(no subject)
Ok, this is going to be odd.
So, I'm a libertarian, right? Leave me alone, leave me my money, let me deal with things my own way, and I'll be happy.
But on the other side of the coin, i think that the government is needed to regulate and provide for, if not actually provide, various things for the good of the community. For example, no company nor individual has the power to ensure that the world's corporations don't spew out too many pollutants, pour toxins downs stream, etc. I wouldn't trust a purely mercenary military, police force. Somebody needs to prevent corporations (and unions) from getting to powerful. That sort of thing.
Which brings us to the Health Care issue. On one hand, I agree with Mr. Mackey: is healthcare any more a necessary commodity than food? Water? Housing? Yet there is no movement to house 100% of the nation's population on the government dollar...
Despite that, I think that universal health care is a good thing, but I don't believe that the government can fairly and properly compete with the insurance industry in the current system. Either the costs will be too high or the care will be too low. I mean, really, if corporations (who get to keep every dollar they don't spend) can't find ways to cut costs and still meet their mandate, why do we expect the government (who have to give back every dollar they don't spend) to do better?
No, I have an alternative idea. Take a lesson from Henry Kaiser and take everything in house.
So, Henry Kaiser was an industrialist in the middle of the 20th century. It's his operation that created Liberty Ships, and (in part) the Hoover Damn. He was a good man, and a good business man. He saw that worker unhealth cut was bad for business. He also saw that paying for medical insurance was too expensive. So he decided not to, and instead provide his own chunk of the health industry to provide for his employees (at some cost). Now, my thought is a little of that, and takes a page from the US Military.
So there is an Academy for each of the 3 military branches and the Coast Guard. In order to get in, you need to be the best of the best (of the interested), but you get your college paid for, completely, in exchange for a commitment to the military: 4-8 years, depending on what further training you receive after graduation/commissioning, durring which time you receive benefits such as housing (or a housing allowance), medical coverage for you and your family, cheaper (& tax free) goods & services on post/base, free (2nd run) movies, etc.
Why not do the same for doctors? A Medical Academy, requiring congressional appointment (as per the 3 military academies), which would be the Government's medschool. In exchange for free medical school (this would be after your undergrad) you would be required to work at a government hospital for a given number of years. During the time you worked at the government run hospital (free to the public), you would be provided with an apartment (within walking distance of your hospital), the government would hold your bond for malpractice, and you'd be given a salary commensurate with your ability/skill, on the military scale. Yes, you're not being paid market value for your skills, but you wouldn't have them without the Academy, and you're just paying them back.
As far as Malpractice, yeah, the government would be able to cover that (after all, it's a government hospital, filled with government doctors who graduated from government medschool). But this is not to say you've got free license to screw up; Each offense would result in a review board which could get you fired, owing whatever you still owed for your education. If you'd only finished half your obligation before your egregious error resulted in your dismissal, you would owe half the cost of your MedSchooling. 3/4 the way through, 1/4 owed.
So, if this were implemented, there would be a viable government option. Those without healthcare would no longer be; just go to county general and get that torn MCL taken care of. Those with insurance would get a tax deduction equivalent to their payment, except in years where they use National Health facilities without their insurance company paying for the services. Thus, you would have two systems, side by side. If someone wanted the fancy, cutting edge treatments, they could go to the private medical industry. If not, they could just pay their taxes and have access to an ever improving National Health system.
Hell, a low cost (zero perceived cost) option would force the private industry to do better. But the government is ill equipped to survive, let alone function well, in the US Health care industry. So don't try. Do what Kaiser did, and make your own.
So, I'm a libertarian, right? Leave me alone, leave me my money, let me deal with things my own way, and I'll be happy.
But on the other side of the coin, i think that the government is needed to regulate and provide for, if not actually provide, various things for the good of the community. For example, no company nor individual has the power to ensure that the world's corporations don't spew out too many pollutants, pour toxins downs stream, etc. I wouldn't trust a purely mercenary military, police force. Somebody needs to prevent corporations (and unions) from getting to powerful. That sort of thing.
Which brings us to the Health Care issue. On one hand, I agree with Mr. Mackey: is healthcare any more a necessary commodity than food? Water? Housing? Yet there is no movement to house 100% of the nation's population on the government dollar...
Despite that, I think that universal health care is a good thing, but I don't believe that the government can fairly and properly compete with the insurance industry in the current system. Either the costs will be too high or the care will be too low. I mean, really, if corporations (who get to keep every dollar they don't spend) can't find ways to cut costs and still meet their mandate, why do we expect the government (who have to give back every dollar they don't spend) to do better?
No, I have an alternative idea. Take a lesson from Henry Kaiser and take everything in house.
So, Henry Kaiser was an industrialist in the middle of the 20th century. It's his operation that created Liberty Ships, and (in part) the Hoover Damn. He was a good man, and a good business man. He saw that worker unhealth cut was bad for business. He also saw that paying for medical insurance was too expensive. So he decided not to, and instead provide his own chunk of the health industry to provide for his employees (at some cost). Now, my thought is a little of that, and takes a page from the US Military.
So there is an Academy for each of the 3 military branches and the Coast Guard. In order to get in, you need to be the best of the best (of the interested), but you get your college paid for, completely, in exchange for a commitment to the military: 4-8 years, depending on what further training you receive after graduation/commissioning, durring which time you receive benefits such as housing (or a housing allowance), medical coverage for you and your family, cheaper (& tax free) goods & services on post/base, free (2nd run) movies, etc.
Why not do the same for doctors? A Medical Academy, requiring congressional appointment (as per the 3 military academies), which would be the Government's medschool. In exchange for free medical school (this would be after your undergrad) you would be required to work at a government hospital for a given number of years. During the time you worked at the government run hospital (free to the public), you would be provided with an apartment (within walking distance of your hospital), the government would hold your bond for malpractice, and you'd be given a salary commensurate with your ability/skill, on the military scale. Yes, you're not being paid market value for your skills, but you wouldn't have them without the Academy, and you're just paying them back.
As far as Malpractice, yeah, the government would be able to cover that (after all, it's a government hospital, filled with government doctors who graduated from government medschool). But this is not to say you've got free license to screw up; Each offense would result in a review board which could get you fired, owing whatever you still owed for your education. If you'd only finished half your obligation before your egregious error resulted in your dismissal, you would owe half the cost of your MedSchooling. 3/4 the way through, 1/4 owed.
So, if this were implemented, there would be a viable government option. Those without healthcare would no longer be; just go to county general and get that torn MCL taken care of. Those with insurance would get a tax deduction equivalent to their payment, except in years where they use National Health facilities without their insurance company paying for the services. Thus, you would have two systems, side by side. If someone wanted the fancy, cutting edge treatments, they could go to the private medical industry. If not, they could just pay their taxes and have access to an ever improving National Health system.
Hell, a low cost (zero perceived cost) option would force the private industry to do better. But the government is ill equipped to survive, let alone function well, in the US Health care industry. So don't try. Do what Kaiser did, and make your own.