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1994-12-22
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ESSAY 48
THE "SOCIALIZED MEDICINE IS BETTER" MYTH
Everyone felt good about it. That is, the neo-left
social engineers in government did. Hillary Clinton was
beaming and congressmen were smiling and congratulating
her. This legislation was to be the new panacea--solving all
the medical service problems of the United States.
Barry Goldwater stated that a British physician who
treated him warned that socialized medicine in the United
Kingdom was producing mediocre physicians (Dotson Rader,
"What Does Barry Goldwater Say Today?: `This Country Has
To Make a Decided Change,'" PARADE MAGAZINE, November 28,
1993, p. 6). Socialized medicine will reduce the QUALITY of
medical treatment.
The Veterans Administration is another example of
socialized medicine in the US. Even though many veterans
are treated who cannot afford private treatment, quality is
lacking. The V A uses physicians who are in training and
therefore lack experience. Even though they are supervised by
senior physicians, the chance of a mistake is great. And
there is a lack of continuity in doctor-patient relationship.
The large turnover in physicians plus the system of not
assigning specified patients to a particular physician is not
good and contributes to a lack of continuity and quality
medical care. However, I personally appreciate the care
given me through the Veterans Administration Medical Centers.
There are many caring persons in the VA Medical Centers.
Another example of socialized medicine in the US is the
military medical system. Having served with Army medical
personnel as an Army Reserve Chaplain, I can speak from
firsthand experience with the system. The caseload of
physicians is too heavy for the quality service that our
servicemen and their dependents deserve. Physicians are not
assigned specific families and this contributes to a lack of
quality. Rationing is another problem. After April 1, 1994,
retirees and dependents did not receive dental care. Uncle
Sam is reneging on his promise to retirees.
Canadian socialized medicine fulfilled the claim of
socialized medicine to give medical treatment to all equally.
However, the "equal" treatment proved to be RATIONED medical
treatment!
The present liberal administration has swallowed the
radical neo-left social engineers' line. In building their
philosophy, liberals accepted the wrong presupposition that
human beings are basically good. If all human beings are
basically good, then there cannot be a real "criminal"!
Therefore, he should not be punished. Blame is placed on
"environment" or inanimate amoral things such as "guns." Guns
become a medical problem since they inflict physical damage!
Another wrong presupposition that liberals have accepted
uncritically is that there are no moral absolutes. Adult
liberals EXPECT youth to be promiscuous and youth tend to
live up to what adults expect of them. The practice of sodomy
and lesbianism is accepted as normal and therefore encourag-
ed. Hence, the unrestricted spread of AIDS and other STD is
promoted. The encouragement of abortion devalues human life
and further encourages violence and murder. Much of this
needless human suffering and escalating medical cost could
be prevented by teaching the absolute values of the Bible
and by viewing human beings as morally fallen. THIS SHOULD BE
THE FIRST STEP IN PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.
Socialized medicine as it is being sold to the American
public today is wrong for several reasons:
1. IT WILL NOT DO WHAT IT PURPORTS TO DO.
2. IT WOULD LOWER THE QUALITY OF MEDICAL CARE.
3. IT WOULD LOWER THE QUANTITY FO MEDICAL CARE. The program
would be too expensive and services will have to be rationed.
4. DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNDS TO PURCHASE NEW TEHCNOLOGY, RE-
SEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE CURTAILED.
5. IT WOULD BUILD AN ENORMOUS BUREAUCRACY, WHICH WILL ASSUME
A LIFE OF ITS OWN AND WILL BE HARD TO REMOVE. The people who
would make up the bureaucracy would be economic parasites.
The bureaucracy would use tax dollars instead of producing
needed goods and services in the public sector and generating
needed taxes. Barry Goldwater has rightfully insisted that
the nation is headed for bankruptcy--socialized medicine
would hasten it.
If socialized medicine is not the answer, what is?
Basically, we must return to God and obey him. Following him
is the greatest preventive medicine one can practice--See S.
I. McMillen, M. D., NONE OF THESE DISEASES. Then, we would
automatically avoid the transmission of many diseases such as
AIDS, STD, cervical cancer, etc. In addition, drug abuse will
subside--see information on Teen Challenge. A proper balance
of nutrition, work, play and rest will be achieved, which
will enhance the body's natural ability to fight disease.
Preventive medicine must be brought up to standard.
Inoculation of children should be universal--the private and
state machinery is already in place for this. Prenatal care
must be universal--it begins by educating youth before mar-
riage and pregnancy.
The law insures that no one can be turned back from re-
ceiving emergency medical care now.
More physicians and other medical professionals could
volunteer time in neighborhood clinics for the poor. The pre-
sent healthcare system needs to be improved.
THERE IS NO HEALTHCARE CRISIS NOW. HOWEVER, THERE WILL
BE IF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS SOCIALIZED!
NOTE: After this essay was written, an article in
READER'S DIGEST provided further documentation as to its
truth. (Ralph Kinney Bennett, "Your Risk Under Clinton's
Health Plan," READER'S DIGEST, March 1994, pp. 127-132).
Congress rejected socialized medicine for now, but the
idea is still a threat to Americans. Each of us must accept
the responsiblity for our own health care. To entrust this
to government is foolish.
END