Paul Krugman is a Mendacious Demagogue Addendum: Medical Fascism

[st_rev]

Medical specialists in the US operate under a classical price-fixing cartel, with enthusiastic government cooperation: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/july_august_2013/features/special_deal045641.phpRead more... )

Comments

[bryant]

Noting for the sake of a complete picture:

Obamacare creates a government agency that has the right to override that cartel. However, this is the first year it's had a chance to do anything and we won't know what it proposes until September. And I am not convinced that an additional layer of regulation to undo the problems with the previous layer of de facto regulation is going to be effective.

Also the special interests hate it. So about half the government is cooperating enthusiastically and half of the government is ineffectively trying to get the cartel under control.

[st_rev]

I'm skeptical that outcomes will improve under a guild system, regardless of who's holding the whip. It's the information problem.

[robby]

I would like to see a million nurse practitioners on the front line of health care. In general, I think the AMA is actively limiting the availablity of health care, especially in rural areas.

[jonathankorman]

Well-informed policy commentary like this will not be tolerated.