> I want income for health care companies. I want enough to make sure they are there when me and my loved ones need them. Every company, whether a non-profit or profit, needs income.
I'm curious about the assumption here: why is market-based income necessary for the existence of a health care institution (hospital, doctor's office, pharmacy, etc) ? These institutions exist just fine when they're socialized and nationalized: see... well, any other country on earth lol.
> And the people providing the extremely worthwhile service of healing people, and easing people’s pain, should be paid well.
Why the assumption that they can't be if the system is detached from profits entirely, such as if it's socialized or nationalized?
I think the quote by your cousin Adam is funny, but I think I disagree with his assessment. Similar arguments are made to counter subsidized or socialized food distribution, the "buying lobsters on food stamps" argument basically. It's kind of a funny argument because it's sort of victim blaming: for the first time in someone's life they can eat like the rich people they see in media, enjoy a high quality of food, and like a human can be expected to, they do it in excess, and that's somehow... bad. But also, it's just mostly untrue, and I think anybody can know this for themselves asking a simple question: would you REALLY eat steak every day? (the cousin claims yes?) Knowing what that would do to your health? Knowing you surely would bore of the meal? And shit, if our society can provide a sustainable system where people CAN eat steak every meal (or whatever "extravagant delicacy" you can dream up), isn't that a GOOD thing?
Can't we say the same of healthcare? If we can create a system where EVERYONE can get high quality healthcare at low or no costs, isn't it GOOD that everyone will thus get high quality healthcare? The counter argument may be "we can't create this system," but I saw, no, you definitely can, other countries have and are doing so, I live in Taiwan and high quality healthcare is extremely accessible to the entire population, and a national effort to increase outcomes and accessibility is underway. I like to say, if you've got money for fighter jets, you've got money for free healthcare.
