Let Wal-Mart fix US health care

MSN Money ^ | 27 may 08 | Jim Jubak

[rellimpank]

The discount retailer already has made major inroads into accessible, affordable care through lower drug prices, walk-in clinics and electronic record-keeping. Why stop there?

I know who can fix our broken health care system -- and who can't:

* Not presumptive Republican nominee John McCain. He proposes a tax credit of $5,000 per family to encourage us to buy private health insurance.

* Not Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. She proposes universal health insurance supported by tax credits.

* Not Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. He proposes a mix of public and private health insurance with government subsidies to those who don't qualify for government insu

[Philly Nomad]

that would be something, they would import their doctors from India and China. Ship you to Thailand for surgery.

[Abathar]

Imagine the cheap crap from China they would get for us to cut costs though.

MRI machines for $249.99 and a smiling sticker on the side of it, no thank you.

[AmericaUnited]

Oh great! Now when you leave a doctor’s office or a hospital, there will be a greeter making sure you aren’t stealing anything.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

That would probably save them a fortune in tongue depressors and surgical gloves.

[CDHart]

I've been getting some of my prescriptions there for $4.00 which is less than I pay if I use my insurance company's prescription card. And I don't worry about it being made in China - even the high-priced stuff is made in China now.

Carolyn

[chrisser]

Hmmm.

If I had to chose between having my healthcare managed by the same people who work at the DMV or SSA vs having my healthcare managed by the largest and arguably most efficient retailer in the world, I think I’d chose Wal Mart.

Luckily, though, if WalMart were to jump further into healthcare, it would still be a choice I could make. If the feds take over, bye bye choice...

[HamiltonJay]

Wal mart in charge of health care? Uh no.. I’ve seen how the popeye’s chicken reject workers there handle things like full propane tanks.. I’ll pass on letting them anywhere near my health care.

If I want to feel like herded cattle, and have to wait in line for hours, and have service that is non existant, I’ll just take the soviet system. Get the same treatement, but at least know the that my poor service is at least provide someone with enough money to pay their rent.

Wal Mart in charge of Health Care? Please... Love to see the recall when they import (mistakenly of course) those poisoned pills to save that extra .01 per bottle.

[Niteranger68]

Cue the anti Wal-Mart snobs!

[what's up]

He proposes a tax credit of $5,000 per family to encourage us to buy private health insurance

Sounds good to me!

[OrioleFan]

I find it amusing that my died-in-the-wool liberal brother had to come out of retirement and go to work at Wal-Mart just to get health care coverage.

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[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[rellimpank]

-—(snickering)—we haven’t had a good umpty-hundred Wal-mart thread for quit a while-—

[traviskicks]

A great article, sure to have the let in coniptions (sp). :)

[traviskicks]

Progressive Wal-Mart. Really.

By Sebastian Mallaby

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/27/AR2005112700687.html

[traviskicks]

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed freepmail me or post a message here.

[RetiredArmy]

Sorry, I have enough problems with my local Wal Mart without them taking over health care. We have lost all the grocery stores around here except for a couple of Wynn Dixie's and I fail to see how they stay in business as their prices are higher than WM. WM’s done all they can to put the others out of business. Then, they got very grumpy. Their employees are ass holes. Many basically don't answer you, or say, I don't know, let me check, walk off and you never see them again. The local store is a dump. They are the big dog on the block around here now and are talking full advantage of it. Now that all the other smaller stores are gone, they continue to raise prices, poor assistance in the store, yada, yada, yada. This is what happens when there is no competition and one brand rules it all. Kind of like politics now, the republicans have gone liberal like the dims.

[elkfersupper]

that would be something, they would import their doctors from India and China. Ship you to Thailand for surgery.

Actually, that would work very fine for me.

[jmc813]

I really like this guy’s libertarian thinking outside of the box, but that said, I’d feel like total white trash going to Wal-Mart to see a doctor.

[secretagent]

A vector in the right direction.

I’d like to go much further, like removing the roadblock of government licensing.

Let my local barber stitch my next wound. Free medical acts between consenting adults, I say.

(No licenses for barbers, either)

[traviskicks]

agreed. it is interesting, the companies that develop the procedures (closing patent foramen ovales, venous ablation etc..) teach the docs how to use them on live patients, althought the companies are prohibited from using them on patients themselves.

[secretagent]

http://www.ohsu.edu/dotter/venous_ablation.htm

velandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3400/3455.asp?index=11627

I had to google those two procedures to follow you.

The prohibition you mention is an example of government driving up the cost of medicine.

Which it then proposes to fix with more prohibitions and confiscations!