Should we outsource healthcare to India?

[phk]

Should we outsource healthcare to India?

I of course do supporting the increased outsourcing of healthcare to India. Americans will gain much wealth from cheapened healthcare and India's standard of living will increase.

Largely based off this concept.

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[A18]

Yes, obviously

[John Dibble]

Outsourcing only works to reduce cost and increase profit if your consumers don't actually have to go to where you outsource. First, getting the people who want care to India will cost them both money and time - since it will take time, they are likely to pay a little more for the convenience of local care, and since it costs money anything that could be done for less in the U.S. than the cost of travel and care would not be outsourceable. Pile on other problems, and you quickly come up with 'No'.

[Virginian87]

NO.  Outsourcing most things to other countries is bad in the first place.

[MODU]

We can outsource the book keeping aspect of it all, but actual health care has to be done domestically, unless we send our patients overseas to be treated.

[phk]

No, I'm talking about getting Americans to a coastal city, getting them on a cruise ship to go some-place outside of any visa restrictions and than getting low-cost healthcare.

Looking at X-Ray scans can be done already via the internet.

[John Dibble]

No, I'm talking about getting Americans to a coastal city, getting them on a cruise ship to go some-place outside of any visa restrictions and than getting low-cost healthcare.

But that's not the question you asked. You explicitly asked "Should we outsource healthcare to India?".

[phk]

No, I'm talking about getting Americans to a coastal city, getting them on a cruise ship to go some-place outside of any visa restrictions and than getting low-cost healthcare.

But that's not the question you asked. You explicitly asked "Should we outsource healthcare to India?".

Of course, Indian doctors will be doing the work, and thier incomes sent to thier family in Delhi or Bombay.

[John Dibble]

No, I'm talking about getting Americans to a coastal city, getting them on a cruise ship to go some-place outside of any visa restrictions and than getting low-cost healthcare.

But that's not the question you asked. You explicitly asked "Should we outsource healthcare to India?".

Of course, Indian doctors will be doing the work, and thier incomes sent to thier family in Delhi or Bombay.

Few people would actually go for that. There's a certain amount of quality we've come to expect here in the U.S., and I doubt your little cruise ship plan would be able to meet it.

[MODU]

Of course, Indian doctors will be doing the work, and thier incomes sent to thier family in Delhi or Bombay.

Just a slight correction to that.  It's now (again) Mumbai, not Bombay. 

[phk]

No, I'm talking about getting Americans to a coastal city, getting them on a cruise ship to go some-place outside of any visa restrictions and than getting low-cost healthcare.

But that's not the question you asked. You explicitly asked "Should we outsource healthcare to India?".

Of course, Indian doctors will be doing the work, and thier incomes sent to thier family in Delhi or Bombay.

Few people would actually go for that. There's a certain amount of quality we've come to expect here in the U.S., and I doubt your little cruise ship plan would be able to meet it.

When the difference between the two procedures is nearly $90,000; people will give a sh**t.

[tarheel-leftist85]

No...but we ALREADY have...but I won't go into that.

[Virginian87]

No...but we ALREADY have...but I won't go into that.

Haha. I know what you mean by that.

[David S]

I've heard that this is already happening. For expensive operations its cheaper to travel to India and have the surgery done there. I don't think we should or could try to stop people from doing that. But I must say that I am concerned about the amount of work being done overseas which was once done here. Yes as consumers we benefit from an abundance of low cost goods and services, but the question is what can we make to sell to the rest of the world? Aside from agricultural produce there doesn't seem to be much.

[phk]

but the question is what can we make to sell to the rest of the world? Aside from agricultural produce there doesn't seem to be much.

Although a bit embarrassing, you must realize that our comparative advantage IS agriculture.

[minionofmidas]

but the question is what can we make to sell to the rest of the world? Aside from agricultural produce there doesn't seem to be much.

Although a bit embarrassing, you must realize that our comparative advantage IS agriculture.

Comparative to where exactly? Western Europe - I'll be prepared to grant that one. Elsewhere - no.