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When we debate the health care "crisis" we tend to miss what the real battle involves. To me it’s clear: we are caught in a tug-of-war between our free market (capitalist) system and socialism. The private sector in which people "profit"– which is then split between the earner keeping the fruits of his/her labor and the government in the form of taxation– and that world of "non-profit"– which pays no taxes. In most situations the for-profit entities must actively compete for the business they have and must constantly seek customer satisfaction in order to remain successful. The not-for-profits, on the other hand, tend to be in more monopolistic situations and rather than compete for customers to maintain cash flow, tend to compete for funding from a myriad of sources– government included– "customers" or not…
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Last week I reported on the rise of private sector walk-in care facilities located in Wal-Mart and stores like it, lamenting the fact that none are available to me and my family at the present time here in Central NH. Instead of being able to go to a RediClinic at the WalMart right down the street if I am afflicted with some ordinary medical matter like a sore throat or an ear infection, I have to hope I am ill during doctor’s office hours, and stay sick until they can see me. Otherwise, I have to go to the already overburdened emergency room at the local non profit hospital and pay a larger copay with my insurance company getting dinged hard as well.
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After I posted the piece, our friend Chan over at the Weekend Pundit pointed out a story (via MassBackwards) about a company that wants to open convenience care centers in CVS stores throughout Boston. It appears that this is easier said than done. Much like the local health care monopoly has stifled all competition in these parts through the use of the power of government, we find a similar stumbling block in Boston. This time, it’s no less than the Mayor of that city himself: "Mumbles" Menino. The January 11th Boston Globe had the story:
Mayor Thomas M. Menino embarked on a highly public campaign yesterday to block CVS Corp. and other retailers from opening medical clinics inside their stores… Menino blasted state regulators for paving the way Wednesday for the in-store clinics, which are designed to provide treatment for sore throats, poison ivy, and other minor illnesses..The decision by the state Public Health Council, "jeopardizes patient safety," Menino said in a written statement. "Limited service medical clinics run by merchants in for-profit corporations will seriously compromise quality of care and hygiene.
His beef? Why it sums up the entire argument as I framed it at the start of this post. Said Mayor Menino:
"Allowing retailers to make money off of sick people is wrong."
High paid doctors, staffers, and health care institution administrators making money off of sick people through an outdated and inefficiant system? I guess that’s OK in Menino’s world, as long as it doesn’t improve care or save regular people money. Otherwise, how could there be a crisis to convince Americans we NEED socialized health care?
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At what point did the "cradle of liberty" become the "cradle to grave" nanny state? Doesn’t this bother anybody?
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