Science Forums 2

[Biochemist]

Hypothesis A: American health care costs are high because individuals overutilize care.

Hypothesis B: Individual overutilize because:

1) Consumers do not generally pay for the vast majority of their care cost
2) Consumers that do pay for their care

2a) do not know what they are buying (there are no understandable product characteristics) and
2b) cannot buy products that are priced in advance

Hypothesis C:

1) Hypothesis B1 can be addressed by getting consumers to buy high-deductible/high coinsurance health benefits, and
2) B2a and B2b can be substantially addressed by arranging for care providers to price understandable bundles of their services in advance

Thoughts?

(non-US note) I know that the payment mechanisms are different in the US than in most non-US countries, but the care delivery cost problems are similar.