Hits & Misses – 2009/10/14
One more reason to watch Congressional debates on C-SPAN: After being confronted with the absurd, students do better on tests.
WSJ: “Fraudulence and fiscal sleight-of-hand.” They’re talking about the Baucus bill.
David Cutler: Even without reform, the cost curve may be bent: Low-cost new technologies will replace high-cost ones; I.T. will lower administration costs; and managed care will lower the cost of chronic care.
RE: the C-SPAN observation. Did the study find that the more absurd the the prelude, the better the test results?
I think Cutler is wrong.
I respect Cutler’s work. However, lower-cost technologies will not slow the growth of spending in an industry that is not competing on price. A hospital that does not compete on price will not automatically lower its prices when a money-saving technology becomes available. Rather, it will adopt the new technology and reap more profits. And yes, non-profit hospitals do try to earn a profit — I used to work for one.
I agree with Larry. Cutler is wrong.