Reply #37: Like a lot of libertarian ideas, it doesn't stand up to scrutiny

[Lydia Leftcoast]

Take something of interest to every woman: mammograms.

At the time I was reaching the age recommended for a baseline mammogram, the local hospital announced a "sale," because public health officials were concerned that so few women were getting them. The sale price was $49 (this was in 1991).

I took advantage of it, and it turned out that I had a suspicious spot, so I needed a biopsy. Since I was covered by my employer's Blue Cross program, I had a 10% copay, and ended up paying $200 for the biopsy. (Which was negative :-) )

Now here's the thing. I know from having been unemployed at some times and poor at others that $49 is a HUGE amount if you're living on the edge. Furthermore, even those uninsured women who could afford the mammogram would have to pay $2000 for the biopsy if anything suspicious showed up--and even more if they actually had cancer.

If you have anything other than a few of the really common, easily treatable ailments, then the country doctor system doesn't work very well.

I'm old enough to remember the old-fashioned doctors who made house calls, but the resources at their disposal were primitive compared to what is available today. You might want to talk to some older people about access to medical care for the poor before World War II, as well.

BTW, it's really disturbing to see DUers repeating the right-wing talking points about long lines for medical care in countries with "socialized medicine" and "thousands of Canadians" coming south for medical care. Canadians consistently rate their medical care system highly, and if you think it's an imposition to wait two years for a hip replacement in Canada, try getting an appointment with your primary physician at an HMO any time before three months from now. Maybe if you think you have pneumonia, you can have somebody drive you to the one clinic in the system that's open on Sundays and a nurse practitioner can check you out.

My "primary physician" at my former HMO had so many patients and so little contact with each one of them that the FIRST TIME I went to see her she greeted me with, "Nice to see you again."

Oh, and I've written before about my brother the doctor who was fired from an HMO because he spent more than 15 minutes with each patient.

Yeah, it's a great country we have here. :eyes: