If you dig one layer deeper, beyond the three-letter agencies and the education system, you can only conclude that the effect of Big Government, first inflated and then sabotaged by leftists, is closer to the ultimate cause of our malaise. The regulated have captured the regulator. Public-sector unions have captured the government. FDR (!) opposed them, saying they resulted in two parties negotiating from the same side of the table against the absent taxpayer. The Swamp was created by and intentionally populated with leftists, precisely to control the narrative in every corner of society, from universities to corporations to media to entertainment to …. Republicans are finally pushing back, unfortunately (so far) too weakly. Also unfortunately, most libertarians, who basically have the right attitude, have become anarchists. We DO need government. Just not nearly so much of it, and not nearly as corrupted as it has become.
What you have written is totally logical. This stands out in a world, which does not know the world logic. Our world would not be in such critical circumstances, if people only had the ability to think. Most people accept what they are told without thinking. 2400 years ago, Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine taught his patients and students studying to be doctors, information that resulted in cures. It was very simple: He said: Let Food be Your medicine; and Medicine be Your Food. He also told people to follow a healthy lifestyle with sunshine, fresh air, movement, proper rest, and even change of venue, if necessary. What he taught brought good results and it was not costly. How many in the medical community follow what Hippocrates taught? The medical Industry is in business to make money...and it has no connection to the word HEALTH. . We live in far different times, but the human body still has the same requirements. It does not need all the products that the Medical Industry sells.
Barbara: Ironically people are born with the ability to be critical thinkers, but it is taught out of them. See this <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juGG5AHbAes> from an earlier substack...
I'm a product of critical thinking and have been throughout my life. Including forcinc EPA to rewrite the Compliance Section of the Clean Air Act, forcing DuPont to reverse course on several major issues, and getting the Navy to throw the Commanding Officer of my squdron out of the Navy. But, I deeply disagree with what you claim is wrong with our broken kealthcare system.
One can't dispute that we have the best heralthcare technology in the world. However, all the data shows that the average American family can't afford to ACCESS it. Critical thinking demands that we have the freedom to choose, and acces to the relevant data. The U. S. healthcare system provides neither. The average American can't afford the cost of serious healthcare, and the health insurance industry is hiding their SECRET Provider Contracts inorder to deliver less care and coverage than a patient is owed. And I DEFY you or anyone to prove otherwise.
So, the only question is whether all the words about Critical Thinking includes forcing the health insurance companies to disclose the terms of their SECRET contracts with the healthcare providers of the country -- contracts that are essentially identical across the country, that we have every right to see, and that would be readily available in any other market.
Please John, help apply critical thinking to the healthcare system. Help expose what patients are ACTUALLY owed from their health insurance. Help expose the SECRET contract data that's needed for critical thinking. - - - Frank Lobb
Part of the increased cost of health care during the last half century is medical "insurance" — which isn't insurance at all, rather prepaid medical care. "Insurance" companies are eager to give you "free" services because it increases their profit. For example, they want to come to my house four times per year to check my temperature and blood pressure. Does that improve anybody's health? Does it increase or decrease the overall system cost?
When I started my career, my employer offered "major medical" insurance, which actually was insurance. My son was born in 1967. The doctor's fee was $85. My wife stayed three days in the hospital instead of coming home the next day because she had a slight fever. Their bill was $315. None of this was "major medical" so I paid it out of my pocket, back when my annual salary was $20,000. Visits to the doctor's office were $20, and home visits were $40, even though my doctor's malpractice insurance premiums were four times my salary. Then the government got into the "health insurance" business, and broke the system.
Frank: TY for your passionate observations. I do not disagree that better access to health services would produce better results. All for it.
That said, my points is a significant part of the current health services are unscientific which means they are unhealthy. More access to unhealty services is a net negative.
John, Thank you for another excellent piece. More importantly, I wanted to express my empathy to you and your wife and my sincere hope for her recovery.
