True. IMO, people misunderstanding that principle is one of the two biggest reasons for rising health costs.
The other is that the patient isn't the customer. The insurer (or HMO) is. I agree that, as things are now, large insurance companies can negotiate volume pricing on procedures, which are better than non-affiliated prices. the problem is that, as in any other economic system, prices are very dependent on what the customer can pay. So, since the customer (the insurance company or HMO) has very DEEP pockets, the prices are constantly getting adjusted upward as fast as people can get used to them.
Think about it. How many non-insured people will ever pay a million dollars for a treatment. Very few, because they can't. And since there are lots of people with insurance that CAN pay high prices for things, there is very little incentive to find cheaper ways of doing things. Finding a cheaper way to do a million-dollar cure does not get enough new customers to make the lower price worthwhile.
Please note: This is kind of rough thinking, and I don't have any real data to back it up, so think about it, but don't be too quick to believe it.
What you do is trace something from the main screen onto a PostIt(TM) and stick it to the outside of the case. External display with no power required! (The refresh rate does leave something to be desired.)
I don't understand if you're misunderstanding "average" or if you're referring to HMOs (which are not entirely insurance, but that's another topic), or what.
But I can't help but assume that you misunderstood something, since any insurance company (health, auto, life, doesn't matter) that doesn't take in more premium than it pays indemnity, goes bankrupt.
America
1. United States.
2. North America.
3. South America.
4. Also called the Americas. North and South America, considered together.
and
America
1. The United States.
2. also the Americas (-kz). The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America.
and
America n 1: North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
In spite of my unkind attitude in my original post, there are good reasons why I didn't tell you (and the rest of/.) the bad assumption.
First, misunderstanding posts about things like this is extremely common on/. See otherposts in this subthread, where people ignored or misunderstood (probably not on purpose) some of my original statement and my attempt at a clarifying hint. I don't care to open that can of worms directly over the bad assumption until I know that there's a chance that someone will understand, and I've seen no hope for that in this subthread.
Second, I don't know if you've ever seriously, one-no-one, in real-life, tried to help people see flaws in their basic life assumptions, but spelling it out for them usually does no good at all. They've got to figure out the problems for themselves. I think this is a similar situation. (Mockery and insults usually don't help either, which is one of the reasons I feel bad for that and apolgized.)
It seems that you think I was intending to present a logical argument.
I wasn't. I was mocking a group of people that try to use logic to demean others' beliefs, (ironically) without noticing that their logical structure is based on a false assumption.
I'd like to thank you for your (parent) post. Your assumption that I was trying to present a logical argument made me reflect a little and realize what I was doing.
Therefore, I'd like to apologize for mocking people that espouse the FSM thing. Yes, it's logically unsound because of a bad assumption (at least), but that doesn't excuse me. I don't think people should make fun of and insult each other, and I sincerely feel remorse and ask forgiveness if I've offended anyone.
If you'll read what I said first and in my hint more carefully, you may note that I explained that it is a flaw in trying to use FSM as a parallel for Deity, rather than a flaw in the internal logic of the FSM idea.
This doesn't mean that FMS is logically consistent internally, but that's not what I'm talking about.
I still think that the funniest thing about the FSM idea is that almost no one sees the HUGE logical flaw in using it as a parallel to belief in God.
Then again, there could be multiple insuperable logical flaws in the basic idea of using the FSM as a Deity stand-in, and maybe I'm stupid for not seeing them.
I have:
Persistently and politely asked to speak with a manager from the beginning of the call, then when the manager got on explained that I was just doing my part to make the phone call a little more expensive for them.
Tried, annoyingly, persistently and ineffectively, to sell the telemarketer an 8-year-old computer that was collecting dust in my basement, for only $3000, not including monitor. He not only wouldn't buy the computer, he wouldn't transfer me to anyone that made computer purchasing decisions for the company, either.
When the telemarketer is calling about financial stuff (credit card/mortgage/etc.) I've asked them if they'd like to discuss their personal finances with me. For some reason they feel like I should trust them with my financial stuff, but they don't feel they can trust me.
If you really don't want anyone to interrupt you during the "Sci-Fi marathons," it should be easy enough to unplug the phone. The trouble comes when you are okay with some people interrupting.
But can you explain why all math profs have a heavy foreign accent, poor grammar, and bad handwriting?
Now, I've been a math professor, and I've been acused of being hard to understand, but: My students never complained about my handwriting, my grammar, and by no strech of the imagination would my accent be considered foreign to the United States, which is where I taught.
Maybe you just chose the wrong colleges. I did most of my teaching at regional universities and community colleges.
Slashdot Mirror
True.
IMO, people misunderstanding that principle is one of the two biggest reasons for rising health costs.
The other is that the patient isn't the customer. The insurer (or HMO) is. I agree that, as things are now, large insurance companies can negotiate volume pricing on procedures, which are better than non-affiliated prices. the problem is that, as in any other economic system, prices are very dependent on what the customer can pay. So, since the customer (the insurance company or HMO) has very DEEP pockets, the prices are constantly getting adjusted upward as fast as people can get used to them.
Think about it. How many non-insured people will ever pay a million dollars for a treatment. Very few, because they can't. And since there are lots of people with insurance that CAN pay high prices for things, there is very little incentive to find cheaper ways of doing things. Finding a cheaper way to do a million-dollar cure does not get enough new customers to make the lower price worthwhile.
