Posted on 10/17/2004 2:17:55 PM PDT by Jim Wilson 1
There is no getting around it in my opinion. The Republican position on health care is a weak one. I recommend that the president steer clear of making statements on the issue and seriously consider pulling his ads on it. Although an alternative to a government run health care system (as envisioned by the Democrats) would be desirable, just letting the current situation fester with virtually no government regulation is getting us nowhere fast. In her study of the health care industry, Hillary Clinton refused to address the issue of doctor greed, probably because many liberal doctors are among her most ardent supporters and friends. She placed all the blame for rising health care costs on hospitals, drug companies, and the insurance industry. President Bush, in contrast, has singled out trial lawyers and fraudulent malpractice suits as his personal whipping boy. Neither of these views, I believe, is honestly addressing the basic problem we are facing.
Doctors should not be in it for the money. They should be drawn from idealistic stock who want to help people, just as was envisioned by Hippocrates. It has gotten so bad these days that catastrophic health issues are no longer the major concern. You can't even have a minor procedure done without having to go back two or three times, paying through the nose for each visit until the doctor has made enough off of you to finally fix the problem. These guys have gotten to be no better than your average cynical auto mechanic who is out to nail your butt anytime you face the misfortune of a broken down vehicle that you are unable or unwilling to fix yourself. True, today's doctors simply reflect the state of our society, in general, where in the name of the unregulated free market, anything goes. As such, I've never been a big fan of businessmen or business interests for this very reason. The cost of living keeps going up and up largely because of this attitude that you should try to get the most for your goods or services regardless of what is truly a fair price. No doubt there are dozens of people on this forum who will argue the position that the marketplace alone should be allowed to determine the price of things, but this is precisely how we got into the fix we are in with regard to the skyrocketing cost of health care, and health care must be seen as more important, too important a commodity to be dealt with in the same manner as most everything else.
The American Medical Association limits the number of new doctors that are graduated each year and controls the mindset of those who are admitted to medical schools. Trust me, idealists who want to help their fellow man are discouraged in favor of those with comfortably bourgeois attitudes. In a society where money equals power, it was decided long ago that the more money the medical industry brings into its coffers, the better for all concerned. Who pays for this "pragmatic perspective?" Why, the American consumer, that's who. I think the health care industry absolutely MUST BE SEEN as a critical industry where government regulation of pricing, at the very least, is demanded. Dishonest doctors who are manipulating their patients for material gain rather than curing them as quickly as possible for the lowest possible price should be fined or have their licenses pulled. There is no need to sue everyone in sight for malpractice. Just get rid of the bad apples to begin with by taking the profit out of the game.
This is the same tack a Seattle P-I reporter took with me via an email exchange, totally ignore the substance, and attack a spelling error. Oh well, I guess you have to take whatever you can get. Go back to usenet, and next time you get sick, do us all a favor and avoid doctors since they are ALL so corrupt and evil...JFK
This quote was one among many that indicated to me that you know absolutely nothing about the economics of health care. Show me ANY aspect of health care that is unregulated...JFK
LAme article. BTW, you left the part about health care being a right, and an entitlement.
There is a big difference between being honest and honestly trying to strengthen the economy at every turn, while greatly increasing health care spending for seniors to the tune of billions of dollars, and being Kerry. All Kerry does is simply use the same old complaints about every single move President Bush does. All the while parading a stream of people willing to put on their poor and destitute faces and clothes and say it is Bush's fault they are in what ever state they are in.
How soon will "good neighbor" appear?
Sir, you are free to label yourself as you will.
I did not say you were ignorant. I said you displayed ignorance of economics & market forces.
Your level of ignorance in other matters remains to be demonstrated.
As to being your elder, irrelevant.
You first, and try not to be a royal pain in the a$$.
Really? The next time you see a doctor, tell them what you said! They're hard-working people who don't need a$$holes like yourself critcizing them.
Equal justice is a right under the Constitution. Equal healthcare isn't. So let's draft all the lawyers and give everyone equal lawcare.
I just toss this out every time I'm near a liberal lawyer. To the best of my limited knowledge, law is the only personal service guaranteed to citizens under the constitution.
Well, it's a good line and suits the purpose!
You forgot the cost of equipment for a medical office, the cost of continuing education, the hours of lost sleep worrying about patients, the cost away from family because of helping others, and the threat of lawsuits simply because you are doing your job.
