Government Health Care not so Popular

Comment on Why Public Support for Health Care Faltered
at 1/21/2010 9:53 PM EST

Much reporting about health care legislation. Very little reporting about how to stay healthy by eating a saturated fat- and cholesterol-free diet based on whole foods, (primarily plants).

It is not possible to reduce costs of services by legislative fiat.

It is not possible to create wealth by decree.

Costs can be shifted around... assuming a political system that undertakes to regulate and manage what are essentially private matters.

(But as a matter of public health policy, it is quite appropriate for government to promote vaccination programs and regulate drinking water quality and sanitation.)

A more efficient health care system could result from changes that promote a more free market. (More competition.) That would mean reducing barriers to entry into the market. The government ought not be in the business of deciding who can and cannot practice medicine.

It is a proper function of government to require that people deal fairly. People should be honest about what training they claim to have and what experience they have. To aid citizens in obtaining pertinent information about those who offer services, there could be a role for government to provide forums where people can share information about their experiences.

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