Member-only story
Is Profit the Best Measure of our Healthcare System?
Imagine walking into a car showroom and asking to see their best vehicle. The salesman proudly leads you to an impressively shiny vehicle.“This is our best car,” he announces.
You ask, “Is it reliable?”
“Well, not so much,” he confides, “every other car in the showroom is more reliable.”
“What about the quality?” you ask.
“Not so much.”
“Gas mileage?”
“Well now, if you buy a top of the line vehicle like this, you are not thinking about mileage.”
“But based on its size and complexity, it must be a safe vehicle?”
“Oh dear no. It is unquestionable the least safe vehicle of any major manufacturer.”
Perplexed, you ask, “So what makes this the best car?”
“Why the price, of course.”
“How does that make it the best?”
“Because it is the most profitable for me,” answers the sales agent.
That is the deal Americas are being sold on healthcare.
