One constantly hears or reads the refrain, "medical costs are bankrupting families with catastrophic illnesses". So of course the government must do something to solve it.

When I read or hear this I ask myself why on earth people believe the services will magically become cheaper and more efficient if the government is responsible for it.

Never to be deterred by the laws of economics – supply and demand – our government has now promised to defy the odds yet again and make our health care more efficient, cheaper and save our lives, with a National Health Insurance Scheme.

Dr. Duane Sands pointed out in this… presentation back in 2006, "The idea that we should create an inflated public sector in the interest of improved quality is as close to Orwell's "Animal Farm" as we can get. It is a frightenly retrogressive step … and will lead to less accountability, longer waiting times and reduced quality."

Now that comes from someone working in the health care system. Not your average layman.

Also in 2006, The Nassau Institute released "An Analysis of the Blue Ribbon Commission's Proposals and an Examination of Alternative Policy Options" (pdf) but of course the consultants hired by the government and the team charged with implementing the scheme, didn't think it was worth the paper it was written on.

Then in 2007, Michael Walker Ph.,D., probably the world's foremost authority on the subject, laid out for Bahamians what they can look forward to if The Blue Ribbon Commission's plan for health care is followed. Watch his presentation "Lessons From Global Experience For Bahamian Health Care Reform" here…

Here again, the government back then, although they met with Dr. Walker as a courtesy, they were not interested in his advice.

But, as P.J. O'Rourke quipped; “If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.”

I'm afraid we are being fed this political pipe dream simply so the government can get it's hands on another fund they can use and abuse like the National Insurance Scheme at the expense of hopeful taxpayers.

To quote Dr. Arthur Seldon about the British National Health Service (NHS); "The NHS was politically sold to the electorate with the promise that everyone would have the best medical care that science could produce. This echo of the lofty Marxist promise '…to each according to his needs…' was a deception for which democracy, the doctors and the people are still suffering."(Capitalism p.324)

Could there be another boondoggle in the making?