tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268985416439660021.post7743503279635406955..comments2023-07-18T03:44:33.021-07:00Comments on The Bit Maelstrom: In Which I Suspect The Free Market Of Not Being Entirely Freeblakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05430444326700437630noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268985416439660021.post-912555081863133352009-12-10T16:29:59.998-08:002009-12-10T16:29:59.998-08:00How do you think they pay for all the people who d...<i>How do you think they pay for all the people who don't pay that they are required to treat? Or all the people with medicare?</i><br /><br />The price of hospitalization is a bit like the price of drugs on patent. They're expensive and don't reflect production costs because companies use them to recoup money lost on failures and flops-of which there are a lot more than successes. <br />I told a little story over on Althouse today about a kid who nearly lost his life but survived and racked up several millions in costs. <a href="http://althouse.blogspot.com/2009/12/stomach-is-just-swelling-in-gut-its.html#c1393229547544145090" rel="nofollow">Link</a>. I didn't mention that he was an uninsured illegal and couldn't possibily have begun to pay for his treatment. But what are they supposed to do?chickelithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773887469972534979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268985416439660021.post-57250561408816706242009-12-09T19:23:25.120-08:002009-12-09T19:23:25.120-08:00How do you think they pay for all the people who d...How do you think they pay for all the people who don't pay that they are required to treat? Or all the people with medicare?<br /><br />It' not like they have any real competition, it's been outlawed.<br /><br />Also, if you can't pay, you'll find the hospital mysteriously very ready to cut the price and let you pay in installments.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.com