WeblogBahamas.com

The sweet seductiveness of socialized medicine for The Bahamas

by Rick Lowe (http://www.weblogbahamas.com)

Driving to a lunch meeting on Monday, July 6, 2009 while skipping through the radio dial I stumbled on Love 97's, Issues of The Day programme with host Mr. Wendall Jones interviewing Ms. Etoile Pinder on the benefits of socialized medicine and basically how Bahamians are getting a raw deal by not having it.

For those that don't recall, Ms. Pinder was with the team that was charged by the PLP government to implement Socialized Medicine here in The Bahamas.

Rationing Health Care. A lesson for The Bahamas

by Rick Lowe (http://www.weblogbahamas.com)

William Falk of The Week Magazine wrote this excellent editorial for their June 26, 2009 issue:

"When my father went back to the hospital a year ago, he was clearly close to the end: His lungs and liver were barely functioning, his abdomen was filling with fluid, and he could no longer lift himself out of bed. The hospital’s doctors none­theless treated him aggressively, punching a hole in his chest to insert a drainage tube, which quickly led to uncontrolled bleeding, an infection, and a plunge in blood pressure. Within 12 hours, my father was in a coma, with no chance of recovery, sustained only by a ventilator and a tangle of multiple IV drips. He spent four days in the ICU, until I overcame the resistance of two doctors and had the machines turned off, as per my dad’s living will. Medicare paid upward of $20,000 for these last days of my father’s life, during which he received little comfort, moments of agonizing pain and fear, and all the medical care in the world, and then some."

Would the PLP please show some leadership with the nurses in The Bahamas

by Rick Lowe ( http://www.weblogbahamas.com )

One often hears politicians making speeches accusing business people of not caring about their workers etc, but both the FNM and the PLP should be ashamed that public employees like the nurses do not have the benefit (optional or not) of obtaining a health care plan.

That said, the country is facing the worst economic turmoil in many years with government revenue declining faster than a lead zeppelin and the so called leaders of the PLP appear to be doing all they can to incite the nurses against the government decision to postpone the implementation of a this long negotiated benefit until the economy picks up.

The Cato Institute on US Health Care Reform

by Rick Lowe ( http://www.weblogbahamas.com )

One of my favourite think tanks, Cato.org, always does it right.

On June 17, 2009 they hosted a conference on health care reform. The discussion covers a variety of views on the issue and is worth the time to watch the six lectures.

Watch the lectures here...

Visit their new web site, dedicated to health care reform here...

Enlightened critiques of Capitalism needed in The Bahamas

Rick Lowe (http://www.weblogbahamas.com)

I would like to thank someone called "Avid Reader" for attempting to critique my support of Capitalism. Unfortunately he or she only confirms what The Nassau Institute has been saying for the past 15 years. We need more free market and capitalism not more government and socialism.

Lessons in Freedom: Charity and Coercion

by Tibor R. Machan

If one is concerned for the helpless or homeless or otherwise needy, what is the proper response? Just today someone I deal with nearly every other day told me he saw "Sicko," the Michael Moore "documentary" and was very upset that there are many homeless people who don't seem to receive medical help. Ordinarily this individual isn't very eager to go out and rob Peter to "help" Paul but in such cases he was ready to cheer for government support for those in dire straits.

Lessons in Freedom: Guaranteed Health Care?

by Tibor R. Machan

This morning I was checking the news on CNN and happened to tune in just as a woman, about 50 years old, was being forcibly ejected from a Senate meeting discussing reforms in the health insurance system. As she was led out she kept shouting, "We want guaranteed health care," "We have a right to guaranteed health care," and so on. Not a soul replied to her, not in the audience nor from the dais.

Bahamas to institute unemployment insurance as a result of economic downturn

by Rick Lowe

Yet another bill will be presented to Parliament this week where the general public and business community will not be allowed comment until after the fact.

In typical fashion the government is crafting amendments to the National Insurance Act so they can offer unemployment insurance to Bahamians.

One might believe it is magnanimous of the government to offer this programme, but even I would be a hero if I could pass laws to take money from one person under the threat of fines or jail time and give it to someone else.

Bahamas Doctors in a heated argument over Cancer Centre staffing

by Rick Lowe

On Monday, January 19, 2009, The Nassau Guardian lead article was about local doctors attempting to block the arrival of three foreign doctors to offer services in a local cancer centre.

While the details of the arrangement are not stated, on the surface, it's curious why the Bahamian doctors would object to the foreign doctors.

Surely we can do better Bahamas?

by Rick Lowe.

A friend sent the photo below (click on image to enlarge it).

Do you agree that we can do better?

If you agree, pass it on.