Nevada Writer

Can Capitalists Learn to Love Socialized Medicine?

by Melanie Robbins on 12/09/09 at 5:53 pm

Can Capitalists Learn to Love Socialized Medicine?.

Neil Buchanan, an economist and attorney who writes for FindLaw.com, argues that socialized medicine is actually a boon to business. We currently have government-run education operating in tandem with private education, and the system is a boon to business, as well. Think about it. My father worked for the Nevada System of Higher Education for more than 30 years. When he retired, he received a letter—which he swears he still has—saying his health care benefits would continue for the rest of his life at no cost to him. That was ended with the stroke of a pen several years ago when the state decided to tap into the retiree population for their ready cash. While wrong to renege on written promises, his situation isn’t as dire as that of an employee who loses health care benefits at or after retirement because his company has gone bankrupt.

Buchanan argues that these things happen, often with no ill intent on the part of the employer. But it leaves society with a set of people who need health care benefits, have worked hard for them their whole lives, and are left with nothing or little to nothing.

I argue that we already have system of socialized medicine, but one with many flaws. You can opt not to carry insurance, but you generally won’t die because of it—the law requires hospitals to care for you in emergency rooms. This care is then subsidized by those who carry insurance. What would happen if that law were changed (and I’m not arguing in favor of this) and the uninsured—men, women and children included— and the illegal aliens who show up gravely ill, injured or in labor were denied care? It would certainly change the dynamic. But as a society, we have chosen that denying care in such situations is inhumane. Why not admit that we have socialized medicine and make it actually work?

Makes sense to me. We live not just in an economy, but in a society.

Just sayin’ …

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