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There is not enough money to fund a health care utopia

Advocates of single-payer health care and other government-mandated universal coverage programs consistently lead us to believe that the United States possesses the resources to provide all things to all people. From Medical Futility I picked up this editorial in the Wall Street Journal by Dr Bruce Bray, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah:

A society with unlimited resources to dedicate to health care can pull all the stops and pay for any and all procedures and medications that may prolong life, if even for a few weeks. Unfortunately, that society or economy doesn't exist, even in the U.S., so rational medical decisions based on efficacy and cost must be made.


As every nation--including Great Britain, Canada, and Australia--has found, and as has been reported here numerous times, with any universal health care plan, rationing of services is unavoidable.
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Comments

Brian Shields said…
I think the money would be better spent educating the public on how to better take care of themselves. I have a crazy notion that 90% of health issues are brought upon yourself through exercise and diet (said the 282 pound man).

Maybe if people are taught how to cook, how to eat appropriately...

oh, wait.. that'll single handedly bring down the fast food system, the gas stations, and void the great need we have for nurses and doctors. They will then spend more time treating illness instead of fast food fatigue, and we might have some actual progress finding cures.

Nah, sick people are more profitable, and a national health system are exactly what they want.
January 24, 2008 at 7:27 AM
Unknown said…
I appreciate your view about funding of health care.Government should spend spend more money on health.
January 30, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Anonymous said…
I read this article. It provides good information about health care.I think spending of more and more money on educating the public on healthand need we have for nurses and doctors.
February 2, 2008 at 2:56 AM
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