Health, welfare bottomless pits

THERE are two great holes in the universe, health and welfare. No matter how much money and effort you throw at them, there is always more needed. If you provide enough hospital beds and staff, then, even before the upgrades are in place, you need more. If you provide enough public housing, the outcry is for newer and better housing. The only way to stop it is to draw a line in the sand and say, “This is as far as we go, and no further, so if there is more needed, then you will provide it, not us.”

In some countries, people who have done nothing to maintain their health and then develop health issues are given a regime they must complete before receiving further care. While this seems like tough love, it makes perfect sense. The person has created the problem, so if the person fixes it, not only are they not a burden on the system, they have changed their behaviour and the system can deal with the people who cannot fix themselves. The private health system would still be there for those who want extra care.

Even a lean, mean health system like this would cost far more than what we have. You put people in charge with only one agenda, to make it work. If they don’t, you take money away from them, not pay more. It will take work, money, and hard decisions from all of us, not just the politicians. Oh, and we have to support the politicians that are trying to make it work, otherwise we will get more of the same.

As for the welfare system, the fix is easier. We extend the helping hand, and if they bite it, they get one warning. If they bite again, they are out. No arrests for drugs, no arrests for violence, no burning old housing to get into newer housing. Set a standard and stick to it.

Miles C. Pitman Dover