Friday, August 28, 2009

On the Healthcare Question: A Rejoinder

I always apologize for doing this, but why? So here is another shameless link to another blog post written by a doctor– and not one of those doctors from the fifties who told us smoking is healthy for us (and who is apparently still telling John that snuff is good for him). Even if you won't agree with him, Eric Chevlen offers a good cross-section of the situation and some factors that may not be readily visible.

One word of warning: it's a bit on the long side, so you may want to pull up a rolling stool, don a hospital gown, grab a decanter of good 20 year old rubbing alcohol, and make yourself comfortable.

Confessions of a Health Care Rationer


My favorite line? "People love honesty, but they hate the truth," Ah, how deep our depravity runs!

1 comment:

Julie said...

Great article Jon. I love the quote:

"Such a system would likely combine the fiscal responsibility of the Postal Service, the customer friendliness of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the smooth efficiency of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

You can bet your life on it."

It was really helpful to hear him expose the implicit/explicit rationing that happens in health care.

On the other hand, I thought it was funny how he distinguished food, shelter, and clothing which he deemed readily available and poorly delivered from medical care which he considered far more scarce. In my mind their all in the same camp - people have the same access to chemotherapy that they do a steak dinner and top shelf scotch.