Just What The Doctor Ordered?

An interesting thing happened the day after Christmas. I had an appointment with my doctor, who doesn't know that I blog. During our chit chat, he asked if I was "ready" for a national medical insurance plan. With my guard up, I asked him just what kind of a plan he meant. Well, he proceeded to say that it will probably be a mandate that requires people to buy insurance from private companies, with fairly steep deductibles and perhaps even some exclusions on some treatments. He then indicated that "It won't work. Many people will still not receive the proper care they need, as the costs will be too high." Then I asked, "So it has to be just a government funded approach?" And he answered, "Yes, that's the only way it will work." I was a bit astounded, yet gleeful. Here was a doctor saying that the country needs a government sponsored health insurance plan.

I guess we let ourselves get boxed into thinking that doctors are against such government programs, but I'm sure those in the medical community have a wide variety of opinions on this subject, just as folks in other groups do. At least his opinion gave me some hope. Now, if only we can get all, or most, of the politicians onto the same page. Doctors and scientists will still make a bundle, and I don't necessarily mind that, as they'll be helping people, and these folks do put in a lot of time just learning to become doctors. Then there are the calls all day and all night. I know, we've probably all told the "doctors and golfing" jokes, but they've got to have time off, too. As I've said before, what kind of a country do we want? A place where people die or suffer in agony because they can't afford to go to a doctor, or fear that they'll lose just about everything if they need medical attention?

Related:

http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2007/01/health-care-at-last.html