Health Care in Singapore

[bigboab]

During nationalisation prices...were generally in line with cost of living.

What on earth does that mean, Bob?

It is just a statement sometimes used to indicate the inflation rate.

[j2k4]

Well, I suspect we're tripping over a situation where something means one thing in one place, and something totally different in another.

Privatization can be implemented in ways that will insure it doesn't work correctly, it surely can, and most often when rich bastards and their political patrons are involved.

[devilsadvocate]

@bigboab

Sorry to ask again, what I'm trying to find out is if British consumers were better off financially before or after the utilities were privatized. Allowing for inflation are you paying more or less in real terms in the free market than in the nationalized market. Did privatization and the promised competition bring prices down at all or did they just go to whatever price could be squeezed out of a captive audience?

In reality did privatization bring any competition at all or just a private monopoly?
There is a point to this. I'm a free market guy, but I have misgivings as to if the free market offers the best solution when it comes to things for which we have no choice. For example we need water, it's not a choice, so as consumers we don't have have the bargaining power of saying "i'm not paying that, I'd rather go without".


@j2k4

I have an observation about your new red quote.

“It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication AND a government bureaucracy to administer it.” - Thomas Sowell

With the debate going on almost (not entirely, because I did note your posts) to a man those that object to any kind of government health program (except don't touch their Medicare) have defended private insurance. One particular argument has been that a public option is an unfair competitor because it wouldn't have to make a profit and would destroy the insurance industry.
I admit I haven't read all of Sowells' opinions, like all ideologues I find the required omissions of sided arguments leave them wanting, but I don't remember him ever saying " “It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication AND a PRIVATE bureaucracy that needs to cover cost and make a profit to administer it.”

I note you have objected to private insurance, or at least I think you have as mosts of your posts never state a clear position.

[clocker]

Privatization can be implemented in ways that will insure it doesn't work correctly, it surely can, and most often when rich bastards and their political patrons are involved.

Which is pretty much every where and every time.

[bigboab]

@bigboab

Sorry to ask again, what I'm trying to find out is if British consumers were better off financially before or after the utilities were privatized. Allowing for inflation are you paying more or less in real terms in the free market than in the nationalized market. Did privatization and the promised competition bring prices down at all or did they just go to whatever price could be squeezed out of a captive audience?

In reality did privatization bring any competition at all or just a private monopoly?
There is a point to this. I'm a free market guy, but I have misgivings as to if the free market offers the best solution when it comes to things for which we have no choice. For example we need water, it's not a choice, so as consumers we don't have have the bargaining power of saying "i'm not paying that, I'd rather go without".


@j2k4

I have an observation about your new red quote.

“It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication AND a government bureaucracy to administer it.” - Thomas Sowell

With the debate going on almost (not entirely, because I did note your posts) to a man those that object to any kind of government health program (except don't touch their Medicare) have defended private insurance. One particular argument has been that a public option is an unfair competitor because it wouldn't have to make a profit and would destroy the insurance industry.
I admit I haven't read all of Sowells' opinions, like all ideologues I find the required omissions of sided arguments leave them wanting, but I don't remember him ever saying " “It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication AND a PRIVATE bureaucracy that needs to cover cost and make a profit to administer it.”

I note you have objected to private insurance, or at least I think you have as mosts of your posts never state a clear position.

Yes we were better of financially and a million times better of, service wise.

One of the biggest complaints about nationalised industries was that we were paying for some companies to run at a loss. Utilities should all be nationalised we have enough on our plate without private companise holding a dagger at our throats.

Some of the Private Finance Initiatives in this country have a clause written into their contracts that the Government will pay for upgrading and losses. If that is privatisation I am going to go into business.

I think some of the lyrics from Hank Snows' 'The hobo's last ride' sums up privatisation(Capitalism);

I knew that fever had you, Jack

And that doctor just wouldn't come

He was too busy treatin' the wealthy folks

To doctor a worn out bum;