More Bad Medicine
Posted By Alan Partis on April 26, 2009
One of the questions that has arisen from the current swine flu outbreak is why it seems infinitely more fatal in Mexico than the United States. For the record, current figures indicate 89 deaths in Mexico out of roughly 1400 suspected cases while in the United States there have been zero deaths, but only a couple dozen confirmed cases. My opinion is that these numbers are fairly meaningless, but that’s not my point.
What I find infinitely more interesting is a quote from the latter part of an Associated Press story1 that speculates on reasons for the perceived disparity:
Maybe Mexican patients have also had trouble getting medical care or antiviral drugs, some have speculated — even though the government provides health care.
I’m struck by how many examples there are of sub-standard quality in government-provided health care, and how widely held the belief is that government health care is a step down from free market health care, yet there is such a push by Progressives, Liberals, and Democratic politicians to have the United States Federal Government take over that industry. Is there anyone that truly thinks that will not decrease the quality of the care delivered?
1 Swine Flu Worse in Mexico than US, But Why?, Associated Press, April 26, 2009.
Just a boy from small-town western New York (Batavia) with strong convictions and a desire to express my opinions. I'm married and have a daughter with whom I am taking great pains to brainwash into my way of thinking (so far with great success).
Though I am a software engineer by day, I read a great deal about current events, history, and economics and philosophy. I'm certain that many of my former teachers will be pleasantly surprised to hear this. I've grown very interested in trying to help educate others about the liberty guaranteed to us in the United States Constitution and the economic theories on which this Country was founded.
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