Ask Lemmy

Who calls rugby "football"? That's the first time I hear about that.

Medical goods is around ~12% of healthcare expenditures. Even if US (richest country in the world) pays more they would have to pay insanely much more to subsidize single payer healthcare in the rest of the world.

And why would pharma reduce prices in other parts of the world just because Americans pay more? It's not a charity. They charge what the market will bear. Hepatitis C drugs were incredibly expensive because they prevented much more expensive liver transplants down the road. The market would bear a high price then.

Just ran your bullshit through gpt. Generally I agree with it's assessment. Be better doofis

The text presents a claim that universal healthcare systems in the UK and EU rely on the profitability of the US private healthcare system. It argues that healthcare companies offer discounts to UK/EU markets, subsidized by higher payments from US patients, and implies that a shift to public healthcare in the US could destabilize funding models in other countries. Let us examine the key claims:

1. US Private Healthcare Subsidizing Universal Systems:

Argument: The claim relies on the idea that pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers profit heavily in the US, which enables them to sell services and products at lower costs elsewhere.

Analysis: There is some merit to this argument, as the US often pays higher prices for drugs and treatments, which can offset costs in other markets. However, this relationship is not the sole factor enabling universal healthcare in other nations. Structural efficiencies, budget allocation, and lower administrative costs also contribute significantly to the success of universal healthcare systems.

2. Impact of US Transitioning to Public Healthcare:

Argument: The text suggests that if US healthcare transitioned to a public model, profits would decrease, affecting the affordability of healthcare in other countries.

Analysis: While a reduction in US profits could impact global pricing strategies for pharmaceutical companies, universal healthcare systems are primarily funded by taxation and national budgets, not by discounts from US profits. The claim oversimplifies the economic dynamics of healthcare funding.

3. NHS Considering Pay-to-Play Models:

Argument: It asserts that the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is exploring pay-to-play models due to funding shortages.

Analysis: The NHS has faced financial strain for years, but this is due to domestic issues like underfunding, rising demand, and political choices rather than reliance on US healthcare structures. Any pay-to-play discussions are likely localized responses rather than a reflection of systemic dependence on the US model.

Conclusion: The argument in the text exaggerates the dependence of universal healthcare systems on US private healthcare. While there are interconnections in global healthcare markets, the primary factors enabling universal systems are taxation, public funding, and policy priorities. This analysis suggests the text is reductionist and lacks nuanced consideration of how universal healthcare systems function.