Privately-Paid Medicine is Best Value

Gee. I'll bet Torinus will be Shocked!! Shocked!! to read this.

The president himself says that "over the last decade" Americans "have seen their out-of-pocket expenses soar." But, according to official government figures, per-patient out-of-pocket costs have risen only 35% since 2000, while Medicare's per-patient costs have risen 59% — [ ]without the prescription drug benefit.

Private insurance and private out-of-pocket spending, in tandem, have controlled costs far better than Medicare. However, if Medicare has, in fact, fared comparatively well vs. private insurance — as the supporters of President Obama's proposals claim — then that means it has fared particularly poorly vs. private out-of-pocket spending, thereby further strengthening the argument that private consumers, paying out-of-pocket, are the best bargain-shoppers and the keenest pursuers of value in health care.

The citations are part of a longer article, which in turn is a condensation of a major study which demonstrates that Medicare is THE "out-of-control" health-care spending vehicle.

Once again, Senator Grassley: Just Say No.

HT: Deek