health care

On a more serious note than the last few posts, I have a few things to say about the condition of the medical system in the United States. This is not a Michael Moore documentary, or a rant, but a statement of beliefs.

Once upon a time, there was an organization called the Public Health Service, which would provide treatment to the poor and indigent (originally formed to care for merchant seamen). During the Reagan administration, the scope and practice of said service was greatly reduced, and access to health services in general was restricted to those who could afford to pay or had insurance through their employment. Health care costs have risen to unprecedented levels, and the rate of uninsured or under insured individuals has correlated as well. 

When it comes to the issues that we face as a nation, the first reaction is blame. We want to find out who is responsible for the problem and punish them accordingly. Often this leads to a judgement call on another's standard of living. (ie blaming United Auto Workers for problems in detroit, because they make 27 bucks an hour). A lot of people blame doctors for exorbitant medical costs, but honestly, can we blame people for wanting to make a good living off of their skills, education and talents? (There are a few notable examples that lean towards greed, but the exception does not prove the rule). One of the issues that we really need to look at is that the Health Care Industry is in fact, a business. Businesses are in business to make money. The fundamental paradigm of buy low, sell high is at the core of business. They want to maximize profits and keep their shareholders happy. The organizations who practice business medicine lose sight of the fundamental tenet of the Hippocratic oath "To keep the good of the patient as the highest priority."

During this period of economic downturn, more and more people are losing the health care furnished by their employer, resulting in a higher demand for public health care. We as a nation need to respond accordingly and increase the supply of available medicine. Not only in the best interest of individual patients, but in the best interest of the nation. Healthy workers are productive workers, and everyone ought to have a basic standard for care that allows a productive, healthy life.