What is the "cost" of health care?

Question

Some people say health care should be non-profit and should be provided at cost.
So how do you define cost? Only the cost of materials like medicine, medical instruments, etc? What about labor? Don't the doctors have to feed thier families too? So how much does selling at "cost" allow a doctor to make? $20K per year? $60K per year? $200K per year? Which is "cost" What if the doctor has no kids, what if he has 10 kids? What if he drives a Toyota, what if he drives a BMW? What if he lives in the city, what if he lives in the suburbs?
Who defines what "cost" is? How do you come up with a "cost" that covers every possible set of circumstances? 
On what authority do you have the right to dictate to another person what their costs are?

KevinM · Accepted Answer

It's just one more step to, "From each according to his ability, To each according to their need." Makes me want to ask, "Who is John Galt?"

warrior · Answer

Currently, the "cost' of health care is like the cost of the other expenses incurred when people get health care-- they are increasing out of control like a herd of spooked cattle about to run over a cliff. Meanwhile, other than the petroleum industry, other goods and services markets are not allowed to follow these pricing schemes without being called price gougers and suffering the consequences from their customers.

There was a time in the past when the demand effected the cost. But, now the supply is dominating the prices. The customers, market, or masses should effect the costs of health care; but, during this elite dominated era, the businesses, the business owners, or the greed of the elites is forcing its will upon everyone including our governments and the unrestrained greed is paralyzing the world economy and gradually murdering health care--like the venom from a poisonous snake.

Until some one or our governments find a way to restrain prices on everything, doom will be in our futures after this economic chaos is not restrained.

1 eye dog · Answer

The actual cost is yet to be worked out 
.
There is only the roots of the plan
.
And that plan is like all the things that are in the governments control 
.
Will be amended here and there in its life
.
Expediency 
.

Anonymous · Answer

Canadians and Europeans pay HALF what Americans pay per person, 
yet they have a significantly longer life expectancy, 
plus considerably lower infant mortality, than in the US.

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What is the "cost" of health care?

4 Answers