T.A.N.S.T.A.F.L

As ya'll surely know, the Department of Defense has recently been rocked by scandals surrounding not only the Walter Reed Hospital, but other Veteran's Health Care facilities as well. In the aftermath of the scandal's revelation, sharp criticism has been directed not only at the Bush Administration, but also the various Military Bureaucracies which are supposed to be responsible for these types of things. However, I would like to suggest that these folks are not truly the one's to blame. I know, I know: I'm the last guy on earth you'd expect to absolve politicians of blame for one of their (frequent) screw ups; but, in this case, I think that what blame does lie with those in charge is a much smaller share than most would attribute them or, at the very least, comes from a quite different angle. How might I draw such conclusions? Allow me to explain.

First, what exactly went wrong at all these V.A care facilities? Well, one of the problems is that the hospitals' sanitation conditions are appallingly abominable. A second problem arises from the fact that many soldiers have to wait months or even years before receiving the proper treatments. Another issue is that the Hospitals' staffs are overworked, undertrained and, thus, frequently, negligent in their duties. And finally, a last issue that many of these Military hospitals seem to be having is an overabundance of patients.

My, my, if you didn't know any better, you might have thought I was giving you a summary of a recent Government meeting in Paris on problems with the French Health Care System.

The similarities are striking, no?

Indeed, the Health Care crisis faced by the United States Army and those fast engulfing Nations such as France and Germany do have noticeable similarities - and this is no accident. Rather, it is the result of a simple, undeniable fact: both the V.A and France have their Health Care facilities and programs run by the Government. It is this Government run Health Care, or, more aptly, socialized medical system, which directly causes the kind of horrid conditions found at the Walter Reed Army Hospital.

How, you ask, do I draw such conclusions? Simply by examining the situation. When soldiers return from combat injured, they usually use the Army's Care facilities. Why? Well, because they don't have a choice; if they want to be able to use whatever Health Insurance the Army gives them, they have to go to the Government's Hospitals. Moreover, these Hospitals are poorly run, not because their staffs are evil people, but there's just no motivation for these Hospitals to be efficient, it's not like they have any competition for their patients. The long waiting periods for vital tests and procedures? Why not? It's not like the quality of the services these Hospitals offer has any effect on the Doctors, Nurses, Bureaucrats and Politicians running them (or not, at least, on their paychecks). Oh, and speaking of these Hospitals' staffs, know why they're not exactly the best professionals around? Because the best of America's Doctors and Nurses are in the Private Health Care business, where they get paid like America's best Doctors and Nurses.

The bottom line is that the absence of any degree of free-market competition and the totality of the Government backing create an atmosphere in which there is absolutely no incentive whatsoever for these Military Hospitals to operate in a normal, efficient manner. Indeed, this system is, in many respects, the epitome of Socialism: no Capitalist, 'Bourgeois' elements, a complete 'leveling' of the playing field, no greed driven Capitalists operating the system, and, best of all, it's free. Hell, other than the small, tiny, insignificant problem that the actual Medical Care sucks ass, it sounds like the perfect system!!!

The title of this post, as some of you may have noticed, is one of the most famous acronyms in all of Economics: There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch. Simple and easy to understand; yet, so often ignored and overlooked. It seems the Army is being given a 'School of Hard Knocks' lesson in this basic principle. Sure, the Health Care they dole out is 'free' in monetary terms; but the recipients of it are forced to 'cover' the costs in other, crueler ways. And here is where I fault the politicians. They not only proposed and enacted this system, but they continue to try and solve its flaws by firing bureaucrats and convening 'investigative commissions.'

Newsflash: The problem is not the people running the system - it's the system! The solution to this problem lies in reducing Government's role in it, and not the other way around.

There's no question that the veterans of our Armed Forces, whether from Iraq, Vietnam or the Second World War, deserve the best. The Problem is, the Government has never been very adept at giving people the best of, well, most anything. So, why not try giving these people, who do so much to defend freedom, a little in their own Medical System? Allow Private companies to own and operate facilities such as Walter Reed. Give injured Veterans the option of multiple hospitals from which they may choose; and, above all, try to remove Government interference as much as possible - just let the free market do its thing.

Sanity demands it.