Please note: This is kind of rough thinking, and I don't have any real data to back it up, so think about it, but don't be too quick to believe it.
What you do is trace something from the main screen onto a PostIt(TM) and stick it to the outside of the case.
External display with no power required! (The refresh rate does leave something to be desired.)
I don't understand if you're misunderstanding "average" or if you're referring to HMOs (which are not entirely insurance, but that's another topic), or what.
But I can't help but assume that you misunderstood something, since any insurance company (health, auto, life, doesn't matter) that doesn't take in more premium than it pays indemnity, goes bankrupt.
So, to summarize the point of insurance that most people miss/forget/ignore:
Having insurance should be more expensive than not having insurance, on average.
I'm willing to pay that difference for many things because insurance costs are more predictable than the costs of not having insurance.
andand
*Area of Rhode Island: 3,144 square km
(And we thought that the US education system was bad.)
*Areas from wikipedia
In spite of my unkind attitude in my original post, there are good reasons why I didn't tell you (and the rest of /.) the bad assumption.
/. See other posts in this subthread, where people ignored or misunderstood (probably not on purpose) some of my original statement and my attempt at a clarifying hint. I don't care to open that can of worms directly over the bad assumption until I know that there's a chance that someone will understand, and I've seen no hope for that in this subthread.
First, misunderstanding posts about things like this is extremely common on
Second, I don't know if you've ever seriously, one-no-one, in real-life, tried to help people see flaws in their basic life assumptions, but spelling it out for them usually does no good at all. They've got to figure out the problems for themselves. I think this is a similar situation. (Mockery and insults usually don't help either, which is one of the reasons I feel bad for that and apolgized.)
I apologize for the confusion.
It seems that you think I was intending to present a logical argument.
I wasn't. I was mocking a group of people that try to use logic to demean others' beliefs, (ironically) without noticing that their logical structure is based on a false assumption.
I'd like to thank you for your (parent) post. Your assumption that I was trying to present a logical argument made me reflect a little and realize what I was doing.
Therefore, I'd like to apologize for mocking people that espouse the FSM thing. Yes, it's logically unsound because of a bad assumption (at least), but that doesn't excuse me. I don't think people should make fun of and insult each other, and I sincerely feel remorse and ask forgiveness if I've offended anyone.
If you'll read what I said first and in my hint more carefully, you may note that I explained that it is a flaw in trying to use FSM as a parallel for Deity, rather than a flaw in the internal logic of the FSM idea.
This doesn't mean that FMS is logically consistent internally, but that's not what I'm talking about.
You guessed wrong.
But, I think the logic behind your mockery of the assumption that you guessed seems sound.
You really shouldn't have to tell me your guesses. I think when you figure it out you'll know you're right, and won't need me to confirm it.
Nope. I don't know you well enough to trust that you'll take what I say seriously.
But I'll give you a hint.
It is a huge, fundamental, practical flaw in the assumptions that makes the comparison inapt.
If you read science fiction written in the 40s--50s era you will see a lot of speculation on where we would be.
(People living on the Moon or Mars using sliderules to do their calculations, etc.)
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stac_Electronics)
Now you know a little more, and can't honestly make that claim anymore.
Didn't NT/2000/XP do that (more of less) with DOS?
I still think that the funniest thing about the FSM idea is that almost no one sees the HUGE logical flaw in using it as a parallel to belief in God.
Then again, there could be multiple insuperable logical flaws in the basic idea of using the FSM as a Deity stand-in, and maybe I'm stupid for not seeing them.
I have:
Persistently and politely asked to speak with a manager from the beginning of the call, then when the manager got on explained that I was just doing my part to make the phone call a little more expensive for them.
Tried, annoyingly, persistently and ineffectively, to sell the telemarketer an 8-year-old computer that was collecting dust in my basement, for only $3000, not including monitor. He not only wouldn't buy the computer, he wouldn't transfer me to anyone that made computer purchasing decisions for the company, either.
When the telemarketer is calling about financial stuff (credit card/mortgage/etc.) I've asked them if they'd like to discuss their personal finances with me. For some reason they feel like I should trust them with my financial stuff, but they don't feel they can trust me.
If you really don't want anyone to interrupt you during the "Sci-Fi marathons," it should be easy enough to unplug the phone. The trouble comes when you are okay with some people interrupting.
AFAIK, in the US telemarketing to cell phones is illegal.
Small claims court could get you a couple of thousand?
Pure rumor-fed speculation here.
My students never complained about my handwriting, my grammar, and by no strech of the imagination would my accent be considered foreign to the United States, which is where I taught.
Maybe you just chose the wrong colleges. I did most of my teaching at regional universities and community colleges.
So, did you retire to your own tropical island, or do you have a penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park?
(or both?)
Um...I don't think most people have [b]ever[/b] used bash in Windows.
FYI: morse@email.com is a test. If you fail, the men in white coats will come and get you.
So...uploading makes copies of stuff, but downloading doesn't.
"Truly you have a dizzying intellect." -Dread Pirate Roberts
You're not paying attention. He said we don't want to know. He didn't say he doesn't want to tell us. It's pure altruism, man.