The problem with single payer is it usually end up as a 2 tier system. It actually create more unfairness than reduce. The rich can pay to go private and get whatever care they need. The rest that can't afford is stuck waiting in queue for treatment.
Any use of the word insurance in the mix is mislead/fraud. Insurance represent people have choice to participation in pooling risk and have a clear definition of payout. How is taxing people then tell them wait your turn for treatment with no time guarantee a defined payout "insurance" that anyone want?
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Definitely something to consider, I think we can learn from other mistakes. For example, we could not allow private insurance - but I actually think that would be absurd (I think if people want to pay more for something that is there right).
Instead I think we should acknowledge that we already live in a world where things are unfair. Rich people already have better insurance, that has nothing to do with single payer. As for the wait times, I only know of two countries where that is happening due to their system, and I don't think it would be a problem in the US. We have more medical professionals with more variety of specialties. With the government involved we can create incentives for more people to go into healthcare as a career AND incentivize working in low service areas. By the way, we currently already have wait times (my husband has what is considered great insurance and has been waiting 3 weeks to see the knee specialist his insurance provider covers. If we had single payer he could go to any knee specialist he chose).
I'm my mind all the problems single payer would create are already happening in our current system.
Maybe the reason I'm skeptical of a free market in healthcare is because the closest example we have to such a system in healthcare is the veterinarian, and OMG in my experience that system is a nightmare, haha (full disclosure I think vets are saints, but I have not experienced the free market cost savings there yet
Oh wow; after I made the vet joke I googled the idea to see if there were any articles making the comparison and there was on the libertarian news site! https://www.libertariannews.org/2012/05/14/america-should-model-its-health-care-market-after-pet-care/
Maybe you all are right!! :)
The ever rising cost to become a doctor and all the new shiny and costly equipment is also a factor. I don't know how long to get a doctor degree now but ever few year I hear it is getting longer. Last dentist I talked to spend 7 year in school plus 150k for the equipments in the office. I often wonder if it is really necessary to make it that difficult or the doctor union just don't want more people in the industry driving down fees...
I completely agree. That is where there is too much bureaucracy and regulation affecting the market. I bet many smart people do not become doctors due to the cost when there are other professions that do not require as much schooling but make a comparable rate.