[geeks] Discuss this quote...

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Tue, 28 Aug 2007, Phil Stracchino wrote:

> This is starting to hit at the core of the problem:  Healthcare for
> profit.  It may just me, but I personally think there should be a law
> requiring ALL healthcare operations to be not-for-profit entities.
> One should not profit from the injuries, sickness and death of others.

On one hand, I see the reason for that argument.  On the other, nearly
anyone in a repair industry profits from the misfortune of others.  How
closely that misfortune is related to death, illness, and dismemberment
depends on which repair industry pays your bills.

The amount of time a doctor has to pour into school and internships is
far from insignificant, too.  Requiring that they work for nonprofits if
they wish to practice medicine will effectively place a limit on their
salaries.  I'm fundamentally opposed to putting caps on the amount of
money that can be earned (either per job or per year) by talented and
trained people.  It doesn't work as a market control--doctors and
patients would get the shaft; the insurance execs would find a way to
clean up.  The likely result would be brain drain.

Even so, I think we have the worst combination of crony capitalism and
socialism in American healthcare.  Nearly any direction from here would
be beneficial.  That is, any direction outside of the government taking
it over and doing the same stupid things at a higher cost.

-- 
Jonathan Patschke     )
Elgin, TX            (      "I detest logging filesystems."
USA                   )                    --Linus Torvalds