With Barack Obama moving towards some form of a National Health scheme, one has to wonder, just what is National Health, and how can its unbelievable price tag, be kept in check. I mean, we are in an economic recession, are throwing Trillions of Dollars into bailouts, while nearly SIXTY MILLION ARE LEFT WITHOUT HEALTH COVERAGE OR CARE.
Myself, I believe the first problem is on determining, the goal. Is National Health merely an attempt to appease those who are without care? Or is it truly a desire to insure that ALL CITIZENS are treated equally, and given full access to health care?
Or is it a drive for cash?
Health Care today, has become a business, not a profession, not a calling, but a business. And there lies the problem, in my mind. If we are consumed by the need to make money, then National Health Care is not going to work. We are losing he focus, and that doesn’t equate with providing adequate, or better, health coverage, than what a millionaire can buy.
Thing is, if people are able to know, that they will receive the best health care possible, when necessary, and that it won’t cost them more than their mortgage payments, or car payments, they are going to be able to focus on other things, such as WORK.
At the same time, Business can concentrate on providing decent wages, because the work force is healthier, is more focused. Now, in my mind, that translates into higher profits, and that is the purpose of business, isn’t it? So why combine the two? Private Business, no matter its field, has a bottom line, which is to make money. That means things get left out, that are too costly, just like machinery upgrades, are spread over time, so why do we think it will be any different, to those involved in providing health care?
Governments are there to provide services, for EVERYONE. It isn’t about making money, though it is a huge plus if budgets come in balances. However, that should not be a criteria, for health care, education, and law enforcement.
THINK ABOUT IT : IF your citizens feel safe, are healthy, and are well educated, that translates into a society that is far more productive, far more focused, than if they are worrying about what happens if they get sick, if their kids get sick, or if they will come home to a vandalized house. They will achieve more, if they can read and write, than not. Kind of hard to follow written instructions to operate a machine, if they can’t read them.
SO WHY THEN DO WE EXPECT HEALTH CARE TO BE PROFIT PRODUCING?
The role of Government, is to get value for the dollar they get from each of us. I firmly believe in that, but National Health has to be an area that isn’t about creating high paying jobs, or about giving some political hack a job as administrator. It has to be about providing health care, to let nurses be nurses, to let Doctors be Physicians.
Today’s health care plans, private or public, do not do that. The reason is simple, it is too focused on the money. It isn’t geared to provide treatment, but to mitigate the costs of that treatment, and that isn’t how you provide real health care, now is it?
