Alex Harford wrote:
> The free market is working perfectly.  The problem is that the demand
> for health care is inelastic.  Ie how much are you willing to pay to
> avoid death?

I disagree, there's plenty of elasticity. I know plenty of people who don't 
go to the doctor for financial reasons. People make choices that affect 
their health/risk of dying every day -- eating at McD instead of a fancier 
restaraunt, living in places with high pollution, choosing hazardous 
occupations, and so on -- based on financial factors. And in most cases 
people aren't seeing their doctor to avoid death. I see mine most often when 
I get a sore throat and I need antibiotics to get rid of the bug.

Just remembered another thing: there are palces in the US with abnormal 
radon emissions (including Spokane, WA where I lived for a number of years). 
The great majority of residents who own a basement, have never had a radon 
inspection, or purchased a radon kit ($20) -- despite the very real hazard.

There's nothing inelastic about healthcare. If it really was inelastic, 
everyone would be a doctor.

Vitaliy

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