I was reading this NY Times article (free registration required) about some of the recent events with Canada’s public health care system.
It seems that waiting lists for some surgeries have gotten so long that the court has ruled that it violated patients' "life and personal security, inviolability and freedom." Some patients have even died waiting for surgery. The court struck down a Quebec law prohibiting the use of private insurance. This reminds me of similar things I have heard of some countries in Europe. I know of at least one case where the grandmother of a friend of a friend broke her hip and had to wait 6 weeks for surgery.
All I can think of is how screwed up a US national health insurance and care system would be, especially if they tried to start it now. A friend of mine stated it before, and I’ll add my voice as well. Bush keeps trying to work some alchemy on his projects, but instead of using the Philosophers Stone he’s been using a coprolite.
Like it or not the US runs on money and not everyone can afford the Mercedes of medical care. Some people have to settle for the Kia. It sucks, but that’s the way it is. The question is, do any of the other systems make it any better? I don’t know. Companies make more money by coming up with the newest and greatest. There needs to be a push for as good as but cheaper. I think it’s going to take innovative thinking, law changes, and pushes from the right places to make any headway.
1 Comments:
The problem with socialized anything is that socialism always gives everybody a Kia, and nobody wants a Kia. Even people who have no car at all don't really want a Kia, but they'll buy one until they can afford something better. Under socialism, though, they'll simply never be able to afford anything better because the minute they can, the government will take their money and use it to buy Kias nobody wants.
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Unknown, at 6/20/2005 6:55 PM
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