http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/03/wanting-it-all.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:59:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/03/wanting-it-all.html/comment-page-1#comment-84128 Anonymous Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:00:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/03/wanting-it-all.html#comment-84128 You call them patients; we call them taxpayers. Taxes are too high but service levels should not only remain the same, they should improve (after all, if you live on a cul de sac farthest away from the town center, why shouldn't you expect to have your street plowed first?). The only difference as far as I can see between these two situations is that taxpayers in the majority consider the "high-tax" problem caused by overpaid, overbenefitted municipal workers, whereas people pushing affordable health care keep mentioning efficiency, etc. You want to see the health-care business model of the future? The one that's supported by taxpayer dollars? Check out your nearest municipality and make sure you pay attention to all the goodwill and appreciation heaped on municipal workers by the people who pay the cost. You call them patients; we call them taxpayers. Taxes are too high but service levels should not only remain the same, they should improve (after all, if you live on a cul de sac farthest away from the town center, why shouldn’t you expect to have your street plowed first?). The only difference as far as I can see between these two situations is that taxpayers in the majority consider the “high-tax” problem caused by overpaid, overbenefitted municipal workers, whereas people pushing affordable health care keep mentioning efficiency, etc. You want to see the health-care business model of the future? The one that’s supported by taxpayer dollars? Check out your nearest municipality and make sure you pay attention to all the goodwill and appreciation heaped on municipal workers by the people who pay the cost.

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