[ExI] How to get a healthy country

[Samantha Atkins]

Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> On 17/10/2007, Anna Taylor <femmechakra at yahoo.ca> wrote:
>   
>> --- "J. Andrew Rogers" <andrew at ceruleansystems.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> By the standards of most western countries, the
>>> treatment turnaround in the US after a problem is
>>> reported is extremely short,which undoubtedly also
>>> helps.  I was reading something the other day that
>>> stated the US has five times as many MRI machines
>>> per capita as Canada (and not surprisingly shorter
>>> waits for such machines), and at least in US
>>> medicine MRI machines are considered essential
>>> diagnostic  technology that improve treatment
>>> performance.
>>>       
>> I would assume this is in relevant to the fact that
>> Canadians have an unlimited health care system.  As a
>> Canadian, i'm proud that every hospital provides some
>> kind of emergency assistance.  It can't provide the
>> highest level of manufacturing as it's busy trying to
>> provide for all.  I would agree that US may have five
>> times as many MRI machines per capita as Canada and
>> guaranteed shorter waits for such machines but at
>> least they are available to all individuals.
>>     
>
> The fact that there are five times as many MRI machines in the US as
> Canada suggests that there is more profit to be made in MRI's. If it
> actually turned out that diverting funds from other areas to MRI
> machines improved health outcomes then why wouldn't bureaucrats in
> Canada or anywhere else do this?
>
>   
Budget constraints?  Socialized care means that politicians decide what 
are reasonable treatment levels and facilities.  I am not at all sure 
this is better than private industry of various medical kinds doing the 
same.  At least the private system is likely to have a bit more 
competition.   I am not sure which of the ills of US medicine to blame 
on insurance companies, hospitals and other private groups versus how 
much is largely precisely because of much greater government involvement 
in US healthcare for quite some time now.   Would fully socialized 
government-run health care be better than this mixture.  Maybe.  But I 
would give a larger "maybe" that getting government almost completely 
out of healthcare would be better. 

Bottom line for me personally is where I can get the best care as this 
boomer body of mine ages.   So far I don't believe that is anywhere else 
that has socialized medicine.    That being the case I don't see why I 
would push for it here.

- samantha





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