- Why do Academic medical centers fail to succeed in value-based care? My theory: they function more like universities than like real businesses.
- If a vaccine is in limited supply and has to be rationed, does it make sense to give people partial doses?
- Covid spending correlates with inflation rates across 37 countries.
- Pournelle’s Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself. The second type of person will always gain control of the organization. HT: Arnold Kling
Does Medicare Underpay Physicians? Yes, No and Sometimes
There is a shortage of physicians in the United States. There is especially a shortage of primary care physicians willing to treat Medicare enrollees. People nearing the age of Medicare eligibility are often advised to begin searching for a primary care physician who accepts Medicare a year ahead of time.
Data published in 2020 by the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the U.S. could see a shortage of 54,100 to 139,000 physicians by 2033. That shortfall is expected to span both primary- and specialty-care fields.
Monday Links
- “The expected value of any net impact assessment of any large-scale social program is zero.” Recommended.
- Most or all of health care spending by people with health insurance would occur even under an indemnity policy – allowing them to take cash instead of care.
- Why don’t people buy their health insurance and their life insurance from the same firm?
- 81 countries have fertility rates below the population replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman of child bearing age.
- From 1975 to 2019, there was a 58% reduction in breast cancer mortality: 25% due to screening and 75% due to treatment.
Saturday Links
- Dr. Francis Collins (Fauci’s boss) changes his tune: Covid-19 may have come from a Chinese lab.
- Just how much are the elites out of touch with the rest of America?
- Eleven states plus Washington, D.C. provide full health insurance coverage to more than 1 million low-income immigrants. regardless of their legal status.
- A review of more than 120 academic papers on Certificate of Need (CON) laws found that 89% of results were negative or neutral, and that negative effects were five times more common than positive effects.