Saturday, March 6th, 2004
And This is Worth It?
I'm really starting to like this guy. He sees things the way I do, but is way more eloquent and convincing than I am in describing the shortcomes of our system.Will the government really coerce a doctor into doing his time in the boondocks for seven years away from his family? And when there’s no replacement for him when the time is up will they dream up some new excuse to keep him there? It sounds almost inhumane in practice. People aren’t pawns to be moved around chessboard to suit the government’s political needs. I’m sick of people claiming socialized medicine has a monopoly on compassion. This is not compassion for the doctors, nor is having seniors with dilapidated hips spending 18 months of agony on a waiting list compassionate. There’s a reason these regions don’t have permanent shortages of veterinarians or opticians. The invisible hand of the market sees that these needs are met. It’s time we introduced market reforms into delivery of medical services too.Really, what is the fear here? The main worry I hear from Canadians about reforming health care is that poor people won't be able to get medical services when they need them. Reforming the system doesn't mean we have to lock out the financially destitute. The system is not working the way it's set up now. Maybe some don't like the idea of paying for a doctor. I would challenge them to consider how many times they've actually been to a doctor or emergency room in the last year. With a $10 doctor's office visit co-pay and a $50 emergency room co-pay, I might actually spend $100 a year personally. As a family, that might amount to $800 a year. Maximum. I'm being generous here. My taxes are way higher than that. In any case, payment makes you powerful.
...when the government supplies you with “free” health care, you are not a powerful customer who must be satisfied. They are doing you a favour, and you owe the state gratitude and servility in return for this awesome generosity. They can give you the worst service in the world, but because it’s free, you are totally disempowered. One of the most important lessons I have learned from my contact with the Canadian medicare system is that Payment Makes You Powerful. And its absence makes you risible if not invisible.Most people with average benefits at work could elect to pay into health insurance. Together this is a huge savings over our sky-high taxes. And what are taxes giving us anyway? From this site, The Top Ten Things People Believe About Canadian Health Care, But Shouldn’t...
...the federal government put something like $20-billion into medicare just before the last federal election several years ago...everybody wants to know what we got for that money. The queues have lengthened, not shortened, the shortage of diagnostic equipment has got worse, people are less able to find a family physician than they were five years ago. In fact, we have had a lot of experience in Canada with new injections of cash into the system, supposedly to “buy change”. Normally what happens is that the powerful organised interests within the system (docs, nurses, support staff, etc, etc.), organise to capture a share of that money. Costs rise, but productivity does not and services are no better or more timely. The Canadian medicare system is a black hole into which we can pour seemingly infinite amounts of money.That aside, the real plus is that market demands will improve service. Imagine being treated like a paying customer! Imagine getting respect, being allowed self-dignity! If only we Canadians were less passive; less afraid of change; more willing to speak our minds and think through these realities. ~Jason
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