The Political Hat

     The beauty of a free market is that goods and services are exchanged with mutual benefit to both parties, which leads to efficiency, lower cost, and better options. Because this produces wealth, this leads to an ability to help those who don’t have the financial needs to cover necessities.

     However, California is applying the alleged “logic” of rent control to… healthcare.

“In one of the most aggressive efforts in the nation to curb soaring healthcare spending, a new California measure would put the state in charge of setting prices for hospital stays, doctor’s visits and most other medical services covered by commercial insurers.

“…

“The measure, which will be unveiled at a news conference Monday, would establish a commission that would set rates for healthcare services based off what the government pays for such services under Medicare.

“The commission, which would be an independent state entity, would determine the rates for all services covered by commercial health plans, including those offered by employers to their workers and those sold in the individual marketplace. Public health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, would not be affected by those price caps.”

     If you set rates below the value of the services provided, people will stop providing those services, by either moving out of state or refusing to do business in California.

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     As has become painfully obvious, “free” healthcare from the government just means that you are “free” to get whatever the state deems you worthy to receive. If they deem you ought to die, they’ll provide that free of charge.

     Case in point from, naturally, Canada:

“A landmark lawsuit has been filed by an Ontario man suffering from an incurable neurological disease. He alleges that health officials will not provide him with an assisted home care team of his choosing, instead offering, among other things, medically assisted death.”

     The man is pleading with the government to provide assisting living rather than assisted homicide:

     It gets worse. ‘Twould seem that perhaps the hospital is bullying him because he is standing up to him.

“‘I have been given the wrong medications, I have been provided food where I got food poisoning, I’ve had workers fall asleep in my living room, burners and appliances constantly left on, a fire, and I have been injured during exercises and transfers,’ Foley claimed. ‘When I report(ed) these things to the agency, I would not get a response.’

“…

“Foley’s lawsuit has been filed against the Victoria Hospital London Health Sciences Centre, the SW LHIN, the CILT and Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, demanding the right to choose his home care team. He’s also suing both Ontario and Canada’s attorneys general for offering medically-assisted death without guaranteeing Canadians the option to receive proper care if they choose life instead.

“‘Before anyone… can even be considered for assisted death, they need to have all necessary services provided to help them relieve their substantial suffering,’ [lawyer Ken] Berger said. ‘There are serious constitutional violations that we’re alleging, and we believe that the current provisions for assisted dying are unconstitutional because it doesn’t require that necessary services are put in place to relieve someone’s suffering first.'”

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