Re: Politics and Medicine

From: Douglas Krell (sfth@roadrunner.com)
Thu Aug 29 22:25:06 1996


Well Dr. Weston's feelings are clear,

I don't believe that it's anyones fault that the business of medicine is tough these days, but who has the blinders on?

The government has as much complicity in how the business of medicine is run as big business does. In fact more so.

If it wasn't for the creation of medicare and medicaide 50 years ago, maybe we'd still have a realistic free market in the medical profession.

Who was it that gave insurance companies absolute control over medicine? It was government AND big business together. The reason is that the country has a problem. That problem is the biggest economic news in the history of the world. It is the globalization of trade. That one fact will create more havoc in all industries in America than any governmental policy could fix.

Throughout history countries get into trouble primarily because of economic realities that they try overcome with meddlesome regulation.

At least the Republicans recognize the "macroeconomic" picture and are trying to provide the best healthcare possible for the price that they feel the country can afford. The best way to reach that price is to let business cut out all the FAT.

I don't LIKE it. It's hurt my income substantially and lowered the quality of healthcare overall in every conceivable way. But hell, there are no guarantees in life...let's not cry about it. Let the chips fall where they may but if they fall too hard on us or our patients, it's our job to stand up...not for ourselves, but for them...the patients. Ultimately the people will decidewith their pocketbooks what's enough healthcare and what's too much.

I don't care what Bill Clinton promises, because I know that with his integrity, anything that he proposes will be short lived and subject to political winds. In addition, his loyalties lie with the trial lawyers of america, not with patients and their problems. He will NEVER be a convincing advocate for quality healthcare in America...never.

The Republicans have simply used business to pare down the price of healthcare. It's a bitter pill for those of us who grew up thinking that a medical degree would confer upon us freedom from economic turmoil. But doctor's are just going to have to join the human race. Dole isn't glitzy, Kemp maybe too much, but I think I'd rather have them guiding our little boat on the ocean of uncertainty than the likes of Clinton, the liar whose best friends are all in prison or are dead, and Gore who is just about as close to mashed potatoes as any politician could be.

--
Douglas Krell MD
sfth@roadrunner.com




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