The new “Agree to Disagree” columns from Thad Williamson and some other guy are now online at Richmond.com. Our topic this month is health care reform.
Did I mention I was a high school senior in Colorado when Gov. Dick Lamm made his famous “duty to die” speech?
(comments below)
(comments below)
Good job, Norm. The biggest deficiencies of the U.S. health care are precisely those areas where government intrudes into the marketplace (at both the state and federal level). Our system is massively inefficient. Eliminate those inefficiencies, and we could bring down the costs to make medical insurance affordable to almost everyone.
yes.. kudos – to both sides making good arguments… but I’m gonna take sides..
re: big bad government screwing up efficient health care…
isn’t this a bit of a farce?
the next time you’re at the business end of an Xray or MRI or getting a prescription filled… give me a yell about how the big bad government should not be involved in health care.
It could be proven, without question, to folks just how those onerous government regulations contribute to the high cost of x-ray machines and, in turn, the cost of x-rays.
we could also prove that by getting the government out of the x-ray business that we’d have cheaper x-ray machines (made in places like China)
right?
OH.. you say that the Govt SHOULD BE INVOLVED …. in SOME things?
oh pardone …it’s just some things you want them out of?
so .. fine.. come back at me again with your basic philosophy about health care and the government
all I ask is that you provide a consistent framework and not be all over the boards with flip-flops that are dependent on the situation.
the term “barbaric” was used in the column… and I tend to agree.
Why have standards for safety and efficacy.. if on the other hand – you’re going to stand aside from who can actually have access?
how is that philosophy – consistent?
Here are some good facts for this discussion:
http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/chcm010307oth.cfm
One thing not presented in these numbers is the level of government involvement in health care by country. While it would be hard to measure it is an important point. I have the feeling that the US has the least government involvement and we also have the most expensive health care, the fastest growing health care costs and we spend the highest percentage of GDP on health care.
Do we have the best health care? That’s another good question. Most say yes, some say no.
Unfortunately, it’s America’s escalation in health care costs that should bother us most. Even if one believes we have the best health care in the world, we still have to ask if it’s getting further and further ahead as our health care cost growth outpaces the rest of the world. In my mind, that’s a tough proposition to believe.
Also, I thought the “Agree to Disagree” column in Richmond.Com was great. Maybe try the same format with Baconsrebellion?
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