| I'm not downvoting you, but your take is perhaps a tad cynical. I get your point - yes doctors have a lot of tools at their disposal, and yes using those tools comes at a cost, but wouldn't you want to use those tools if you were in that position? X-rays are not exactly cutting edge- if a fracture is suspected they are fundamental. Bloodwork etc are key diagnostic indicators. Sure people lie ("Everybody Lies" - House [1]) tests are helpful to understand those lies. It absolutely can be economical to give everyone the best possible health care - especially at the primary diagnostic stage. That being true, yes, every part of the system is independently determined to maximise their profit. From the X-ray operator to the blood-test-maker. It's worth remembering that these common tools, that have been around for decades, are still more expensive (by a lot) in the US than elsewhere. Yes, health insurance makes massive profit. But so does precisely everyone else involved at any level. So if it is "not economic" perhaps its more any issue of "greed" than math. [1] House is an old TV show about computer support, using medicine as a metaphor. |