I know lots of docs and NONE of them are millionaires. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
Do you mean to imply it's proper for our elected officials, having taken the oath to uphold and defend the Constitution -- no matter what you might think of it (it says what it says) -- to be "greatly increasing health care spending for seniors to the tune of billions of dollars"?
Just wondering. ;O)
Wow! Jim, while you are obviously intellectually inclined, your rant on this subject could not be more wrong.
First, what makes our nation great is the free enterprise system. It is the envy of the world. You stated that you don't even like businessmen in general. It seems that you would prefer that every person be given a check by the government, regardless of their skill levels, intellectually capabilities, hardwork, etc..(I could go on, but i think we all get the picture) We are fortunate that the only thing that comes between us and success is ourselves. It seems that you hate everthing that the great U.S.A. stands for.
As far as healthcare goes, you are talking about a subject in which it is obvious you have little to no understanding. The vast majority of physicians are individuals that are driven to serve mankind. They are the best and brightest of our society. All give up a large portion of their life just to get the opportunity to serve critics like yourself. Let us look at what it takes to become a doctor or dentist. Four years of undergraduate study in which a B average will not cut it. They must devote much more time than others to be accepted into med/dental school. A price that many will not pay. Next comes med/dental school of 4 years. A typical school day is 8 hours of class followed by 6-8 hours of study with weekends being devoted to long 14-18 hour days of study. The typical graduate will have over $150,000 dollars in student loan debt upon graduation. But wait, there is an internship and residency of 2-8 years or more depending on specialty. The average intern/resident doctor will work 60-80 hours a week or more for about $28,000. That has that person making about $9.00/hr. Once graduation occurs the dotor must then borrow 100% of the money necessary to open an office, equip it, staff it, etcc. Often doctors live off of more loans until the practice makes a profit.(SOmething that you think is somehow wrong) I'll add, dentists spend approximately $300,000 just to start a practice.
I say all of this and then ask this question. Why would any intelligent person subject themselves to all of this if they were not going to be compensated well above the average person. With your plan or Kerry's plan we will see our brightest choose other fields. Doctors should expect to make a great living after the price they have paid. As for the "bad" doctors, the free enterprise system will weed them out.
THe real problem in healtcare today is multifold. One, insurance companies. Think about it, you go to your doctor, he provides a service----Insurance company makes money. The introduction of a third party into the equation has caused a lot of problems. Insurance executives make far more than most doctors. Second, people who don't take responsibility for their health. I'll smoke until i'm sick, i'll eat unhealthy foods, i'll refrain from exerise, i'll drink too much, etc...All of this causes more health problems and thus more bills for insurance companies. Third, going to the emergency room for treatment of nonemergency conditions. Go to any Hospital ER and you will not believe what you see. People abuse the system knowing they can't be turned away. They are there for colds, minor cuts, headaches, congestion,etcc. Many do not pay the bill.Abuse!Abuse!Abuse! Who pays for this treatment? You and me and it is not through our tax dollars, the hospitals must raise their fees in other areas to compensate. Hospitals routinely write off MILLION DOLLAR CLAIMS. All because a insurance company finds a loophole or the patient is without insurance and won't pay.
I believe that healthcare is no more of a right than a paycheck from the government. I believe we should take care of our elderly(medicare) and those that can't help themselves. We need tort reform, look at the success in Texas. We need insurance reform. We need a better charity system but we don't need socialized medicine.
Socialized medicine will lead to poor healthcare, poor facilities, poor to non-existent research, and an absolute tradegy to america.
Lastly, if we followed your philosophy of "just get rid of the bad apples to begin with by taking profit out of the game", we would see the exact opposite take place. We would have less qualified individuals providing care with poorer quality facilities and technology, poorer medication and longer waits for treatment. THe bad apples would flourish because the government would need just about anyone they could find to fill these positions. I, for one, prefer higher quality and choices versus substandard care and limitations
Yes it's right for them to do that. It becomes wrong though when a party is simply buying votes.
I do not know how much is too much to pay someone who has dedicated that many years to learn a skill that saves a baby's life, but all that I have or will ever have would be considered a bargain.
The fact that you lie about being a Republican speaks far, far more. And any political belief system based on lies, such as the modern Democratic Party, will eventually resort to intimidation and tyranny, because allowing the truth to be clearly spoken will collapse the dogma on which that belief system is based.
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