This article makes me a little angry.  Mostly because it gets me to thinking about two topics that would seem to have blindingly obvious solutions.

First, is germophobia.  The human body is pretty well designed to handle bugs.  In fact, we're supremely equipped to fight off most infections, it's actually a big part of why our species exists at all.

You see, we have several defense mechanisms against infection.  We have preventative measure like the mucous membranes, sneezing, coughing, and runny eyes.  Our bodies cough and snort and honk when something foreign enters our bodies (like ground pepper, or  pet dander).  Over time our biology figures out that these things are not harmful and ignores them.  Sometimes we don't figure that out and end up with an allergy. 

There is a genetic influence to having allergies (I have them myself, along with eczema), but genetics doesn't explain the increase in reported allergies.  If I could find them, I would link some studies I read a few years ago that suggested environmental sterility was a cause of allergic reactions later in life.  You shouldn't doubt my veracity though, since I've admitted I'm willing to kiss Pete Doherty.  I clearly have no concept of falsification.

Anywho, besides our prevention mechanisms, we have cells and proteins floating around in our bodies that protect us against bacteria and viruses.  Until fairly recent recently, we've maintained a pretty good balance between fighting off  innocuous bugs and suffering from the bad ones.  Today, medical science has given us the tools we need to fight off the bad ones as well.

But we've abused medical science in this regard, especially in the last three decades.  I'm think just old enough to remember how this situation has changed.  I recall a very specific push towards cleanliness and hygiene and public health throughout and since my childhood.

While a few of these ideas make good sense, most of them are just flat out stupid.  If you have sniffles, get a box of tissues and a bottle of bourbon.  It will pass.  Should you have a hairy purple infection growing on your foot?  See a doctor.  How hard is that?  You do not need to sterilize every surface in your house, car, restaurant, grocery store, day care center, school, or church.

If fact (if you promise not to tell), one of my guilty pleasures is encouraging youngsters to eat dirt and stick things up their nose.  I find it to be amusing and a community service.

Superbugs are more dangerous than their normal cousins and they are becoming more prevalent.  Be responsible and rational.  I know we're talking about your health and your childrens' health, but please.  I don't want to die of meningitis because your brat had a bit of a cough.  Your grandma's technique of soap and water is good enough.  You will not die and neither will your kid.

Hospitals?  Stop it with the wipes.  Use a bucket of soapy water.

The second issue at hand is medical care.

Hospitals and health care providers are in a unique situation.  I worked for DHHS (the Department of Health and Human Services) for a period.  They would fight tooth and nail to authorize any medical procedure.  That's not a bad thing.  Except hospitals and service providers recognize the situation.

The great expense of our healthcare system is three-fold.  We have a government that is happy to subsidize health care at any cost.  We have a health care industry that recognizes the fact.  We have a litigious society with sympathetic juror-constituents.  It's a potent combination.

So, yeah, I've seen the workings of government sponsored health care.  It's a travesty.  Disabled people, foster children, even dedicated, healthy, able people are permitted to access Medi-Care. 
Medi-Care will pay any amount of money for procedures, therapy,  and medicine.  It's a fair part of why I ended up leaving that job.  The sheer amount of waste was sickening.  The analysts and workers were endlessly sympathetic and there was virtually no review.  I can't talk too much about it because I think I might violate confidentiality.

The litigious nature of Americans is pretty well documented.  I find it to be unreasonable.  It is not somebody else's problem.  We should limit malpractice payouts.  Unless you're Einstein you are not worth eleventy billion dollars.  And, no, no matter what you think you are not Einstein.  Nor is your supah smaht kid Einstein.  He's a brat.

A big problem is the economic problem.  Medi-Care and public health initiatives pay a fortune to subsidize health care.  What happens there?  Providers jack up their prices and pass those costs on to the consumer and the government.  That's why you pay $5.00 per aspirin in the hospital.  It's why a stupid elastic wrist support costs over a hundred bucks.

Hospitals often know they can recoup their costs, but they aren't solely to blame.  Their suppliers share some of the blame.  They can get bathroom tissue for pennies per case and sell them for dollars to hospitals.

All that expense comes back to the consumer and the tax payer.  I think that forcing a more open marketing process on hospitals and their providers would go a long way to reducing costs for the end user.

Capitalism works.  Sometimes it takes a while, but it works.  We don't need another bazillion dollars in taxes to pay for health care.  We need to drive costs down, and the best way to do that is through competition.

I guess that's the tricky part.  We need to limit litigation rewards.  I have sympathy, but not $700,000,000 worth of it.  Mine generally runs out well before that.  We need to encourage competition among health care providers and their suppliers.  We need a government that doesn't think it can pay for everything under the sun.

Ha.  I guess I just won't get sick.

Posted by: roggowj at 03:22 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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