Why is it that things like going to the dentist or doctor can be charged on a “sliding scale” for low income people but other necessities don’t have this same sliding scale structure?

Question

Why is it that things like going to the dentist or doctor can be charged on a “sliding scale” for low income people but other necessities don’t have this same sliding scale structure?

In: Economics

Answer 1

I sort of question the premise of your question. Pretty much all necessities have some kind of subsidy program. Food stamps are to subsidize food for those with low incomes. Government-subsidized housing are for those earning less than a certain amount. Many colleges offer need-based financial assistance. Even utilities will oftentimes have assistance programs for low-income individuals. I suppose you could say the structure for each of those programs varies depending on the type of transactions but there are assistance programs imbedded everywhere; not just in the medical field.