tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19673259.post6008608409406209511..comments2023-10-12T10:10:26.191-05:00Comments on Second Effort: A useful role for government in health care reformThe Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14723009641287783218noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19673259.post-38248780372150809302009-06-18T14:00:31.376-05:002009-06-18T14:00:31.376-05:00Healthcare is never in a perfect way.Healthcare is never in a perfect way.Jean-Luc Picardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01689798190618944262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19673259.post-52938548091886833952009-06-18T12:21:26.459-05:002009-06-18T12:21:26.459-05:00Dave -- that's a good point. My daughter, who...Dave -- that's a good point. My daughter, who's in nursing school, keeps telling us about layoffs among nurses. There are health care blogs linked in the Sidebar where you can see that what she's reporting is not fundamentally different from what others are experiencing elsewhere in the country. And, yet, we read about 'critical shortages' of nurses.<br /><br />But, on the other hand (I'm now starting to sound like Tevye in <i>Fiddler on the Roof</i>), nursing schools are increasingly selective -- turning away all but the best students.<br /><br />Sounds like the way medical schools were a generation ago, doesn't it? Despite an alleged shortage of doctors, kids couldn't find a place in the United States to take them.<br /><br />(Gosh, I wish it were that way with law schools, don't you Dave? I mean, I wish it were that way <i>now</i>......)<br /><br />But supply of hospitals has been held down -- we have boards that are set up for this purpose in Illinois -- see Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich for an example of how well <i>that's</i> worked.<br /><br />So I agree with you -- lift these controls, too.<br /><br />Again... decent regulation, within the sphere of things that government might do right....The Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723009641287783218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19673259.post-74099727683377648912009-06-18T12:09:37.284-05:002009-06-18T12:09:37.284-05:00I like it; except, the market thing. Markets work...I like it; except, the market thing. Markets work when there is adequate supply to meet demand and will self regulate only when supply can grow to meet demand or demand will drop in reaction to high priced limited supply.<br /><br />Even under our current disfunctional system there is a lot of unsatisfied demand. Create a market that requires that demand be satisfied (universal eligibility) without adequate supply will cause the price to skyrocket. That will reduce demand; but, that defeats the purpose - people will go without care or drop into the government supplied safety net - we're back where we are now.<br /><br />I think your plan needs a plan to encourage increased supply.<br /><br />I think I said all that correctly.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04411527807049220749noreply@blogger.com