Marvin Dole: Don’t trust the government to safeguard your health
An article in the July 8 Wall Street Journal referred to a number of cases handled by the Indian Health Service, a department of Health and Human Services. Several patients died because of a lack of concern for each of them. These patients, essentially, had no alternative but to rely on the services provided by the IHS. Each was fully dependent on a single-payer system – the U.S. government.
For those of you believe a single-payer system is the ultimate solution, put yourself in the position of each of those patients. They had nowhere to turn. They had to accept whatever medical coverage was provided by the IHS. And what happened to those whose responsibility was to provide medical service? Nothing. They did not lose their jobs. They were not demoted. They continues to get their paychecks while providing subpar service.
Another example of a government system at work is the case of Charlie Gard in England, who has a terminal genetic disorder. The parents are not permitted to remove him from the hospital to seek medical attention in another country or even to take him home. This is what happens when you place your life and trust in the government.
Marvin Dole, Modesto
This story was originally published July 13, 2017 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Marvin Dole: Don’t trust the government to safeguard your health."