09 Nov 2009 Quote of Note: Government-Run Health Care Results in Fewer Doctors

“Long waits and shortages result from government control of the health sector. There are only so many hospitals, only so many doctors. When government promises that everyone will be treated (ostensibly) gratis, it does not simultaneously conjure more doctors into existence. Instead, doctors face more patients, who are now likely to seek treatment more often because they perceive it to be free. The result is long lines, long waits, substandard care.

But it’s worse than that. Not only does the socialization of medicine fail to produce more doctors, it actually shrinks the pool. In our free-market system, being a good doctor can be financially rewarding. This matters, because becoming a good doctor is a long, arduous, expensive proposition. Remove the profit incentive and you are guaranteed to have fewer doctors.”

-Matt Patterson, “Government Health Care Adds Insult to Injury,” Policy Analyst, The National Center for Public Policy Research, TownHall.com, October 22, 2009

Note: This post was edited after publishing to correct Matt’s title. He is a policy analyst at the National Center for Public Policy Research, not a senior fellow.

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Labels: Government Health Care, Health Care, Retirement