A friend waited for a full hour after the appointment time for a doctor to see him. Not even a clerk came to the waiting room to apologize and explain.
Here’s why this occurred: The doctor no longer works for my friend. Most doctors no longer work for any of us. They work for the government – or for insurance companies that are agents of the government.
People try to please whoever pays them. Doctors have all they can do to comply with government requirements and fill out the paperwork. Treating patients with respect comes second.
But let’s say my friend paid the first $5,000 of his medical costs for the year. If the costs exceeded $5,000, an insurance company would pick up all of the excess. If his medical costs fell below $5,000, my friend could retain the difference for any other purpose.
He’d be in control. He’d shop for lower prices as well as good service. The doctors would work for him.
If this system applied to all of us (and if lawyers could no longer sue for million-dollar damages), healthcare costs for the entire nation would fall.
But under the current system, control doesn’t rest with the people; it rests with the government. That’s just the way the government wants it.
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