Posted on 10/07/2004 2:33:42 PM PDT by socialismisinsidious
The shortage of flu vaccine is a tragic thing when we remember that last year twelve children died from the flu. This shortage is a direct result of the policies of Hillary Clinton. In 1993 Hillary Clinton's "Vaccines for Children Program" was first implemented and the government became the majority buyer of vaccines; so far so good. But what happened next is what is typical of socialized medicine. The government set prices so low that vaccine makers had no incentive to develop and produce vaccines. Instead of having a competitive, free market of vaccine manufacturing we had a mass exodus of vaccine production and last year had just five vaccine makers. Now in light of British regulators shutting down a major flu-shot supplier we are being told that there is a vaccine shortage and healthy adults and school children are being told to forego vaccination. Vaccine shortage is the perfect example of what happens in medicine (or any other market) when the goverment gets involved and begins to "socialize" it.
Combine that with the health care rhertoric of John Kerry and John Edwards and you are in for some dangerous medicine.
John Edwards was asked during the VP debates if he felt that medical lawsuits had any contribution to the rocketing cost of medical care. He answered:
"I think the truth is that what they're doing is talking about an issue that really doesn't have a great deal to do with what's happening with medical policy in this country, which I think is a very serious issue."
Talk about denial; too much time in the sun next to the pool perhaps? Ask any doctor, any medical personnel on the front lines and they will tell you that not only does medical lawsuits raise the cost of practicing medicine, but it also changes the way in which medicine is practiced. The cost skyrockets because the physician ends up practicing "shot gun" medicine. The physician, out of fear of litigation, will often order unneeded medical testing just to "cover" him/her self in the event of a poor outcome (not necessarily a negligent one). Senator, those tests are pricey!
Senator Edwards also said: "Well let me say, first of all, I'm proud of the work I did on behalf of kids and families against big insurance companies, big drug companies and big HMOs"
You see, Senator Edwards, when you sue a doctor the cost of his malpractice insurance increases (with some doctors paying six figures for insurance this is significant). The cost of the doctor's insurance increases even if the doctor is dropped from the lawsuit or found to be not liable. Your shakedown of the "big insurance companies" raises the cost of the doctor's insurance and it is easy to see how the cost of medical care would then rise. You may think that when you sue a hospital or a doctor to get to their big, bad insurance company that it is not a big deal to the physician; you couldn't be more wrong. Your assertion that lawsuits don't then raise medical cost is downright laughable.
Unfortunately the problems in medicine and the Democratic party go way beyond Hillary-care and Edward's head in the sand denial. John Kerry has said that the minute, the very minute, he is sworn in as president that he will sign an executive order that will make health care a right. He has also said that under his plan children will be completely covered from the time they are born and that the government will cover 75% of the cost of any medical bill over $50,000. Don't be lulled by all the promises. What Kerry is proposing is socialized medicine.
When medicine is socialized, when the free market is stifled, demand increases because people feel entitled and they believe the misnomer that it is "free". As the demand increases, availability decreases. Here is why: socialized medicine is "free", meaning without immediate personal responsibility, hence no immediate personal cost so people become heedless and put very little forethought into use. With over utilization comes an inability to cover cost. The government can't adequately reimburse the costs of this burgeoning usage so it begins to ration the services by making rules about who can be seen and for what. Rationing also happens as a natural consequence of poor reimbursement. When there is a declining financial incentive to provide care then what you get is less people providing care; who would work for free? The end result is: underpaid doctors who are unable to cover overhead, no incentive for ingenuity or imagination and access that is poor. We don't even need to mention what this does to taxes on a community.
There are first world nations on this Earth where citizens wait 4-6 months to be treated for hip fractures and wait as long as 8 months to see a specialist after being diagnosed with cancer. These nations have a severe physician shortage, long waits for appointments and long drives to facilities. The one thing that these countries have in common is that they have a government run socialized medical system.
How conceited of the Democratic party, and specifically John Kerry, to think that they can make socialized medicine work when the history of the world has taught us just the opposite. Instead of working within the best medical system in the world, instead of requiring personal responsibility and talking tort reform, John Kerry is trying to sneak socialized medicine in under the same guise that Hillary used to take control of vaccine manufactoring: "for the children".
Hey Senators, when will you be getting your flu vaccine?
Great post!
I knew Hill was involved, remember when it happened, but it is nice to see this post. This is our future with socialized medicine.
Good post...and let's also remember that the John-John's said they would immediately begin importing low-cost drugs from Canada. As much as I hate to defend the Pharmaceutical industry, much of the other countries low costs are subsidized by what Americans pay here. We can debate the fairness of this system, but the fact remains, if the JJs get their way, it won't only adversely effect our prices...but the world community as a whole.
Unfortnately, just as with healthcare costs, people like Edwards & Associates are partially responsible for this problem as well. Lawyers have helped add to the cost of medicine, suing manufacturers, in many cases, because of the irresponsibilty of consumers who don't adhere to directions...Oxycontin and Purdue's problems is a prime example. Couple this with excessive government regulations and costs, like the FDA and the approval process...and you have rising costs passed on to the consumer.
I truly believe that Democrats have been intentionally using the power of government and lawyers to incrimentally over-regulate and litigate the healthcare system so that the consumer will eventually get ticked off and demand change. From Ted Kennedy's HMO reform in the '70s to the extra regulations and costs added to teaching hospitals, causing a shortage in the '90s...the Democrats have been attempting to destroy private healthcare so they can ride in on their white horse and save the day with socialized medicine. They've created these problems over the decades.
Bump for an excellent vanity. It is right on target and needs to be read by the masses. It's a concise explanation of the problems of socialized medicine with the current flu vaccine shortage just being the tip of the iceberg.
Bump for an excellent vanity. It is right on target and needs to be read by the masses. It's a concise explanation of the problems of socialized medicine with the current flu vaccine shortage just being the tip of the iceberg.
BR, thanks for the ping!
Amazing that Kerry believed having a trial lawyer as a running mate would help him win.
In addition to the above, since HIPPA compliance has become a central issue, the billing, medical records, info transfer protocols and so forth have all had to be standardized. This would make it all the easier for the government to move in and take over a turn-key operation paid for by private a/o corporate dollars (also adding greatly to the cost of 'healthcare' these days. That's one of the reasons I left private practice.
BUMP Thanks for the ping, BadRay, and for the great perspective, Social!
Thanks Ray - also covered on the Opinion page in today's Trib.
And he will give every American...a... SHRUBBERY!!!Nicht,..Nicht,...Nicht!!!
Thank you for bringing this information to my eyes. It sure is on target. This is great material for the Democrat cronies at the bar tonight who were bitching about the shortage of flu shots last week.
Amazing to us, but not to those who depend on the promises of government handouts.
You're welcome.
Hi. Is your tag line a take off from the Agatha Christie book "Ten Little Indians"? (Also known as "And Then There Were None") It's one of my favorites.
CPAC in February???
Thank you. I'll have to check the paper. I haven't had a chance to get to it yet.
You're welcome.
Even those Dems should be able to understand it. LOL
Ring-a-ding-ding. The laws of economics still apply to medicine. Buy up the supply at below cost, regulate the bejeebers out of everybody, and sue the pants off those that don't "play ball", and pretty soon, nobody will be left.
Also in the WSJ today as well.
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