Robin Hanson Discusses the Karnataka Health Insurance Experiment
I am a bit dubious about the way this is measured, with rare exceptions the kind of medicine considered healthcare isn&#x27;t good enough to actually improve these metrics but rater mostly improve quality of life in subtle ways, and the analysis does mention stress reduction&#x2F;depression reduction. I totally get it reduces stress to have access. But how many things happen to people in a few years that healthcare can actually treat?  or at least treat in a way that shows up. I&#x27;ve been to the doctor once or twice a year, but its been twenty plus years since appendicitis which is the one thing in my entire life they could fix which concretely improved health.<p>Vaccines are great, but we generally dont count them into things like this. Painkillers are great for pain, but generally not required. As are splints, physical rehab, stitches and plastic surgery to reduce scarring, but none of which actually improve health in a way measured by studies like this. Dentalcare is great, and the most common form of surgery people truly need, but again, not in studies like this because they are still a part of the blacksmithsguild instead of healthcare for obvious reasons. Antibiotics are great, but its damned rare you actually need them, and a lost week of work doesn&#x27;t show up in studies like this, and contrary to common opinion, almost all infections go away with soap, rest, and careful cleaning. Breaking a bone and not getting it professionally set is risky, but is more likely to result in permanent pain and minor damage, but it wont kill you, or force you out of work long time. Antihistamines are great, but are available without prescription in most places,<p>With rare exceptions medicine just isn&#x27;t good enough to actually help, not in a way that measurably improves lifespan. But what it does do is give you something to do about your suffering, and trusting this help exists helps, as does having some rituals to follow when temporarily suffering, massively reduces stress in a way that is worth it for society.