So you don't think Bob's observation in starting this thread is a major component?

I did not say that. I believe in competition driving down prices. Tort reform is a partial answer, allowing pharmaceutical patents to expire sooner with no renewal period is another. A third would be to allow regional Medical Insurance companies to compete nationally. One more would be allowing Pharmacies to purchase meds on the open international market from qualified manufacturers.

There are many answers but the underlying problem is greed on all levels.

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

There are many answers but the underlying problem is greed on all levels.

That would be the nutshell, my friend.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

If the day ever comes when the perks for politicians stop dead in their tracks

Amendment, limit of 1 term in each office, no pension, salary = Avg US wage + audited costs, cannot be a lawyer.

What a Wonderful World it Would Be....

(Tongue planted firmly in cheek)

Or, how about 1 term in 1 office (elected OR appointed) total... ever. No matter what level of Government. Cannot be a lawyer. No salary, no pension, no benefits of any sort. Only a small per diem.

Still thinking what to do about the Government employees.

(Tongue NOT in cheek. I'm serious).

I suppose that I am on more 'filter' lists than anybody else on the planet.
I do not use them myself, however. Everybody has a right to be heard, and whether I like them or not, I will at least listen.

I reserve the right to ignore irrelevant rants on an equal opportunity basis....";D)

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

If the day ever comes when the perks for politicians stop dead in their tracks

Amendment, limit of 1 term in each office, no pension, salary = Avg US wage + audited costs, cannot be a lawyer.

What a Wonderful World it Would Be....

(Tongue planted firmly in cheek)

Or, how about 1 term in 1 office (elected OR appointed) total... ever. No matter what level of Government. Cannot be a lawyer. No salary, no pension, no benefits of any sort. Only a small per diem.

Still thinking what to do about the Government employees.

(Tongue NOT in cheek. I'm serious).

I KNOW you are serious.
If I am correct, the concept of 'public service' was supposed to be just that.
And considered to be an HONOR and privilege. To be ALLOWED to be a public servant. To serve the greater good.........\

Oh, f, how has that gone downhill.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Why do you think only one company is willing to make it anymore?

Bob stated

It seems that finally some generic companies will be able to manufacture and sell this form of insulin soon so the big companies are raking in the profits while they can

.
I think the real answer is patents.

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Why is healthcare costs so very big in the US?

Frivolous lawsuits generated by unethical lawyers seeking to make their fortunes driving up insurance costs to compensate causing doctors and medical facilities to keep raising their prices to cover the insurance costs generated by unethical lawyers filing frivolous lawsuits.

Partial Answer: Tort Reform and Legal sanctions on repeated attorney offenders.

I see. J. Cheever Loophole comes to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u8AgUXPpLM

Why do you think only one company is willing to make it anymore?

Bob stated

It seems that finally some generic companies will be able to manufacture and sell this form of insulin soon so the big companies are raking in the profits while they can

.
I think the real answer is patents.

Yep. You hit the nail on the head. The Patent system in the USA (as well as a number of other nations in the world) is horribly, horribly broken.

Patents exist to 'promote progress' in the useful arts and sciences. Now, they are used to hinder it... Not to mention price products out of reach of many/most people.

Now, I can see patents of LIMITED duration (say 5 years from date of application maximum) on new, non-obvious, mechanical devices with NO PRIOR ART...

But, patents on a chemical, a business process, a living thing (or part thereof), an algorithm, the appearance of something, or an idea? What ROT.

Copyrights need reform as well, especially on length (2 years from completion of the writing tops in my opinion), and Trademarks need some attention as well.

So when are you lot going to jump on the Universal health care train and stop being suckers as it already is costing you in the hip pocket .

You mean that isn't Obamacare? Then why when we fiscal conservatives said it was crap and only going to raise prices did all of you from the rest of the world jump on our throats and tell us to approve it because universal healthcare was this wonderful thing?! I simply can't believe any liberal would have thought putting wall street in charge of medicine would be a good thing!

Gary i'll be the first to say Obama care is crap but compeard to what you had before it is a improvement .

50 mil people now being cover'd is much better . Not being turn'd away from a hospital with a broken arm basically left to die will not happen anymore .

However you can't blame Obama for the fact your system was the problem and he did try to do some thing he was just hamper'd by a truly stupid system
As I believe he wanted you lot to have our Australian model of health care not the English version .
It's the Australian system witch is the better of the 2 and much better than what you have .

So you need to grow up and change your system if you wish to be a modern socity and not stuck Back in the 1800's

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Yep. You hit the nail on the head. The Patent system in the USA (as well as a number of other nations in the world) is horribly, horribly broken.

