When an subject is controversial, one cannot hope to tell the truth. One can only show how one came to hold whatever opinion one does hold. One can only give one's audience the the chance of drawing their own conclusions as they observe the limitations, the predjudices, the idiosyncracies of the speaker.

- Virginia Woolf

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Great Article : Sicko and healthcare costs

While I admit that I haven't gotten around to watching sicko yet (I will need to pirate it because I am morally opposed to Michael Moore getting any of my money) my knee jerk reaction to the trailer was apparently shared with this slate writer. The irony of this documentary is that if he succeeds in causing an overhaul in the US health system, Michael Moore will help his worst enemy more than anyone else. Greedy American corporations, especially GM, stand to benefit the most from a European style healthcare system. It may surprise a lot of poor people in this country, but the brunt of healthcare costs are actually bared by businesses (as benefit expenses) as opposed to individuals (via taxes) as in European countries. The real Question here is are you willing to pay more taxes to help the sort of people in Moore's movie get better care? If yes, remember that you will be doing a huge favor to GM (especially its short term share holders), and Wall street pension managers. At least there can then be a Sicko 2... (or maybe a Richard and Me)

Disclaimer: I work at a huge for-profit hospital in a poor neighborhood.

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posted by chris at 8:55 PM

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

A better question is, am I willing to pay for health care finance in a way that lowers my costs AND puts a high floor under everyone's health care, no exceptions? Because that's the experience of the other rich industrial nations, regardless of whether health care is government-run (UK), government-financed (Canada) or financed through mandatory health care benefits through large insurance pools, one of which is paid for by the government (Germany).

The economist Paul Krugman has been writing about this for a couple of years. He thinks there are substantial savings to be made just by replacing the crazy-quilt American system with one that eliminates the current epidemic of cost shifting. Or as Krugman puts it, "robbing Peter to pay Paul." That's even before getting to work on straightening out health care priorities and delivery mechanisms. Of course, a few sacred cows would have to be trampled first.

9:49 PM

 

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