76-16-B1
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1977
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Socialized Medicine[edit]
Transcript[edit]We've all heard the admonition, 'Physician, Heal Thyself.' Maybe it should be changed to read 'Physician, Defend Thyself.' I'll be right back. The campaign goes on to bring health care in America out of the free market system and into the protective custody of government. Those who brought us the Postal Service and Amtrak are anxious to provide medical service of the same high caliber. What is hard to understand, or come to think of it, may not be so hard to understand, is the American Medical Association's reluctance to fight back. After decades of all-out war against socialized medicine, is it possible that combat fatigue is set in? Heaven knows the energy and determination of those who want to put government in charge of our health has been untiring and persistent. The Medical Association gave in to war weariness and endorsed a national health insurance bill which would force all employers to provide health insurance benefits for their employees. Probably the association figured government would have less chance to interfere in the doctor-patient relationship under such a program. Someplace along the line, however, the troops rallied and the association withdrew its support of the bill. But the defense line once breached is hard to restore. The insurance business, which should be opposed to government medicine, is supporting a bill which, just by coincidence I'm sure, calls for a heavy government subsidy for the buying of private health insurance. Much of the opposition to government medicine has been based on the better quality of medicine we have here in America where the providing of health care is still largely in the free market. On these broadcasts I've tried to debunk the claims of the socialized medicine advocates by citing comparisons between medical quality availability and cost here and in other countries. A typical example is an incident told by Congressman Bob Bauman. On a trip to England he asked an English woman, attractive except for some facial scars, what she thought of the National Health Service. She approved of it and said, "Well, we all get our medical care free." You know that isn't true, of course. They're taxed far more heavily than we are and their health service takes a big bite of those taxes. Then she said, "It is rather slow. I had to wait eight years for an appointment with a dermatologist about my face." She then had to wait another year before treatment could begin. She repeated though, quote, "But it is free." Unquote. There's another argument against socialized medicine which hasn't been used as much as it should when you think of the sense of fair play that is characteristic of Americans. George Meany of the AF of L-CIO is all out for a national health plan, but how would he react if someone proposed that the skilled workers he represents would have to become government employees to practice their skill. Do any of us have the right to tell the members of any profession or trade they must become government employees in order to pursue their chosen work? Of course we all want to ensure that no one is denied needed medical care because of poverty and we've done better than most countries to provide that care, but wouldn't it violate everything we believe in to adopt a system based on the idea that the patients have a right to a doctor's services without regard for his right to say how and on what terms those services will be delivered? This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
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