READ THIS--the real culprit behind skyrocketing health care costs

[Pretzel_Warrior]

This is merely one private hospital system working to acquire even more hospitals and create anti-competitive environment where they can charge exorbitant prices for health care.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/09/16/health-care-industry-awaits-decision-regulators-partners-bid-acquire-south-shore-hospital/svS0Xv3SqzhAMTCsizSnaP/story.html

Federal investigators are nearing a decision on whether to allow the massive Partners HealthCare System to take over South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, a long-awaited verdict that could dramatically affect costs and competition in the Massachusetts health care industry.

The review coincides with a broader inquiry over the past four years into alleged anticompetitive behavior by Partners, the state’s largest hospital and doctors organization. Dozens of lawyers and economists from the US Department of Justice, joined by state Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office, have conducted scores of interviews in Boston and Washington, D.C., with senior executives from Partners, its competitors, and health insurers.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. Kick for intelligent conversation

About an actual 1% vs. 99% issue.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

3. The doctors and administrators are the 1%

It doesn't have to be just the HCA's of the world that are helping to fleece us.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

6. There is no incentive in the US to lower costs

Except when there is competition. The way to fix that is use empirical data to have guidelines on costs. Bands of costs that hospitals and doctors cannot exceed.

BTW, Blue Cross is not for profit and still manages to screw over a lot of people. Same with Kaiser Permanente.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

9. I was doing research and came across the story. Question.

If they are so great, why is U.S. government reviewing the merger as possible antitrust case?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

11. Your claim is demonstrably wrong

[cali]

4. there's a way to deal with this: set caps on price increases by hospitals

I don't know if any other state has done it but VT has a 3% cap. The Green Mountain Care Board regulates profits of hospitals:

Hospitals have to submit their budgets to the Board for review.

http://vtdigger.org/2013/02/25/green-mountain-care-board-reels-in-hospital-revenues-at-3-percent/

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. I agree some level of caps would be important

From demographics standpoint this HAS to be a top priority for our aging nation.