Major I did not "hit the nail on the head", I hit a nail on the head.
A subject that has not been discussed is DR.s and other healthcare providers gaming the system.

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Am I the only one getting sick and tired of Glenn's cocky know it all attitude around here?
His US bashing is enough to make one wanna smack him down hard.

I have friends in Ozland, but he is not one of them.

Just asking if I am overly offended, or if others feel as I do.

I too get sick but I get sick of Americans whining about health care , I get sick of seeing another death from guns , I get sick of you Americans causing problem for the world and then asking us to "F"ing help you "A"holes

So stop whinging and "F"ing fix the dam problems instead of constantly whinging like little children and ignoring advise .

A I too also do not consider you a friend but then I don't like Alcoholics anyway

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Yep. You hit the nail on the head. The Patent system in the USA (as well as a number of other nations in the world) is horribly, horribly broken.

Major I did not "hit the nail on the head", I hit a nail on the head.
A subject that has not been discussed is DR.s and other healthcare providers gaming the system.

Kickbacks for prescribing s particular frug?

Not being turn'd away from a hospital with a broken arm basically left to die will not happen anymore .

I'm afraid you have been terribly misinformed. Before Obamacare no Hospital Emergency Room could refuse to treat because you couldn't pay for it or didn't have insurance; even if you were in the country without papers. Obamacare didn't change that. What it did was give you insurance to go to a private practice doctor, if you can find one that takes Obamacare. Private practice doctors are free to refuse care if you can't pay for it, and free to refuse Obamacare. (Many do refuse Obamacare because it doesn't pay what they think their service is worth.)

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Yep. You hit the nail on the head. The Patent system in the USA (as well as a number of other nations in the world) is horribly, horribly broken.

Major I did not "hit the nail on the head", I hit a nail on the head.
A subject that has not been discussed is DR.s and other healthcare providers gaming the system.

Kickbacks for prescribing s particular frug?

Acceptance of which should be an automatic loss of license event at every state's board of medical quality; doctors should even have yearly audits of their finances to prove they don't take them!

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A subject that has not been discussed is DR.s and other healthcare providers gaming the system.

Here's 3/4's of a BILLION in skimming...and that's just what was caught.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/19/pf/medicare-fraud-doctors/index.html

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

I'm afraid you have been terribly misinformed. Before Obamacare no Hospital Emergency Room could refuse to treat because you couldn't pay for it or didn't have insurance

While watching a news program or Doco about your health care I must inform you that you are wrong Hospitals have placed patients out on the street because of not having Insurance .

Now maybe that was with some private hospital I can't remember but it does not change the fact is has happen'd in your country and when I saw that program many years ago I was very disgusted with your country .

I would say ISIS has more morals than America , beheading someone is a quick way to die compeard to being left outside on the streets to die of a infection from a broken bone witch could easy be fixed for what would amount to a small amount of money compared to most other types of illness.

I am shore I would not be the only one that has seen the program .

It may have been 60 minutes that I saw this

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I'm afraid you have been terribly misinformed. Before Obamacare no Hospital Emergency Room could refuse to treat because you couldn't pay for it or didn't have insurance

While watching a news program or Doco about your health care I must inform you that you are wrong Hospitals have placed patients out on the street because of not having Insurance .

Precisely read what I wrote.

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I'm afraid you have been terribly misinformed. Before Obamacare no Hospital Emergency Room could refuse to treat because you couldn't pay for it or didn't have insurance


While watching a news program or Doco about your health care I must inform you that you are wrong Hospitals have placed patients out on the street because of not having Insurance .
Precisely read what I wrote

Ay right if Mike moore made it it's b/s . I don't believe that is where i saw it the Doco Sicko so I'm going to watch that right now to see .

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrIlnEOrlxU

Australian perspective on US Health Care System Part 1

And Mike Moore prov's that I was almost correct it clearly shows a car dropping a patient of at Skid Row because she didn't have the Money to pay her bill at a major hospital .

A people are judged by the way you treat the ill , aged , prisoners . And you wonder why your hated around the world .

Sicko .....

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I'm afraid you have been terribly misinformed. Before Obamacare no Hospital Emergency Room could refuse to treat because you couldn't pay for it or didn't have insurance


While watching a news program or Doco about your health care I must inform you that you are wrong Hospitals have placed patients out on the street because of not having Insurance .
Precisely read what I wrote

Ay right if Mike moore made it it's b/s . I don't believe that is where i saw it the Doco Sicko so I'm going to watch that right now to see .

Again, read PRECISELY what I wrote.

If you need help to understand it, ask.

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