Crony Capitalism Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

Michael Moore recently pontificated that under Obamacare Americans would have to wait for certain non life-threatening procedures such as a knee replacement. In his mind a “patriotic American” would be happy to do so. If one takes a critical look at socialized healthcare it would be obvious that it doesn’t work. In the UK, the healthcare system is so strapped for money that it is considering outsourcing the management of it to a German company. It is criminal that we would alter our medical system to emulate one that is obviously broken. Despite the pronouncements of healthcare equality we are rapidly moving towards a two tier system that is separate and unequal – those who have the means to do so will simply opt-out.

It is the insertion of Government into the healthcare system that has put us in the position we are in. Cronyism has given corporate interests such as big Pharma, medical insurance companies and hospitals the power to systematically remove competition, control prices and lead to the too big to fail phenomenon that has left doctors and patients on the outside looking in while those who know ‘what is best for us’ continue to gut what was once the best medical system in the world. The medical insurance industry is an example of a supporter that helped lobby for the passage of Obamacare that has been a big winner.

While people like Moore make easy pronouncements about it being alright to wait for medical care because it is your patriotic duty, the reality is people are suffering because of these decisions. Physicians are put in the untenable position of watching their patients suffer needlessly and in some cases die. As physicians we take an oath to do no harm. It is time for physicians and patients to make our voices heard before choices are legislated away.

In reality, Obamacare will potentially put more people in a broken system that will systematically delay and deny care all in the name of cost savings for the false feel good meme of universal coverage.