Patting the wrists, rolling the eyes.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Cost containment, bulk purchasing, outcomes management. A larger patient population spreads the risk AND larger data points provide for greater opportunities for evidenced based medicine and epidemeologcial studies. Centralized medical records that are easier to manage and locate and link back to community clinics for follow up care.

Sidd (and club) this article talks about the Annals of Internal Medicine article as well as the VA healthcare system in general..

And this article has apparently replaced the one about Beckham's future career plans on Yahoo headlines. It's about the equally sexy topic of heath insurance pooling.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
And this article has apparently replaced the one about Beckham's future career plans on Yahoo headlines. It's about the equally sexy topic of heath insurance pooling.

Oooh baby, you know how to turn me on...

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by sgtclub
Do you really think the government does that better and more efficiently than the private sector could? I guess those Bay Bridge cost overruns don't count.

Yes, I do. The Federal Interstate Highway system is the single most important economic development initiative in the history of mankind. Private firms have been allowed to build roads for decades. You want to identify a system they've built that comes close?

Yes, the Bay Bridge cost overruns "count." (Again, not a federal program.) But does that mean that the private sector is better than government? Does Enron count? Global Crossing? Arthur Andersen? Shell Oil? The S&Ls? Shall I go on?

You don't like the highway system as an example? How about eradicating smallpox? (not just government -- but international institutions -- your favorite!)

Or how about providing a basic education to nearly every American? Yes, the public schools have severe problems. But the fiercest, most anti-government enemies of the public schools seem to have only one solution: Let's give government money to private schools! Hardly an indication that any of these people think that the private sector can do "better."

[Shape Shifter]

"[Zealot Wingnut Pat] Robertson, who launched a brief presidential bid in 1988, said that if he were president he would not appoint Muslims to serve in his Cabinet and that he was not in favor of Muslims serving as judges.

'They have said in the Koran there's a war against all the infidels,' he said. 'Do you want somebody like that sitting as a judge? I wouldn't.'"

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...egoodpresident

I thought it was the gays, abortionists, and cultural relativists who caused 9/11. What's the problem with Muslims?

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Yes, I do. The Federal Interstate Highway system is the single most important economic development initiative in the history of mankind. Private firms have been allowed to build roads for decades. You want to identify a system they've built that comes close?

Yes, the Bay Bridge cost overruns "count." (Again, not a federal program.) But does that mean that the private sector is better than government? Does Enron count? Global Crossing? Arthur Andersen? Shell Oil? The S&Ls? Shall I go on?

You don't like the highway system as an example? How about eradicating smallpox? (not just government -- but international institutions -- your favorite!)

Or how about providing a basic education to nearly every American? Yes, the public schools have severe problems. But the fiercest, most anti-government enemies of the public schools seem to have only one solution: Let's give government money to private schools! Hardly an indication that any of these people think that the private sector can do "better."

I will say that the state of Florida should never be entrusted with the care of 13 year old girls.

Fucking fucking fucks.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I will say that the state of Florida should never be entrusted with the care of 13 year old girls.

Fucking fucking fucks.

Well, if we're talking about a Republican government, that's a different issue.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Yes, I do. The Federal Interstate Highway system is the single most important economic development initiative in the history of mankind. Private firms have been allowed to build roads for decades. You want to identify a system they've built that comes close?

Yes, the Bay Bridge cost overruns "count." (Again, not a federal program.) But does that mean that the private sector is better than government? Does Enron count? Global Crossing? Arthur Andersen? Shell Oil? The S&Ls? Shall I go on?

You don't like the highway system as an example? How about eradicating smallpox? (not just government -- but international institutions -- your favorite!)

Or how about providing a basic education to nearly every American? Yes, the public schools have severe problems. But the fiercest, most anti-government enemies of the public schools seem to have only one solution: Let's give government money to private schools! Hardly an indication that any of these people think that the private sector can do "better."

If people really cared about not getting smallpox, they would have paid for the vaccination.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
If people really cared about not getting smallpox, they would have paid for the vaccination.

Have I ranted about this one here?

Bad news: deaths from cervical cancer are on the increase.

