The American Mentality

People talk about a single payer system for our country all the time.   Bernie now wants Medicare for all.  The extreme left wants socialized medicine.  Others bring up Canada and England.  I am NOT going to argue their pros and cons today.  There are tons of both.  Actually, my issue is with our own culture.  You see, Americans want what they want, when they want it, and they want it for free.  It is just in our nature.

Want proof? Here is an interesting poll:

  • A majority of Americans want the U.S. government to require nutrition labels on food packaging, including people who do not read them, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released
  • Eighty-four percent of adults agreed that “the government should require nutrition information labels on all packaged food sold in grocery stores” and 64 percent wanted similar requirements for restaurants, according to the poll

  • Most people wanted those labels even though relatively few said they read them. Only 13 percent said they “always” read the nutrition facts when deciding to buy a product

I want ____  done for me even though I won’t use ______.   Huh?  THERE IS A COST FOR THIS!!!

This is just one example and you may feel it is a stretch but I don’t think so. I love my country.  I love the people in my country.  But, oh my god, are we spoiled and greedy.  Personally, I want labels on foods and I do read them but MOST people don’t. They want to eat what they want, when they want, and want no repercussions from it.  Our behaviors are what is killing us and driving up the cost of healthcare.  But I digress.

Could you see a single payer system here with this attitude?  Could you see someone waiting 6 months for a catheterization or a CT scan (the norm in Canada and England)?  I can’t.  I see lawsuits.  I see the ACLU involved.  Would we allow these lawsuits?  Would we allow public opinion to change the rationing guidelines?  We have already done that with Pap smears and mammograms.  They were both supposed to be delayed and less often but the court of public opinion opened up more options.  The cost for this “change” is mind-boggling.

I get that what we in healthcare have doesn’t work.  I believe the Medical Axis of Evil (insurers, big Pharma) needs to be stopped or contained. I just think a free market country can only solve things with a TRUE free market system…. and maybe reality TV.

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