Could free markets get us out of this situation?

Last time I had mono in 2011 I made the free-market choice of the county hospital (out of maybe 10 choices, it was the only one that couldn’t refuse treatment for because I was broke).

After screening for a gazillion things including drugs (the doc assured me I was on them), I was discharged without any medicine and told it would go away probably (it did). $2700 bill.

jesseriley wrote:

Last time I had mono in 2011 I made the free-market choice of the county hospital (out of maybe 10 choices, it was the only one that couldn’t refuse treatment for because I was broke).

After screening for a gazillion things including drugs (the doc assured me I was on them), I was discharged without any medicine and told it would go away probably (it did). $2700 bill.

This is a great example. A doctor under the government would likely have you sit there for hours, but run zero tests and then rightfully send you home because all you have is mono. Cost $250.

Health insurance would be cut in half easily. opening up billions in cash for individuals to live healthier lives on their own.

QUILTED NORTHERN TP wrote:

FREE MARKET REFORM would allow new medical resources to quickly come into existence. New healthcare providers, clinics, drugs, equipment, vaccines, tests, and private methods of validating all of the forgoing, would quickly come on-line without big government in the way acting like it owns our bodies and wallets.

Kind of like how thalidomide was put on the market without through testing and approval.

jesseriley wrote:

Last time I had mono in 2011 I made the free-market choice of the county hospital (out of maybe 10 choices, it was the only one that couldn’t refuse treatment for because I was broke).

After screening for a gazillion things including drugs (the doc assured me I was on them), I was discharged without any medicine and told it would go away probably (it did). $2700 bill.

So you chose a crappy hospital and are surprised that you got crappy care.

No. The natural state of unregulated free markets on a long time scale is large monopolies that can do whatever they want after the competition is eliminated. Trading games played long enough result in the resources in the hands of a few. Much like the game monopoly.

There is nothing inherent in unregulated free markets that will take care of society. Free markets are a great driver for many things but they have to be regulated to keep corporate tyranny at bay and the masses from piling up at the bottom with nothing.

As far as covid19. The economy was going to tank either way. It is fantasy to think otherwise. The mass death and no bail outs would actually make the recession much deeper and longer even though the timeframe for everyone being exposed would be shorter.

L L wrote:

Thousands getting sick.

Millions becoming unemployed.

Would having the government totally staying out of this and letting the free markets work their magic lead us to the fastest recovery for this crisis?

Free markets, yes that would be nice.

The airline and the bank industry would go under and the workers could buy them for a penny.

It's kind of weird that the biggest "Capitalists" these days are wanting so much bailout money now. No, you made wrong decisions and the free Market decides that you go under.