Universal Healthcare
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While most infestations involved non-clinical areas, some trusts reported problems nearer to patients.
One had wasps in a neo-natal unit, and flying ants on the main wards, while another reported rats in their maternity unit, and wasps in operating theatres.
A children’s A&E was infested with flies, and main wards were also home to mice, silverfish, biting insects and beetles.
Other common problems included bedbugs, fleas and cockroaches.
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: “Labour have said over and over that they will improve cleanliness in our hospitals, but these figures clearly show that they are failing.”
You see its because the state doesn’t have to waste all those resources on ‘profits’ that it can provide a better service at a cheaper price.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:10 am
I’m curious where you actually stand on this, Steve. Clearly, one would have to remove all sorts of regulations if one really wanted the U.S. healthcare market to be remotely free.
So for example: do you think the state has a right to say who can and cannot legally practice medicine? Or should doctors face free-market competition from all manner of untrained people, charlatans, and quacks?
August 7th, 2008 at 11:03 am
There’s a tiny smiley face at the bottom of your site. Nice touch.
Oh, and I think the best idea is for people to buy catastrophic health insurance for when something really big happens, and pay the rest out of pocket.
Similar to a car insurance model, where it doesn’t pay for oil changes or tune ups, but kicks in when you get in a wreck.
It seems like it would be a winner for insurance companies too, since catastrophes happen much less often than checkups.
Plus it will put pressure on the health care market to get cheaper if people have to pay full price for care.
It’ll suck for a bit for poor folks, but if we gradually phase out medicare/medicaid over 5 years or so, the market should be able to adjust to accommodate those people.
August 10th, 2008 at 11:23 am
“It’ll suck for a bit for poor folks, but if we gradually phase out medicare/medicaid over 5 years or so, the market should be able to adjust to accommodate those people.”
What makes you think the market can make medical care cheap enough for the poor to cover it themselves when the state is artificially reducing supply by making it illegal for most people to practice medicine?
August 10th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Allow contractual agreements between patient and non licensed health practitioners to confirm the risk to the patient, while maintaining the current system of licenses that confer a certain level of competence. I actually think this could work well since non licensed “doctors” would have to try extra hard to keep up a reputation of safety and competence. Perhaps large corporations would arise and use their name recognition and national reputationas a de facto license. This also has the possibility of bringing down prices.