Great post, Michael A.

I have seen government funded healthcare first hand as a physician. The government funded health care system for the poor around here is called Passport. Passport pays me a relatively few dollars per month for each subscriber in my panel, no matter how many times I actually see them. I hate seeing these patients (who pay nothing out of their pockets) because they are the most demanding, time consuming patients in my practice, almost none of them come in for actual medical problems, and they think nothing of calling after hours for non-emergency complaints (such as needing their medication refilled).

The fact is that when you give somebody something because they're "entitled", they haven't earned it, and they don't treat it as their own. Look at just about any Government housing project in the country. They've become such hellholes that they're having to demolish them left and right.

One state (I forget which one and I lent out my source [John Stossel's "Give Me A Break"]) enacted a program where able bodied welfare recipients would have to work picking up trash by the side of the road in order to receive their check. This idea was opposed by liberal critics as being "slavery". The recipients of these welfare checks thought picking up trash was beneath them. There used to be a time when most people would rather work for a day's pay than to take "charity". But it's not "charity" any more, it's an "entitlement".

Insurance companies are also to blame, as are physicians who slowly by baby steps turned over control of the health care system in this country to insurance companies. Americans have been trained that they should have to spend no money out of their pockets for health care. I have people ask me for free sample medication because they don't want to pay their co-pay. People complain about paying a second $15 copay for a follow up visit, but do not flinch at spending $30 to get their oil changed.

In my opinion, most people should pay MORE for their day to day health care needs such as office visits and medications. That puts the economic incentive on the patient and the doctor to try to save money. I could actually prescribe the best medication for each patients condition and monetary circumsatance, not the one their insurance company prefers because Pharmaceutical company X pays them a kickback.

But I digress. Entitlements were enacted with the best of intentions, but they actually harm the country by fostering the victim mentality. Draconian legislation such as the Americans With Disabilities Act were also passed with the best of intentions, but actually harm the disabled because companies won't hire them for fear of being sued under the act. Trial lawyers say they are helping the little guy, but who really benefitted from the Tobacco lawsuits? Asbestos litigation? Suits against vaccine makers. Why the lawyers, of course. There are now only 3 companies in America that make vaccines, down from more than 10. Are we safer with only 3 companies making and researching vaccines?

By the way, I don't remember seeing "access to health care" enumerated in the Constitution as a basic right. So, no I don't think everybody has an absolute right to health care, but I think I have a right not to have to send checks to somebody who thinks picking up trash is beneath them. I think I have a right not to pay the salaries of millions of Government employees whose only job it is is to enforce thousands of regulations which actually stymie economic growth. And I think I have a right to live in a country where companies that make vaccines don't shut down because of fear of litigation.

Mark

"Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff"