Is there a right to health care?

[deanhills]

Originally Posted by myp

Important to remember that this in a health care market that is heavily infiltrated by special interests through the government. A look at the general trends (public vs. private funding, public vs. private hospitals, government regulations, etc.) shows that as government has gotten more involved in the market, conditions have worsened.

How would that differ from the NHS in the UK, as the UK Government is even more involved in the market than in the United States? I thought that the US Government in comparison with many other Governments in the world, is the least involved. Precisely why it is trying to get this health care reform bill through for example.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by deanhills

How would that differ from the NHS in the UK, as the UK Government is even more involved in the market than in the United States? I thought that the US Government in comparison with many other Governments in the world, is the least involved. Precisely why it is trying to get this health care reform bill through for example.

Actually, what's interesting about the UK and the NHS is that it distorts the market the least. (Out of modern industrial Western liberal democracies).

The reason for this is that the state system is almost completely seperate from the private system. Asides from negotiating drug prices.

The state system will treat everyone free at the point of use (the service is paid through taxes) and will provide (in almost every instance, but hey, nothing's perfect) quality treatment for anything. Throughout the Labour Government, much as i dislike them, waiting times have been considerably reduced and a huge amount of attention is placed on treating cancer.

Social programs sometimes go through the NHS, for example, you can go to a doctor and get free condoms - they're often provided free in the bathrooms as well.

In fact, where things become blurred is that there has been intervention in the state system! Certain parts were privatised during the last Conservative and this Labour Government. There has been more involvement of profit-seeking businesses and in England&Wales, you are charged for prescriptions if over 18 and not on benefits.

The vast majority of UK residents dislike and regret these intrusions.

The private health insurance system operates completely seperately and freely from this. It is a free market system.

[Dirk]

The US government is highly involved in its healthcare system, and has been for some time.

It's for this reason that funding an NHS in the US has been calculated to be a lot cheaper than the current system.

[deanhills]

Originally Posted by Dirk

The US government is highly involved in its healthcare system, and has been for some time.

How could that be when most of the primary health care is in the hands of private corporations?

[David]

Originally Posted by deanhills

How could that be when most of the primary health care is in the hands of private corporations?

Because the same corporations own the politicians or vise versa.

[deanhills]

Originally Posted by David

Because the same corporations own the politicians or vise versa.

Well by that definition even more so. Health care industry is owned lock stock and barrel by corporations and not the Government.

[David]

Originally Posted by deanhills

Well by that definition even more so. Health care industry is owned lock stock and barrel by corporations and not the Government.

Politicians own the Corporations as well. The Bushes are Big Oil for example.

[dave]

Originally Posted by deanhills

How could that be when most of the primary health care is in the hands of private corporations?

Because the government (state and federal) strongly regulates health care providers and health insurance companies.

About 15 years ago, at work we were developed a medical diagnostic tool. The company was not a in the medical business but we were applying technology developed for the defense industry to a medical industry problem. We did the basic work, had a prototype, and then looked at the process of getting it approved. If you think the defense industry or aeospace is full of oversight, the medical field is 10 times worse, not to mention the liability. We dropped the entire venture.

[dave]

Originally Posted by David

Because the same corporations own the politicians or vise versa.

Everything always seems to come down to those evil corporations. What is a corporation? Do people really think about what a corporation is, or is it just some convenient mythical source of all that they don't like in the world?

[David]

Originally Posted by dave

Everything always seems to come down to those evil corporations. What is a corporation? Do people really think about what a corporation is, or is it just some convenient mythical source of all that they don't like in the world?

I'm a socialist. A corporation is a total violation of my beliefs.