Comments on: Cause of Death: Capitalist Health Care http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/ A Progressive, Skeptical Blog on Israel, Judaism, Culture, Politics, and Literature Fri, 16 May 2008 06:22:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Andrew Gow http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-486 Andrew Gow Sun, 11 May 2008 21:01:47 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-486 There's nothing 'Cuban' about the Canadian health care system, which works just fine. Yes, there have been some unreasonable, even dangerous waits for certain procedures. Emergency rooms are clogged, often by ignorant people who should wait and see a family physician, and that can result in very unfortunate results for acutely ill people. Canadian doctors are independent professionals and we choose our own primary-care physicians, by the way. Having lived in the USA for four years and in Germany for around three, I can honestly say that the Canadian system (which is hardly 'socialist', just a string of single-payer state-run provincial systems) seems to me to work much better than anything else I have experienced. It also encourages small business owners and the self-employed by providing them with the same free or nearly free health care (depending on which province you live in) as everyone else gets. I know American and German professionals who have dropped their health insurance because they cannot afford the premiums. That's insane and unjust. There’s nothing ‘Cuban’ about the Canadian health care system, which works just fine. Yes, there have been some unreasonable, even dangerous waits for certain procedures. Emergency rooms are clogged, often by ignorant people who should wait and see a family physician, and that can result in very unfortunate results for acutely ill people. Canadian doctors are independent professionals and we choose our own primary-care physicians, by the way. Having lived in the USA for four years and in Germany for around three, I can honestly say that the Canadian system (which is hardly ’socialist’, just a string of single-payer state-run provincial systems) seems to me to work much better than anything else I have experienced. It also encourages small business owners and the self-employed by providing them with the same free or nearly free health care (depending on which province you live in) as everyone else gets. I know American and German professionals who have dropped their health insurance because they cannot afford the premiums. That’s insane and unjust.

]]> By: matt http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-472 matt Fri, 09 May 2008 09:59:09 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-472 This study is 100% Bunk! The doctors who did this study also conducted one in 2002 and found that the majority of doctors did not want national health care, the problem with this is that the 2 question surveys drastically differ in there 2nd question. I found this article, <a href="http://jaajoe.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=28#jc_allComments" rel="nofollow">60% of Physicians Surveyed Oppose Switching to a National Health Care Plan</a>, It's worth a read. This study is 100% Bunk! The doctors who did this study also conducted one in 2002 and found that the majority of doctors did not want national health care, the problem with this is that the 2 question surveys drastically differ in there 2nd question. I found this article, 60% of Physicians Surveyed Oppose Switching to a National Health Care Plan, It’s worth a read.

]]> By: Clif http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-470 Clif Thu, 08 May 2008 18:07:13 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-470 For privatization to work there has to be regulation. The Bush years have seen regulating agencies look the other way, a recipe for disasters. You spoke of ratings for different countries. I recently looked over the WWF publication on the ecological footprint of countries. To come out high in this rating, a country must have a sustainable economy. The ONLY country rated with a sustainable economy is Cuba. This is the place where up until recently nobody could trade a car manufactured since the revolution in 1959. Socialism is enforced with a will though Raul Castro is making some changes. Cuba is reputed to have good health care for everyone. Overall, the question must be asked: would one want to live in a country taking all things into account? Many have fled Cuba. I don't know of many who have willingly moved there and the news I read is that the people there are discontented with the restrictions they must live under. I mention all this because it sure looks like the whole world is going to have to move toward sustainability, whereas health care, sad to say, can be optional. How would most Westerners view a future tending toward the situation in Cuba when even the Cubans want out? When things get bad, people will continue to want all the goodies they have grown used to. The Cubans are queuing for newly permitted DVD players and cellphones as we speak. To me, socialism puts the good of the whole ahead of the good of the individual with the aim that the overall good will be increased and equitably distributed. To my way of thinking socialism must be the future, whether we like it or not and I think a lot of folks will not like it. The US will be the battleground for this to play out. For privatization to work there has to be regulation. The Bush years have seen regulating agencies look the other way, a recipe for disasters.

You spoke of ratings for different countries. I recently looked over the WWF publication on the ecological footprint of countries. To come out high in this rating, a country must have a sustainable economy. The ONLY country rated with a sustainable economy is Cuba. This is the place where up until recently nobody could trade a car manufactured since the revolution in 1959. Socialism is enforced with a will though Raul Castro is making some changes. Cuba is reputed to have good health care for everyone.

