Progressive politicians and activists argue that a single-payer healthcare system can bring about real, meaningful change in the U.S. and give Americans the care they need. However, as people argue the economic ramifications of such implementation, being that it is far too costly and will bring detrimental failure to the private sector, many forget the chilling end to the program – people as property of the state.
Currently, there is a situation across the pond that shows exactly why a single-payer healthcare system is shockingly awful.
Terminally ill 23-month-old British toddler Alfie Evans has been a top topic in worldwide news cycles as his life now hangs in the balance between the wishes of his parents and the British government. The U.K. Court of Appeal is set to rule Wednesday on whether his parent’s pleas to leave the country for medical care will be allowed after the High Court prevented them from seeking medical treatment outside the U.K.
Recently, Alfie’s father was “allowed” to fly to the Vatican, where he begged the pontiff “to save our son” and grant his son asylum. Pope Francis and the Italian government added their support, granting Alfie Italian citizenship with hopes he would be allowed an “immediate transfer” to Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome, according to BBC.
Medical staff at Alder Hey Hospital have consistently argued that scans of Alfie’s head show “catastrophic degradation of his brain tissue” and that further treatment is not only “futile” but also “unkind and inhumane”.
Furthermore, several U.K. judges have ruled that the hospital is acting in Alfie’s best interests. However, why is that the government’s decision?
Well, that is the caveat with single-payer healthcare. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Therefore, to get “free” healthcare, one must give up something – their freedom.
Those on the left may not understand this. The more frightening and believable conclusion is that they do, which is why they are fighting for single-payer so hard.
With the single-payer system, since the government is funding the care of an individual, they can then dictate the “worth” of an individual and whether the “cost” of medical care is actually worth the price.
So, could a single-payer, government-run healthcare system work in the United States? We already know the answer. America already has single-payer, government-run health care – look at the VA.
