how much?) are the answers. IMO.
Hear hear.