The New Left, Health Insurance Myths, and Solving Underpopulation

Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the high costs of healthcare, the challenges facing the center-left, the possibility of infinite economic growth, solutions to declining fertility rates, and the role of technology in addressing demographic challenges.

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Highlights from the Episode:

• Health insurance companies are often unfairly blamed for high healthcare costs, while making only 1-3% profit margins. The real cost drivers are healthcare providers and hospital systems.
• National health insurance, as implemented in countries like Japan, can effectively control costs but may risk reducing healthcare innovation.
• Population growth follows exponential functions, meaning societies are always trending toward either over-population or under-population, with no stable middle ground without active intervention.

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