Why can't we re-purpose corporate healthcare dollars to patient-care dollars?

Health companies pay top dollar for patient information to (1) risk stratify patients [for insurance policies], (2) track prescription trends to adjust price and volume [for biopharma companies] (3) develop medications and medical devices and track side effects, as in Phase IV pharmacovigilance studies [again for biopharms, and for med device companies] (4) marketing new services and products [Almost all healthcare companies]. Even doctors indirectly benefit from exposure to patient information over time, as it is how we get our training.

In all of these transactions, the patient is never asked, consulted, or paid for their information, despite the fact they are the 'engine' that drives all of this information.

If this information could be monetized, based on these other revenue streams, and then placed into an HSA-type account, that could only be used for healthcare, it would give many people the financial base needed to be paired with a high-deductible insurance plan, and afford access to the care they need.

Those patients with more conditions could theoretically be 'worth more,' and paid more to try/advocate different treatments.

A social networking platform, like a Facebook, or a patientslikeme.com, could allow groups of patients with a specific disease or condition, to gather and organize the data, as well as manage the exchange of data for money.