If you dig one layer deeper, beyond the three-letter agencies and the education system, you can only conclude that the effect of Big Government, first inflated and then sabotaged by leftists, is closer to the ultimate cause of our malaise. The regulated have captured the regulator. Public-sector unions have captured the government. FDR (!) opposed them, saying they resulted in two parties negotiating from the same side of the table against the absent taxpayer. The Swamp was created by and intentionally populated with leftists, precisely to control the narrative in every corner of society, from universities to corporations to media to entertainment to …. Republicans are finally pushing back, unfortunately (so far) too weakly. Also unfortunately, most libertarians, who basically have the right attitude, have become anarchists. We DO need government. Just not nearly so much of it, and not nearly as corrupted as it has become.
VS: Your perspective is WHO is causing the problem? Mine is WHAT is the problem?
The "what" causing the problem, in both my analysis and yours, is a result of "who" is doing the "what."
What you have written is totally logical. This stands out in a world, which does not know the world logic. Our world would not be in such critical circumstances, if people only had the ability to think. Most people accept what they are told without thinking. 2400 years ago, Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine taught his patients and students studying to be doctors, information that resulted in cures. It was very simple: He said: Let Food be Your medicine; and Medicine be Your Food. He also told people to follow a healthy lifestyle with sunshine, fresh air, movement, proper rest, and even change of venue, if necessary. What he taught brought good results and it was not costly. How many in the medical community follow what Hippocrates taught? The medical Industry is in business to make money...and it has no connection to the word HEALTH. . We live in far different times, but the human body still has the same requirements. It does not need all the products that the Medical Industry sells.
Barbara: Ironically people are born with the ability to be critical thinkers, but it is taught out of them. See this <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juGG5AHbAes> from an earlier substack...
Prayers for your wife's improvement, sir.
And thanks for this 'stack.
Reggie: Thank you for the prayers and appreciation.
John,
I'm a product of critical thinking and have been throughout my life. Including forcinc EPA to rewrite the Compliance Section of the Clean Air Act, forcing DuPont to reverse course on several major issues, and getting the Navy to throw the Commanding Officer of my squdron out of the Navy. But, I deeply disagree with what you claim is wrong with our broken kealthcare system.
One can't dispute that we have the best heralthcare technology in the world. However, all the data shows that the average American family can't afford to ACCESS it. Critical thinking demands that we have the freedom to choose, and acces to the relevant data. The U. S. healthcare system provides neither. The average American can't afford the cost of serious healthcare, and the health insurance industry is hiding their SECRET Provider Contracts inorder to deliver less care and coverage than a patient is owed. And I DEFY you or anyone to prove otherwise.
So, the only question is whether all the words about Critical Thinking includes forcing the health insurance companies to disclose the terms of their SECRET contracts with the healthcare providers of the country -- contracts that are essentially identical across the country, that we have every right to see, and that would be readily available in any other market.
Please John, help apply critical thinking to the healthcare system. Help expose what patients are ACTUALLY owed from their health insurance. Help expose the SECRET contract data that's needed for critical thinking. - - - Frank Lobb
Part of the increased cost of health care during the last half century is medical "insurance" — which isn't insurance at all, rather prepaid medical care. "Insurance" companies are eager to give you "free" services because it increases their profit. For example, they want to come to my house four times per year to check my temperature and blood pressure. Does that improve anybody's health? Does it increase or decrease the overall system cost?
When I started my career, my employer offered "major medical" insurance, which actually was insurance. My son was born in 1967. The doctor's fee was $85. My wife stayed three days in the hospital instead of coming home the next day because she had a slight fever. Their bill was $315. None of this was "major medical" so I paid it out of my pocket, back when my annual salary was $20,000. Visits to the doctor's office were $20, and home visits were $40, even though my doctor's malpractice insurance premiums were four times my salary. Then the government got into the "health insurance" business, and broke the system.
Frank: TY for your passionate observations. I do not disagree that better access to health services would produce better results. All for it.
That said, my points is a significant part of the current health services are unscientific which means they are unhealthy. More access to unhealty services is a net negative.
John, Thank you for another excellent piece. More importantly, I wanted to express my empathy to you and your wife and my sincere hope for her recovery.
Jan: Thank you. God has a plan.