Overall, the question must be asked: would one want to live in a country taking all things into account? Many have fled Cuba. I don’t know of many who have willingly moved there and the news I read is that the people there are discontented with the restrictions they must live under.

I mention all this because it sure looks like the whole world is going to have to move toward sustainability, whereas health care, sad to say, can be optional. How would most Westerners view a future tending toward the situation in Cuba when even the Cubans want out? When things get bad, people will continue to want all the goodies they have grown used to. The Cubans are queuing for newly permitted DVD players and cellphones as we speak.

To me, socialism puts the good of the whole ahead of the good of the individual with the aim that the overall good will be increased and equitably distributed. To my way of thinking socialism must be the future, whether we like it or not and I think a lot of folks will not like it. The US will be the battleground for this to play out.

]]> By: george a. hilborn http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-469 george a. hilborn Thu, 08 May 2008 17:41:08 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-469 I believe that innovative private firms can help us along our way ;unfortunately they are few and far between and small . The airline industry could stand competition ,real competition like letting foreign companies come in on domestic routes.They are like the domestic auto industry was. Toyota and Honda has created more new jobs than the big 3 in a short time and I have always lived in the Detroit area but reality is here. The health care industry here has no reason to improve as long as the majority of doctors and hospitals can shove off their responsibilities on t he insurance companies , historically the kings of greed and incompetence. Threaten to nationalize the entire system and see how fast there is a wellingness to engage in real progress I believe that innovative private firms can help us along our way ;unfortunately they are few and far between and small . The airline industry could stand competition ,real competition like letting foreign companies come in on domestic routes.They are like the domestic auto industry was. Toyota and Honda has created more new jobs than the big 3 in a short time and I have always lived in the Detroit area but reality is here.

The health care industry here has no reason to improve as long as the majority of doctors and hospitals can shove off their responsibilities on t he insurance companies , historically the kings of greed and incompetence. Threaten to nationalize the entire system and see how fast there is a wellingness to engage in real progress

]]> By: fiddler http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-468 fiddler Thu, 08 May 2008 17:01:36 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-468 Joe, Milton Friedman's market ideology/idolatry is far older than either Bush's administration, and Ronald Reagan isn't the current Bush's avowed idol for nothing. Nepotism makes it far worse, of course, but that, in all fairness, isn't Friedman's fault. (My favourite privatisation blunder by far is still law enforcement - whenever it works according to the market ideology of its proponents, it defeats its own purpose.) Joe, Milton Friedman’s market ideology/idolatry is far older than either Bush’s administration, and Ronald Reagan isn’t the current Bush’s avowed idol for nothing. Nepotism makes it far worse, of course, but that, in all fairness, isn’t Friedman’s fault.
(My favourite privatisation blunder by far is still law enforcement - whenever it works according to the market ideology of its proponents, it defeats its own purpose.)

]]> By: fostert http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-467 fostert Thu, 08 May 2008 14:25:58 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-467 I'm with you on the US airlines. I'd rather fly Lao Airlines on a modified Soviet cargo plane (they still have some). At least you get a decent meal. My favorite airlines are now Emirates and Thai. The good news is that you can fly pretty much anywhere between those two carriers. Once you leave the US, of course. I’m with you on the US airlines. I’d rather fly Lao Airlines on a modified Soviet cargo plane (they still have some). At least you get a decent meal. My favorite airlines are now Emirates and Thai. The good news is that you can fly pretty much anywhere between those two carriers. Once you leave the US, of course.

]]> By: Joe http://southjerusalem.com/2008/05/08/cause-of-death-capitalist-health-care/#comment-466 Joe Thu, 08 May 2008 13:52:22 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=137#comment-466 From your description, I can only surmise that Israel has recently adopted something along the lines of the Bush privatization ideology. That's the ideology that says the market can do a better job of delivering government services, so the best option is to dole out monopoly rights to unaccountable private companies based not on competence and relevant experience, but on demonstrated fealty to the Republican party. It's basically a patronage system operating under the guise of "free market economics". From your description, I can only surmise that Israel has recently adopted something along the lines of the Bush privatization ideology. That’s the ideology that says the market can do a better job of delivering government services, so the best option is to dole out monopoly rights to unaccountable private companies based not on competence and relevant experience, but on demonstrated fealty to the Republican party. It’s basically a patronage system operating under the guise of “free market economics”.

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