Rick Lowe
Well the FNM, not to be out done by the PLP, has taken the first step toward socialised medicine.
We're told the comprehensive plan the PLP had proposed before they were voted out of office in 2007 was found by all concerned to be far too ambitious, and was bound to fail.
So the FNM is introducing socialised medicine, one step at a time. Their first step is a free drug plan that has been passed in the House of Assembly and is now before the Senate for approval.
Of course, this plan includes price controls and a government take over of the purchasing of the 93 drugs identified for this scheme through a new government tendering agency and several other government committees to oversee the programme.
To paraphrase Professor Don Boudreaux from over at Cafe Hayek:
(1) intentions are not results, and (2) to oppose a government program is not necessarily to object to the intentions stated by that program's advocates.
The FNM and PLP clearly believe that (1) if government intends for Bahamians to have universal health coverage, then the result will be that Bahamians actually GET universal health coverage, and (2) anyone who opposes a government program promising universal health coverage is a person who objects to Bahamians actually getting universal health coverage.
A couple friends knocked me down recently for recommending vouchers to take care of the poor that need help rather than this idea that has failed throughout the world. I suggested they appear to support this government programme after years of working on committees dealing with decades of government failure in education and other areas.
Go figure!
I for one, do not believe that those in authority are any more prescient or capable than society in general, but as Hayek noted in his ground breaking work, they do possess a Fatal Conceit. As he put it: The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.
As I've said before, the present crop of politico's will not be around when future generations have to bear the burden of good intentions run amok. And this is something these "do-gooders" should give some honest thought to.
Happy Halloween!!!
Don't miss the following John Stossel video that lends an interesting perspective on the British, Canadian and US systems.
“Of course, this plan includes price controls and a government take over of the purchasing of the 93 drugs identified for this scheme through a new government tendering agency and several other government committees to oversee the programme.”
If you mean that government will be the only entity to purchase and import these drugs, Then there will be massive oportunities in black market drugs.
However, barring government exclusivity, they will remain available albiet at exorbitant prices, that no doubt anyone who can afford will, rather than die without.
Really all that they will have acomplished will be to increase the frequency of Tribune articles highlighting fraud, mis-apropriation of funds/drugs, political interference, out and out lack of drugs.
By the way, not a very good plan if medical tourism is to be a viable industry.
All points well taken.. It should be remembered that governments do not produce wealth or resources.. Governments only allocate or redistribute scarce resources.. Given this posture, we can only ask who is going to pay for this free prescription drug program?? We all know it will be paid for by the Bahamian government.. But was it not this very same government that last month said that it was borrowing money to pay current expenditures.. New expenditures for prescription drugs will require increased revenues and we all know what that means new and higher fees and taxes.. Did someone say “there is no free lunch”..
The United States is no different.. It also has to borrow on a massive scale to pay its massive current account deficit.. With its deficit growing by the trillions, someday the borrowing “well will go dry”.. This is self-destruction in the making given the massive leverage in the United States economy..
It is time for economic and financial prudence both in the Bahamas and the United States.. Debt, Deficits and Dollar Destruction will Destroy not only our economy but our chosen life styles.. The debt clock is ticking and time may be running out.
For those readers interested in the U.S. debt time bomb go to http://www.usdebtclock.org.. You may need an astronomy text to understand the sheer size of the numbers..
Hi Chris:
Their scheme includes price controls and what amounts to a government take over of the purchasing of the 93 drugs identified through a new government tendering agency and several other government committees to oversee the programme. These drugs will still be sold through the local pharmaceutical suppliers but “managed” by the new government agencies.
This amounts to a takeover and your points are well taken!
If the government would only spend as much time fighting crime as they do turning us into a socialist country, there might be hope.Their priorities are all wrong.
Why is the government looking for more ways to “Rob” us instead of dealing with the real issues ?
A practical review on the cost to GDP should be the first step in decyphering whether a need exist to overhaul or make changes to the health care system – post this discovery – alternatives to what exist before any implementation of any plan must be weighed effectively with measures that affect all parties and branches of ordinance powers ….
So does anyone know what is the percentage of expenditure for healthcare to the countrys’ Gros Domestic Product (GDP)?
Hi Hanna:
According to some numbers compiled recently:
GDP: $7,564,000,000
Health Expenditures: $271,533,000
Social Benefits & Services: $99,434,000
Other Community & Social Services: $28,857,000
Total expenses 2008/9 $399,824,000 for 5.29% of GDP
Hope this helps?
If what you have produced – for a nation that literally cannot produce a can nor the food to put it in – is absolutely a disaster waiting to happen…. it will get worse be reorganization of our nation occurs … sad to say!! thanks Rick!!
Thank you for posting.
it is really helpful to all.
such a nice topics.
Bathmate