Sunday, August 10, 2008

Riddle me this

What do you get when you cross a government bureaucracy with a nation's healthcare system? Vermin:
The cleanliness of most NHS [National Health Service - ed.] hospitals in England is threatened by frequent invasions of rats, fleas, bedbugs, flies and cockroaches, a report claims.
But there's an explanation, really:
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said that, as the fourth largest in England, it was likely to encounter more pest control problems, and might be recording incidents differently to other trusts.
See, they're really busy. All right, then. Let's try this on for size:
A Massachusetts General Hospital spokesman said that, as the fourth largest in the USA, it was likely to encounter more pest control problems, and might be recording incidents differently to other hospitals.
I'll take "Non-Government Controlled Healthcare" for $1000, Alex.

It's kind of wierd to see really smart people say that they can drive the cost out of the healthcare system and extend coverage. They never tell us to get ready for this. Wonder why.

Hat tip: Samizdata.

1 comment:

TOTWTYTR said...

Because any time the government tries to "fix" something, they just make it worse.

Government, especially the far distant federal government should limit itself to the couple of things it does right. Like national defense, treaties with foreign nations, stuff like that.

When the US Government tries to become the city council and the President tries to become the Mayor of America, we invariably run into problems.

I should really trademark this phrase, "Socialized medicine ,all the efficiency of FEMA, with the compassion of the IRS".