From: mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539)
Newsgroups: tx.politics
Subject: Re: "Socialized medicine" in Texas
Date: 15 Sep 92 12:01:19 GMT
Distribution: tx
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc

In <1992Sep14.143157.26616@novell.com> bboerner@novdpd.uucp (Brendan B. Boerner) writes:

>Regarding the issue of "socialized medicine" - I was talking about this
>with a friend of mine the other night and he suggested this:  suppose
>the gov't does get in the business of providing healthcare to all who
>can't afford it.  Fine, but in return, anyone taking advantage would be
>required to use preventine medicine (regular checkups instead of
>waiting until the coronary hits) AND follow their doctor's advice,
>"Well, Mr.  Boerner, I want you to quite smoking and lose 20 pounds,
>etc..."  If not, no care.  

In other words, everyone but the very rich and the doctors would
essentially have their lifestyle mandated by the government.  Step out
of line and they let you die the next time you get ill.  This could be
quite far reaching, actually.  

"Gee, we're sorry Mr. Jones, but we told you that if you continued to
be gay that we would terminate your medical coverage.  Please check in
with Graves Registration on your way out.  Thank you, and have a NICE
day.  NEXT!"  

"Gee, we're sorry Mr. Smith, but we warned you about premarital sex.
Our tests show you have syphillus, which means you have violated our
Righteous Health Lifestyle Guidelines.  Your medical coverage has been
terminated.  Have a nice day, and please check with Graves
Registration on your way out.  NEXT!"  

"Gee, we're sorry Mr Doe, but our records show that you have been
purchasing red meat and refined sugar products.  That's a violation of
our California Holistic Purity Guidelines, so we have terminated your
medical coverage.  We're sorry you had a heart attack, but you'll have
to get up now so that we can give the bed to someone who conformed.
Remember, dying is not allowed in the hallway or parking lot.  Please
check with Graves Registration on your way out."

>Also, if the gov't does provide healthcare, I think it would be a
>prerequisite to do what I believe it was Oregon or Washington St.
>tried doing recently (60 Minutes did a piece about this a while back
>and rebroadcast it within the last month or so) - come up with a list
>of procedures, rate them on cost/efficacy and then establish a cut-off
>point above which you aren't covered.

Well, this would have to be done (and we do it to some degree now,
what with 'uncovered conditions' and all), but the problem then
becomes what to tell the folks whose illness just didn't make the list
of things that the State was willing to cover.  Recall the big deal
about the Oregon boy who needed a transplant that the State wouldn't
pay for because it wasn't on the list?  It's tough to tell someone
that you COULD save them, but that it's just too expensive so they
should go home and die quietly.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
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Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.