Am I getting close to understanding it? At least this is my impression of what people are saying. I fear for us if we come to that.
Why doesn't the government expand college grants and loans to those who attempt to enter the healthcare field, and why they are at it, give tax breaks to those colleges (mostly two-year ones) that offer AS degrees in healthcare.
I'm on a waiting list to get into the Cardiovascular Technician program at my local community college - 180 applied for 60 seats. As popular as the program is, and the real need for such technicians, they should be expanding the program.
I think the first reason is that when something is “free” more people will use it. So, I can’t stop people from going to the doctor (which costs dollars) whenever they want but I can control the use of expensive technology. Also, when someone or a group is managing health care resources (as the case in socialized medicine) they are more likely to allocate resources in ways that help more people (i.e., they prioritize). For instance, if I have a million dollars I could help more people by paying for immunizations than by purchasing more MRI machines. Younger people have more utility, as well (which makes investments in immunizations even more desirable). So if you are a five-year-old you can easily get an immunization but if you are a 55-year-old you will have to wait for an MRI. A 55-year-old with a brain tumor (or a possible brain tumor) does not have as much utility as 50 children. I’m not saying I agree with any of the above, it just explains the shortage. Not only do they limit the purchase of technologies that are expensive but also the training of personnel. If you have a large number of CV technicians you are likely to have more testing done. Of course, there could be other reasons for a lack of slots. In nursing, it is very difficult to find instructors and that often limits what colleges can do as far as enrollments.