From: Greg Butler (gsb1997@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Mon Oct 27 1997 - 13:28:14 MST
On Monday, October 27, 1997 3:12 PM, Geoff Smith [SMTP:geoffs@unixg.ubc.ca]
wrote:
> Especially, how do I argue against his statement that public healthcare
is
> 40% cheaper than private!?!
Actually, the TA is correct. If you take the total amount of healthcare
provided divided by the total dollars, one would find the highest value
achieved under public healthcare systems, due to economy of scale (which
means that if you buy a whole bunch of something it's cheaper per item).
Think about it. As was explained to me, imagine that you had to go make a
pencil from scratch. You had to grow the tree, mine the lead, the whole
bit. Think of how much work it would be to make one pencil. Now, think of
the little bit more work to make an additional pencil. The work per pencil
drops.
The real problem (IMnot-soHO) people on this list have with public
healthcare, is that one person should not be forced to pay for another's
healthcare.
A smaller problem deals with the fact of when you make something available
to everybody for free, soon there isn't much left (as you may have noticed
the last time you tried to get something for nothing).
> Thanx a lot,
Yer welcum.
Greg
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