Michael Jackson and health care reform
When I started writing this editorial, news broke of Michael Jackson’s death. Although I have never been a fan of the ‘King of Pop’, his passing puzzled me deeply. How could a man that was supposed to perform 50 concerts in London over the next six months suddenly die from cardiac arrest?
According to news reports, the possible cause of his death was incorrect administering or use of medications such as with Propofol, a strong anaesthesia used in medical contexts such as intensive care units or surgeries. If a doctor facilitated such a medication for Jackson and it is found to have caused his death, he or she could be prosecuted for manslaughter.
Whatever the outcome of the ongoing investigation may be, this is a clear example of increasing unethical health care practices in the United States. Jackson, who despite being in severe debt, was still wealthy enough to afford any medical service, surgery or medications he desired. Over 50 million Americans still do not have access to health insurance. Therefore, the world should mourn the 800,000 people that die of cardiovascular disease every year in the US; deaths which could often be prevented by the provision of adequate health care such as heart screenings and other preventative measures.
Fortunately, recent signs from the White House indicate that President Obama is taking health care reform seriously and this time there is actually a chance that it could be done (see also Americans support dental coverage in health care reforms). However, what the US system needs more than money is an ethical discussion that leads to only one conclusion—to treat health care not as a market commodity but as a public benefit institution.
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…”to treat health care not as a market commodity but as a public benefit institution.”
Obviously the poster knows nothing about economics. The demand for healthcare is INFINITE. When you make things FREE by a government program, it will bankrupt governments and inevitably lead to rationing.
Healthcare, like any other service, involves LABOR of individuals and is therefore NOT a right- unlike freedoms of press, religion, or speech, which requires nothing other than people leave us alone.
We don’t need lectures from Euro-socialists like the writer. Europe , with its practically non-existant growth rates and entitlement addiciont, is definitely NOT a model we want to emulate!