[ExI] New York Times piece on cryonics, featuring Robin Hanson & Peggy

[Damien Sullivan]

On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 01:14:05PM -0400, Michael D wrote:

>    Yes that is true, but the problem is that in many, if not most,
>    implementations of socialized medicine, private health care is just
>    simply illegal. 

This is simply false.

It may be true in Communist countries -- but then, those are countries
where *everything* private is illegal, or at risk.  There's also rather
few such countries still around.

In actual countries with "socialized" medicine, as opposed to socialized
everything, it is simply not true.  Canada was closest, with a ban on
doctors charging privately for procedures covered by Canadian Medicare,
to avoid two-tier systems.  (Though the doctors typically operate
privately, charging the system, rather than acting as public employees.)
Even there, if it *wasn't* covered it could still be privately paid for.
Elsewhere, totally private medicine certainly exists.

>    care is strictly outlawed. Socilaized health care is more often than
>    not egalitarian, not utilitarian.

Again, false.

-xx- Damien X-)