Horrors of Socialized Healthcare

Having just gone through a major medical procedure with the birth of my child, I can attest that things go wrong.  Some mistakes were made, but the baby and my wife came out just fine.  The billing process was pretty much transparent, and the hospital staff were courteous, professional and helpful.  Its what you can expect from the best that Western Medicine can offer.

Under socialized medicine, however, you can expect the following, as reported by Reuters here:

Heavily pregnant Karolina Mrowiec went to a Polish hospital in an advanced stage of labor and was surprised when the nurse asked her what was wrong.
 
“I am having a baby. Isn’t it obvious?” she replied.

Her story shows how an overstretched hospital system is struggling as Poland experiences its first baby boom in years.

The government is campaigning to encourage families to have more children, but as children born in a 1980s boom reach fertility, they are straining a system which constitutionally must provide free services to all Poles.

Healthcare has been slow to reform since the end of communism in 1989, and the hospitals’ grim state is adding to the difficulties of giving birth.

If you have insurance in this country, you can get some great medical care.  No long lines.  Doctors, not bureaucrats.  Beware of those that want to introduce socialized medicine in this country.  Rather, there should be a push for everyone to become insured.  In Virginia, you are not allowed to drive a car on the street if its not insured.  If you can’t afford insurance, you have to pay the state minimum.  The same should go for healthcare.