I wrote this as a reply to a post of mine on Future Cities, and I decided that it should have its own post and discussion.  Hope that works with the norms around here, I'm still getting used to using bitcointalk.  I've edited the post a little bit to try and improve it.


I never really do get much enthusiasm for my ideas about eliminating medical licensure, but let me try to sell you on it:

Everyone owns their body, and should be able to choose any provider of their liking, weather they have a license/degree, or not, to do anything they'd like to them.

Medical care is very, very expensive.  In some cases, it's so expensive that patients can't afford it.  Reputation/feedback systems are cheap and easily available online.  There's a vast wealth of knowledge available online.  Anyone can learn basic (or even advanced) medical skills online, for free.  Providers can be ranked by the quality of the care that they provide in a reputation/feedback system (or systems).  This way, Doctors would compete with one another to provide the best care, instead of knowing that there's always a limited supply of medical care available because not so many folks are willing or able to attend medical school.  We could simultaneously lower cost AND improve quality of care.  

Thus, the standard needs to change.  All the rules around medicine need to change, to reflect bodily autonomy.  

Since you own your body, you should be in full control of your choice of healthcare provider.  But you're not!  If Jimmy thinks he can remove your tumor or whatever, and even makes an attempt, he can go to jail for practicing medicine without a license!  Thing is, Jimmy and a lot of other people probably could do that, but our regulations won't allow them to. 

AND

Without the hard and fast requirement for a degree or license, more people would practice medicine, and they'd do it at a lower cost.  

What I'm saying here is that since licensure restricts the supply of medical care and causes the price of medical care to reach unaffordable levels, medical licensure kills.

This is just another example of an entrenched industry looking out for itself.  Of course medical professionals and the medical industry generally push for legislation that restricts the supply of healthcare:  This legislation drives up prices in their industry!

Whatever country/city/state/whatever first adopts a policy that recognizes people's bodily autonomy (and thus their right to choose anyone to give them care) -- that state will be deeply enriched with innovative, low-cost medical care options.  You can see this a little tiny bit in "medical tourism," but someone needs to take the brakes off.  

Thank you for reading my rant.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I never really do get much enthusiasm for my ideas about eliminating medical licensure, but let me try to sell you on it:

everyone owns their body, and should be able to choose any provider of their liking, weather they have a license/degree, or not.

Medical care is very, very expensive.  In some cases, it's so expensive that patients can't afford it.  Reputation/feedback systems are cheap and easily available online.  There's a vast wealth of knowledge available online.  Anyone can learn basic (or even advanced) medical skills online, for free.  Providers can be ranked by the quality of the care that they provide.  They would compete with one another to provide the best care, instead of knowing that there's always a limited supply of medical care available because not so many folks are willing or able to attend medical school. 

Thus, the standard needs to change.

Since you own your body, you should be in full control of your choice of healthcare provider. 

AND

Without the hard and fast requirement for a degree or license, more people would practice medicine, and they'd do it at a lower cost. 

What I'm saying here is that since licensure restricts the supply of medical care and causes the price of medical care to reach unaffordable levels, medical licensure kills.

This is just another example of an entrenched industry looking out for itself. 

Whatever country/city/state/whatever first adopts a policy that recognizes people's bodily autonomy (and thus their right to choose anyone to give them care) -- that state will be deeply enriched with innovative, low-cost medical care options.  You can see this a little tiny bit in "medical tourism," but someone needs to take the brakes off. 

Should I make this its own post?  Originally I posted about future cities...

I think that in the next 10 years we're going to see a new kind of city develop.  One where the land is fully-owned by a corporation and rented to residents.  Ownership will be a choice, of course, but most folks will rent because they're "just passing through."  Imagine a block of land, anywhere, free of government restrictions.  People could do as they please for once.  Doctors would not need licensure, leading to the availability of the world's cheapest and best medical care. 

It's a fairly extreme vision, but I think the time is soon for concepts like this one.