The American Spectator

A visit to the website of the World Health Organization will demonstrate that Italians live longer lives and have only half the child mortality rate of the U.S., all at a cost to the Italian public that is roughly half the cost — measured in % of GDP — of American health care.

p>Furthermore, Logic 101 requires that the following observations be made: 1) That two anecdotes cannot possibly serve as representative examples, 2) that any observation made about Italian health care has no bearing on Michael Moore’s Sicko , which makes no reference to Italy. Furthermore, the author’s tale of suffering, brought on by, of all things, an ingrown toenail, is almost breathtaking in its insensitivity to the genuine mortal risks endured by millions of Americans who lack basic health coverage. br> — Andrew S. Taylor /p> p> Without having seen the Michael Moore movie and without the slightest desire to defend any system of government run medicine, I do think that Mr. Klein is arguing a little too much from anecdote. I have never had occasion to consult a doctor in Italy; but I took myself and my children to doctors in Paris (some time ago) and was pleased. I have heard stories of decent and competent treatment by National Health doctors in England. More to the point, I am a legal secretary in a medical malpractice defense firm. Unfortunate outcomes are not restricted to socialized medicine systems, and not all medical malpractice lawsuits are without merit. It is not unknown to wait three hours in an American hospital emergency room. I think what we should be looking at or for is an environment in which the patients (that is, we) have the greatest control over our own health decisions and health professionals have the greatest possible incentives (including financial gain) to take excellent care of us and hope to keep us as their patients. While these conditions cannot be satisfied under a socialized medicine system, they are not always well satisfied under the highly regulated and bureaucratized third-party payer insurance system that we live with in this country. So, let’s all trim our toenails (properly) and demand health savings accounts, portable insurance and posted fees. br> — Martha Francois br> Portland, Oregon /p> p> TRIED METHODISM br> Re: Mark Tooley’s