in my opinion i think same thing might happened to as what happend to IT field. Overflow of nurses and technicans..dental assistants etc... But there will alwayz be shortage of doctors.
One of the reasons Healthcare is so expensive is the extremely regulated nature of the industry in the US as well as the highly litigious nature of the country. Both of these prevent outsiders from coming into improve the healthcare system (like would occur through outsourcing in IT) or to get more docs. With respect to the pharma costs, people are finding that it is much cheaper in other countries and hence I think there will be greater competitiveness in this regards especially by the insurers. Also since a product made here is the same as one made in canada by the same company, sooner or later they are just going to forced to take down some of the trade barriers. Especially since medicines are kept at artifically high levels just due to the lack of competition.
Not all VA. From my understanding some of the VA programs are getting national awards in care provision and much more financially stable than the rest of healthcare.
The VA system is horrible. Ever see a top physician grad go to work for the VA? I have friends who went though Gerogetown and GWU courtesy of the Navy, they want to be shot before going into the VA system. There my be pockets of excellence, but our vets would be much better off with a specialized insurance plan that entitled them to care in the civilian system. The only thing that should be kept in the VA system are specialized progrmas specific to war casualties and trauma that cannot or are not replicated in the private system.
The only part of the healthcare system that is doing well are the tort lawyers....