Blue Truck, Red State: À Votre Santé

Sunday, August 8, 2010

À Votre Santé

Why the World Health Organization has dubbed the French healthcare system the best in the world. Works for me.

Candidate Obama praised the French system too. Oh but will we ever see any real reform here?

4 comments:

Doorman-Priest said...: My observations of the French system (after limited first hand experience on school trips) was very positive.

Not seen you over at my place for a while.; August 8, 2010 at 8:20 AM
jackscribe said...: Works for me...just want to know how we'd pay for it.

France has a 19.5% VAT, and income taxes that are 15% greater than ours...and they still have a deficit.

Note that the reporter said medical care is free for all "legal residents." How do they handle illegal aliens?; August 8, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Russ Manley said...: You'll have to ask someone else for the answers to those questions, Jack. I have no background in economics.

But name a major industrialized nation anywhere that doesn't have a deficit. And yet life goes on somehow. Obviously, the mere fact of a deficit in the national budget does not bring the world to a screeching halt. And all these European nations seem to be existing very happily and comfortably with it. So you tell me.

We can't afford national healthcare here - but we can afford to spend a bazillion dollars on two wars on the other side of the world, neither of which seems likely to have an outcome beneficial to us in the long run. My point being, we do seem to find a way to pay for things we want bad enough - or are told we should want bad enough. Isn't that right?

So despite my limited understanding of economic details, I can see from simple observation that the money for healthcare reform will be forthcoming, trainloads of it, when the political will is there.; August 8, 2010 at 10:48 AM
dave said...: I have many friends living in France and universally they are happy with their health system including the tax system.; August 8, 2010 at 1:59 PM