10 Costs of “Free” Government Healthcare

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Big Government anything is never good news for the people.

Is universal, government run healthcare "free"? Well, like many things, reality differs radically from rhetoric. Many political issues have costs – even severe costs – that people do not stop to consider. Government healthcare is one of those issues. Contrary to popular belief, it is not free in the least; rather, it simply exacts payments differently than in the voluntary patient/physician relationship.

And also contrary to popular belief, the costs of "free universal healthcare" far exceed the benefits. Below are 10 reasons why.

1. Medical Progress is Stifled. As the state supplants the free market in any given area, competition and profits are stifled, and along with it, incentives to excel. In the case of government healthcare, this means the decline of medical breakthroughs – life-saving breakthroughs included.

Regarding countries with global influence (e.g., America), government healthcare has negative ramifications for medical progress not just domestically, but internationally as well.

2. Higher Prices. Two ways the state funds "free" healthcare is by high taxes and increasing the money supply (which causes inflation). But when there are high taxes and/or the dollar is devalued by inflated currency, then companies must charge more for their products to stay in business.

The prices of everyday products, such as food and gasoline, then go up in order to accommodate the irregular "free" doctor's visit. Everyone pays more for these everyday expenses, the poor included.

3. Shortages and Low Quality Treatment. When "free" government healthcare is made available to everyone for all kinds of treatments, there is an enormously high demand for products and services. To maintain its budget (no matter how ambitious that budget might be), the state must keep costs down via 1) smaller quantities of high cost, high quality treatment (at least as high quality treatment that is possible in this system) and/or 2) larger quantities of low cost, low quality treatment.

The former especially requires rationing, and results in longer waiting periods to get necessary treatment (in which case the treatment may be too late; patients can even die waiting). And, since you get what you pay for, the latter results in minimal, poor, or even dangerous treatment (in which case the treatment can result in patients getting sicker, or even dying).

Of course, given the inefficiency of government programs, one can expect the worst aspects of these two possibilities: long waiting periods for low quality treatment. This problem only escalates as the costs of "free" healthcare spirals the nation into more and more debt, which progressively diminishes the amount of quality treatment the state can afford.

Shortages of physicians also occur. The high workload and non-competitive pay that comes from government healthcare is a disincentive to become a physician. It is also an incentive for practicing physicians to pursue their work overseas, or to quit the profession entirely.

Read more at http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/07/10-costs-free-government-healthcare/#sWirPlPhudrdl1Q0.99

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Darn, there is kinks in a government run system. Who would have thought?

Regardless, health care from employer's was going sky high. Like to the point people would opt out and go without or (in some cases) housewives would take on jobs JUST for the health insurance and taking home barely any pay check at all. This free/low cost alternative is better then how people were suffering before. I guess.

 

[DrLeftover]

The core supporters of Our Dear Leader believe that everything they get from the government is FREE and that nobody ever has to pay for it.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Darn, there is kinks in a government run system. Who would have thought?

It aint just some kinks it was gapping holes ripped apart by the utter incompetence of government run anything. At least in the private industry people can be held accountable and go to jail. If VA was privately run company the FBI would have raided all those hospitals by now and seized every computer and piece of paper. People would have been arrested and indited of various charges. Screw the government and there murderous health care plans and death panels they have but the left will not admit to.

Regardless, health care from employer's was going sky high.

It was not going sky high compared to now, it was going in line with inflation. It was adjusting to all the over regulations of government that was already to involved in health care even before obama care. Now it has gone sky high where the majority of middle income people cant pay for insurance but it sure as hell will not stop the government from taking there money and redistribute to other people to get all the freebies.

Like to the point people would opt out and go without or (in some cases) housewives would take on jobs JUST for the health insurance and taking home barely any pay check at all.

Well now we still have the same thing with even less jobs available. Less people working full time and a broke middle class. Less doctors taking anything related to obama care because it does not pay the doctors a fair price. Thousands of doctors saying screw this and getting out of medicine. So in the end we even have more people without coverage when this whole debacle was even started.

This free/low cost alternative is better then how people were suffering before. I guess.

NOT EVEN CLOSE! Get government out of health care on every level and see prices go down over night with real competition of the free market.

We have billboard signs going up here in Orlando of doctors saying if you cant afford insurance or the obama insurance is worthless and will not be accepted then come see us. The doctors take no insurance but instead cash only and you pay them a monthly fee and they act as there own insurance company. Depending on the doctor they will treat you up to $10,000, $50,000 or 100,000 dollars of treatment depending on the monthly payment. Have decided this the way we are going to go. I will see jail before I pay a obama care fine or submit to any questions they send through the IRS. They can kiss my rebellious ass