There will always be health care rationing

Reader comment on: John Hempton on Buffett and Health Care

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Mar 4, 2010 01:21

The question is by wealth or by queue. Today the U.S. uses being insured as a way of rationing. As Buffet notes if you have an emergency you get treated under both systems, but get the privilege of filing for bankruptcy in the US. (Good thing we got rid of imprisonment for debt 200 years ago). In the other system if you allow the queue jumping, you have scheduling by pocketbook, but full emergency coverage for all. So should we have tried something like Kerry suggested in 2004, catastropic insurance, say when medical costs exceed 10 or 20% of income the gov picks up the rest, with a system of the same payments for all?

Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing.

Comment on this item