I argue that there is something about healthcare services that makes them fundamentally unsuited to be provided directly to the public by for-profit business.
That, in general, there is a kind of services that are unsuited for for-profit business to provide directly to the public, and a kind of services that are indeed suited for for-profit business to provide.
And that, in general, we can say the same thing of government: there is a kind of services that are unsuited for government to provide, and a kind of services that are rather suited for government to provide.
I propose a rather simple principle for deciding either way. It lies in the question: do you have a choice about the service? Can you choose what to buy, when to buy, how much to buy, how often to buy - or not buy at all?
If yes, for-profit business does a better job of providing it (and government does NOT). If no, it is government that rather does the better job (and not for-profit business).
I develop this argument in a series of blog posts here on Wide Avenue.
For convenient navigation, I provide a series of links to the posts. Please follow the links in sequential order:
BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND SERVICES
SERVICES, PROPORTION AND PRICE
MARKET AND AREAS OF NO-CHOICE
DISTORTIONS
SUMMATION
