http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/ Big Ideas for a Better World Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:24:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/comment-page-1/#comment-350823 Healthcare Economist · Rx: Cut U.S. medical spending in half!?!?! Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:16:45 +0000 http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/#comment-350823 [...] David Cutler responds by worrying that Hanson’s demand side approach will compel patients to reduce unnecessary medical care (good!) but also reduce the amount of preventative and other care (bad!). For instance, patients may not buy prescription drugs to treat a disease if they are forced to pay for them out of pocket. If the patient becomes ill after not taking the drugs and needs surgery, the insurer will then pay for the operation.  This is not an efficient use of resources. Dr. Cutler believes health care costs could be cut almost 50% with the implementation of “information technology, reduced errors, investment in disease management, or generation of comparative effectiveness information.” Finally, Cutler believes medicine is not as inadequate as Hanson claims, citing advances in post-heart attack treatment. [...] [...] David Cutler responds by worrying that Hanson’s demand side approach will compel patients to reduce unnecessary medical care (good!) but also reduce the amount of preventative and other care (bad!). For instance, patients may not buy prescription drugs to treat a disease if they are forced to pay for them out of pocket. If the patient becomes ill after not taking the drugs and needs surgery, the insurer will then pay for the operation.  This is not an efficient use of resources. Dr. Cutler believes health care costs could be cut almost 50% with the implementation of “information technology, reduced errors, investment in disease management, or generation of comparative effectiveness information.” Finally, Cutler believes medicine is not as inadequate as Hanson claims, citing advances in post-heart attack treatment. [...]

]]> http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/comment-page-1/#comment-106174 Seth’s blog » Blog Archive » Why Are Medical Costs So High? Mon, 17 Sep 2007 06:22:25 +0000 http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/#comment-106174 [...] David Cutler, a Harvard public policy professor whose research I used in The Shangri-La Diet, writes: The most important reason why medical costs increase over time is because we develop new ways of [...] [...] David Cutler, a Harvard public policy professor whose research I used in The Shangri-La Diet, writes: The most important reason why medical costs increase over time is because we develop new ways of [...]

]]> http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/comment-page-1/#comment-105203 links for 2007-09-14 « Matthew Henty Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:27:23 +0000 http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/#comment-105203 [...] Cato Unbound » Blog Archive » Use a Scalpel, Not a Meat Cleaver David M. Cutler responds to Robin Hanson’s essay (tags: healthcare medicine economics politics) [...] [...] Cato Unbound » Blog Archive » Use a Scalpel, Not a Meat Cleaver David M. Cutler responds to Robin Hanson’s essay (tags: healthcare medicine economics politics) [...]

]]> http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/comment-page-1/#comment-105009 Health Econ Discussion, Part 2 « The Everyday Economist Thu, 13 Sep 2007 17:58:13 +0000 http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/09/12/david-m-cutler/use-a-scalpel-not-a-meat-cleaver/#comment-105009 [...] first response essay to Robin Hanson is written by David Cutler. Cutler does a good job rebutting some of Hanson’s [...] [...] first response essay to Robin Hanson is written by David Cutler. Cutler does a good job rebutting some of Hanson’s [...]

]]>