I'm not that poster, but there's a really easy fix: Just model the system after Hong Kong's.
There's a tax-funded public system available to every citizen, so that everybody gets treatment. In practice, this is mostly utilized by the poor, and for emergencies like broken bones. You can see specialists via the public system, but there can be a wait of weeks to months. This is all effectively free. You'll never see a bill, or the bill will be extremely small. (e.g., $100 for four days of inpatient care.)
There's a private system for those willing to pay. This is unrestrained capitalism with little regulation and no parasitic middlemen. Want to see a specialist right now -- like later this afternoon, or first thing tomorrow morning? Sure. It'll usually be $200 or $300 out of pocket. No insurance necessarily involved. Diagnostics are also super fast -- same day or next day, usually. If you want an elective surgery, or if you want a superior tier of care (like a nicer hospital room, better food, more flexibility re scheduling,) you can pay for it privately... And usually without getting insurance companies involved.
There is effectively no "prescription" system. With very few exceptions for narcotics and certain stimulants, if you need a drug of any kind, you can buy it OTC. This includes steroids, weird nootropics, viagra (lol at needing a prescription for this), and all kinds of stuff. This vastly reduces the burden on the system.
Hong Kong's system is superior in every respect, and it's especially better at treating you like an adult. The American system is simultaneously complex and infantilizing.
> https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/medical-b...
Also, perhaps because it's a lot more laissez faire, the private system in Hong Kong is almost unimaginably superior to the private system in the US. It's far cheaper because pricing is transparent and most people pay cash! (Cutting out that middleman.) It's higher quality because there's a lot more competition, rather than collusion among a few major providers.
It is worth recognizing though that not all employed people get medical benefits. Indeed many minimum wage jobs, low income jobs, "casual" jobs etc come with no medical benefits.
It's also worth noting that I some states it's OK to get fired for being sick. At which point you may lose those benefits.
Plus in poor economic times (like being a federal worker right now) losing your medical because you lost your job, seems like a suboptimal outcome.
But I agree with your last statement, this system works just fine, for a large enough group, so there's little political incentive to change it.
The same as any fancy restaurant meal is free: They gonna bill ya later
Pricing transparency also does not exist here as GP is claiming it does in Hong Kong. I am supposed to get certain imaging tests done every year, and I never know how much those will cost me until after I have already done them (in the U.S.). Maybe there is some way to get a non-binding estimate ahead of time, but I have never received such a thing and am not even sure it is possible. So I can’t easily “shop around”—or if can, tell me how because I (and I think most people) don’t know how.
I most certainly cannot pay $300 to see a specialist the same day in the U.S. I would have to pay that much to see my GP after waiting 6 weeks despite my employer paying more than $20k/year to insure my family. To see a specialist, I would have to wait a few months and probably pay $1-2k for one visit, not counting any tests or imaging that is ordered.
The description of Hong Kong’s system sounds amazing if true.
No it is not.
Lots of experience with the health system in the US, for me, and helping many other navigate the systems.
It's not even close to identical. If you go to ER here and you can't pay, they may provide you with a certain level of 'care' to 'stabilize you' (as the law says they are supposed to, and the feds send some money to hospitals to cover some of this), and you will get billed, and collections calling, and credit report issues, and threats to sue and have your property auctioned (have held one of these letters in my hand, complete with a list of property that was in my name.
Even worse, the 'care' you may get is normally crap. For example I have seen the same people with same condition, at one hospital get a quick surgery and leave with a colostomy bag for rest of life, and other person at other hospital with insurance get placed in a room and treated for weeks - then left with a warning to avoid seeds.
I have seen so many examples of places leaves humans to rot with no insurance - hospitals.
Even with insurance, you can find yourself waiting 6-8 weeks for a doc appointment. I have so many examples.