Posted on 07/04/2012 12:56:41 PM PDT by Etpa
Engineering Thinking teaches us to challenge our assumptions, because if they are wrong, then our subsequent analysis and decisions will be wrong.
The healthcare challenge — it is commonly assumed — is this: how can the government best ensure that the weakest members of society receive adequate health care?
This is the wrong question. The reason it is wrong is that it is based on the flawed assumption that the government should be making our health care decisions. As discussed previously (see “Feedback, Prices, And Sullen Spouses“), the government is inherently inefficient, and is therefore the last organization that one should ever select to provide a service.
But what is the alternative? ...
(Excerpt) Read more at engineeringthinking.wordpress.com ...
Well, Damn! I must be an engineer. This is the same thing I’ve been saying for the last 25 years...get the gubmint out of the healthcare business all together. They have no mandate, at ANY level, and certainly no incentive to succeed.
Hallelujah!
Someone else knows that often the problem is not that you don’t have the correct answer but that you are not asking the right question.
MORE ENGINEERS in Congress, the media & academia!
A Much Better Question(s): "What will my healthcare be like under the PPACA? Will I be able to choose my own doctor? Will I be able to discuss the best treatment options will my doctor? Will my doctor be able to select the appropriate tests for my condition, and will those tests be covered? If I need a special procedure, how quickly can I receive it? If I need to see a doctor, how quickly can I see one? What are "bronze" plans? Do "bronze" plans indicate that other categories of plans exist? Will I be treated differently, depending on the type of plan I'm in? How will the PPACA ensure there are enough qualified physicians and specialists to treat millions more people? How will this new law actually save money? How will this law actually improve health care? Are sex changes, breast implants, or other "lifestyle" changes covered?
The last time I checked, the US Congress was composed almost entirely of lawyers and political science majors. Almost no small businessmen or scientists/engineers are represented. The level of discourse that we hear from that body is evidence of lack of scientific/critical thinking. Instead we hear “analysis” that consists of childish statements such as “we need to move forward.” I wish I had a dime for every time a politician spouts that meaningless phrase.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kKuXgzXt5U
“Neil DeGrasse Tyson on What’s Wrong with Congress”
(excellent analysis by Tyson, but warning: This was on Bill Maher’s show)
BTW, Tyson tends to be a bit of a liberal, but he nails this issue!
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