Was just about to comment on the AMA when I read this. Not only do they do caps on total number. They also do ridiculous race quotas, so you’ll see good students skipped for subpar students. On its face, you may think that’s going to improve equity… but in reality, subpar doctors increase malpractice insurance (~1/3 of the doctors fees go to insurance) and increase prices on everyone. So you end up with the entire population, especially the poor, feeling the brunt of the medical cost.
I worked in medical billing for years and my suggestion (and all the people in billing agree that I talk to) is to make direct insurance payments illegal. It’s fine to have insurance reimburse you, the payer. But don’t have them negotiate or talk to the medical staff. Then everyone pays less because the hospital don’t know what you can pay.
Great example I had recently, I had a bill of $75 for a regular medicine. Insurance covered $35 and I paid $40. I then went off instance when switching for a month. It was $40 off insurance. The same price, the pharmacy was just pocketing the extra $35. They know what you can pay already, so there’s no negotiating or downward pressure on price.
I worked in medical billing for years and my suggestion (and all the people in billing agree that I talk to) is to make direct insurance payments illegal. It’s fine to have insurance reimburse you, the payer. But don’t have them negotiate or talk to the medical staff. Then everyone pays less because the hospital don’t know what you can pay.
Great example I had recently, I had a bill of $75 for a regular medicine. Insurance covered $35 and I paid $40. I then went off instance when switching for a month. It was $40 off insurance. The same price, the pharmacy was just pocketing the extra $35. They know what you can pay already, so there’s no negotiating or downward pressure on price.