8.20.2005

The wonders of Communist healthcare

From the sports section of New York Newsday, via Ace:

Linda has been suffering for four years. But doctors in her native Quebec were telling her that they didn't know what was wrong or said they couldn't help her.

Jonathan wouldn't accept that non-news. He and other supporters arranged to mail her files, scans and X-rays to doctors in the United States.

Finally, they received a diagnosis in March. Linda had colorectal cancer and other complications, including Crohn's disease and fistula. Her diagnosis sounded ominous, but doctors offered hope. They said an operation could save her.

Then came perhaps the most daunting news of all. With surgery in Canada not an option, she needed $250,000 for an operation in the United States, an amount that may as well be millions when you haven't worked for a few years because of deteriorating health.

With surgery in Canada not an option? That line begs at least a little explanation. It's the ultimate cost control: "No treatment for you!"

Health care coverage and costs are a huge and growing problem. But anyone advocating single-payer or other hard-left solutions should look at existing socialist systems to see that there's no such thing as good free health care.

Many social democratic countries, such as the UK and Australia, have a two-tier system, where bad healthcare is guaranteed to everyone, and private insurance can be purchased for good healthcare. Canada seems to be developing a de facto two-tier system, where bad healthcare can be obtained from the government, and good healthcare can be purchased by going to the US.

1 comment:

Term Papers said...

great article .. thanks

Happy Super Tuesday!