FREE MARKET I
Health Care

Liberals fear the free market because they do not trust the individual. By definition, Liberals believe that the common man is not wise enough, not fit enough to make the best decisions not only for himself, but also for the greater community. Rather, they believe that only a select, relative few are fit to lead and govern.

This is clear in many aspects of American life. For instance, Liberals advocate socialized/universal/single-payer health care. They do not trust the market to work for the American citizens. Instead, they prefer shifting the health care system to the government so that a) "everyone can be insured" and b) the government can pay for the cost of the health care.

Let me ask you this: if you are in the business of selling widgets, and you know that there is one customer who will buy your widgets and that they have to buy your widgets, are you going to set the cost of those widgets low or high? The same goes for a single-payer health care system. Nothing will cause the cost of our already-overpriced health care to increase faster than allowing the government to be the sole provider of health insurance. Doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and medical suppliers will raise their costs even more when they know that they're going to get their asking price.

The chronic hip pain sufferer may benefit from a hip replacement, but he doesn't deserve [it] anymore than I deserve the best automobile simply because I am an American citizen.

Instead, completely privatizing the health care industry will cause costs to go down. Insurance companies, doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, etc. will have to compete for your business. Not happy with your current doctor? No problem, just visit another doctor. Know of a good doctor that doesn't have steep fees? Take your business to his/her practice. Want a second opinion about that diagnosis? Take a copy of your records to another practitioner. Don't like the cost of those tablets? Shop at another distributor.

Additionally, if folks had to write a check out of their Health Savings Account or out of their pocket for a trip to the doctor, they may think twice before going. "Is the condition for which I'm about to visit the doctor really worth this $80 examination fee to me?" individuals will ask themselves. If the answer is yes, the fee paid is appropriate because the patient has agreed to the cost, and the payment towards the doctor is appropriate because he has found a buyer for his services.

Cost will be saved overall, as well, because less defensive medicine will be practiced. Currently, every test under the sun is run on every sick patient so that the doctor can avoid being sued. Call it CYA. With a privately operated health care system, a litany of tests will be recommended, but the patient and his/her doctor can discuss which tests are absolutely necessary at the time, and in what order the tests can be performed, rather than performing them all at once at great cost. The patient can decide which tests he wants performed as a function of that which he can afford.

It is at this point in the discussion that I need to interject a few key thoughts. After reading the last paragraph, you may be thinking, "What about the poor patient that needs the hip replacement surgery, but can't afford it." A caller actually posed this question to Walter Williams on The Rush Limbaugh Program. Walter gave a satisfactory answer, but he didn't go far enough. Williams pointed out that pro bono medical care happens every day in America, we just don't hear about all of this good news in our media. I'll even take it once step further: We don't deserve all that current health care technology provides. The chronic hip pain sufferer may benefit from a hip replacement, but he doesn't deserve this procedure any more than I deserve the best automobile or the best house simply because I am an American citizen.

There is a thought pattern in America today that because technology has advanced to the point of giving us amazing diagnostic tools, medications and treatments that all Americans are entitled to the benefits of such advancements. This is not the case. Those who are able to afford the advanced diagnostics, medications and treatments can receive their benefits. Those that cannot afford them need to seek providers of pro bono care, or seek charities that can provide them with services that are otherwise out of their reach. (Incidentally, charities would be better able to help those in need with the donations they might receive if the government didn't tax the donors so heavily.)

Having made these points, the Liberal will scoff at them and make the claim that privatized health care will leave the poor suffering. They simply don't believe that the individual is capable of making decisions that will benefit society. They believe that the rich will hoard their money, that the greedy corporations will not take care of their employees, and doctors will raise their costs beyond that which any of the middle class can afford. Hogwash.

Hospitals and clinics can be found in every state that offer free or low-cost medical care for the poor. Churches and charities assist the poor and needy on a daily basis. Countless doctors and nurses volunteer their time and services to provide care for those who cannot afford it. Individuals are responsible for the decisions at the hospitals, clinics, churches and charities. Government did not impose their policies upon them. Government simply gets in the way.

The Founding Fathers warned against the power of a bloated government, and they believed in the power of the individual, not the government, to make decisions that will benefit the individual and society. Do you?

7/14/2007