One of the simplest economic concepts to understand is the theory of demand. As the price of a good to users decreases, demand or use of that good will increase. As the price of a good approaches zero, theoretically the demand or use of the good will approach infinity. Nowhere is this principle better demonstrated than healthcare. Here are some simple anecdotes from my past. In the 1950s, doctors made house-calls and charged nominal amounts for their services ($10 seems to be a number I remember).In 1966 I dislocated my shoulder in a charity alumni football game and was whisked to the hospital by ambulance. X-rays and re-positioning the shoulder were required. My father paid all the fees out of pocket. I am not sure what the cost was, but my father did not carry around great amounts of money. My guess would be in the $40 - $50 range.In 1976, our four-year old son was awake all night with an ear problem, which ended with bleeding from the ear. My wife and I were panicked, especially...(Read Full Post)