Good news: there’s a new vaccine that stops the virus that causes the cancer.

Unfortunate news: the virus in question, human papilloma virus (HPV), is sexually transmitted.

Obvious news: you simply have to vaccinate girls before they become sexually active.

Unbelievable news: “religious groups are gearing up to oppose vaccination, despite a survey showing 80 per cent of parents favor vaccinating their daughters.” Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council, a leading Christian lobby group says, “Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because they may see it as a license to engage in premarital sex.”

So stopping a generation of women from getting cervical cancer is a big no-no, but insisting that a feeding tube be provided to a woman who has been dead for fifteen years is the work of angels.

Via The Poor Man

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Cost containment, bulk purchasing, outcomes management. A larger patient population spreads the risk AND larger data points provide for greater opportunities for evidenced based medicine and epidemeologcial studies. Centralized medical records that are easier to manage and locate and link back to community clinics for follow up care.

Sidd (and club) this article talks about the Annals of Internal Medicine article as well as the VA healthcare system in general..

But if you put a private company in charge of that, I guarantee it would do a better job.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Lots of things. A non-exclusive list: I was much happier with my electric service when I lived in a town that had a municipal power authority provide the juice. Ambulance service here is better than it was when the city contracted with private contractors. Real cops are better than rent-a-cops. The Fed seems to be doing a better job of preventing financial collapse than Mister Morgan did (but it was nice of him to loan us the gold when he did). The FDA seems a lot better at making food safe than the invisible hand did (see The Jungle). I also kinda like Central Park better than Grammercy Park.

What is there to power service? You flip a switch and the light comes on. What is there to do better, unless you mean cheaper, in which case, I would ask whether it was subsidized.

Real cops are better than rent a cops, but if privatized (which, for other reasons, is probably not a good idea) I bet it would be done for less money.

I'm not sure what you mean by preventing financial collapse.

ON the FDA, again, give a private entity this oversight ability, and I'm confident you would be as happy with the results. See NYSE/Nasdaq.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by sgtclub
But if you put a private company in charge of that, I guarantee it would do a better job.

You saw the part where the VA beat out Kaiser and the Blues in quality, right?

ETA: I can't think of a single privately owned hospital that I would go to over a public or not-for-profit hosptial. And I know a little bit about hospitals.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Yes, I do. The Federal Interstate Highway system is the single most important economic development initiative in the history of mankind. Private firms have been allowed to build roads for decades. You want to identify a system they've built that comes close?

Yes, the Bay Bridge cost overruns "count." (Again, not a federal program.) But does that mean that the private sector is better than government? Does Enron count? Global Crossing? Arthur Andersen? Shell Oil? The S&Ls? Shall I go on?

You don't like the highway system as an example? How about eradicating smallpox? (not just government -- but international institutions -- your favorite!)

Or how about providing a basic education to nearly every American? Yes, the public schools have severe problems. But the fiercest, most anti-government enemies of the public schools seem to have only one solution: Let's give government money to private schools! Hardly an indication that any of these people think that the private sector can do "better."

I think you are misunderstanding my point. I agree that there are programs to which tax money should be spent. We can argue about what they are and how much. My point is on the execution side.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by sgtclub
What is there to power service? You flip a switch and the light comes on. What is there to do better, unless you mean cheaper, in which case, I would ask whether it was subsidized.

Real cops are better than rent a cops, but if privatized (which, for other reasons, is probably not a good idea) I bet it would be done for less money.

I'm not sure what you mean by preventing financial collapse.

ON the FDA, again, give a private entity this oversight ability, and I'm confident you would be as happy with the results. See NYSE/Nasdaq.

Is my sarcasm alarm not working?

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by sgtclub
But if you put a private company in charge of that, I guarantee it would do a better job.

If you put a private company in charge of that, I guarantee they will put the stockholders' interest ahead of the patients'.

http://www.phillipsandcohen.com/CM/N...ec_18_2002.asp

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I think you are misunderstanding my point. I agree that there are programs to which tax money should be spent. We can argue about what they are and how much. My point is on the execution side.

And that was my point about your grandmother. Do you know at all how Medicare works?