A Modest Proposal for Health Care for Americans

I propose these things in order to ensure basic health care for every United Statsian citizen:

(1). That there be public health clinics in every county which would provide health care for anyone who is unable or unwilling to pay for insurance.
(a). These clinics would be staffed by medical personnel who have just graduated. Thus every physician would be required to work for say two years full-time in these public health clinics before being allowed to go on to group or private practice.
(b). These public health clinics would provide the following: medical exams, urgent care facilities, eye exams and cheap glasses for those who require them, audiology services and cheap hearing aids for those who need them, prescription drugs which are bought wholesale at discounted rates the generic versions only.
(c). Available at the public health clinics via referral would be the services of other specialists-- also physicians who have just graduated-- mental hell, podiatry, internal medicine, gyn, gut docs, diabetes specialists, obesity specialists, bone docs, neuro docs, pain docs...etc.

(2). That there be charity hospitals available in every state which would provide hospital services for anyone who is unable or unwilling to pay for insurance.

(3). That those of us who are able and willing to pay to get out of the public health care system thus affording more choice and more experienced docs will be able to choose to do so.

(4). That abortions only be provided when there has been rape, incest, or genuine medical necessity (i.e. carrying to term will result in death of the mother, fetus lacks brain stem...).

The public health clinics and charity hospitals would be paid for via:
A). redirection of funds from faith-based office (eliminate it), faith-based "grants" (eliminate it), and school voucher programs (eliminate them).
B). medicaid funds (eliminate medicaid).
C). taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and gun ammo.
D). a fat tax (anyone who is above optimal weight and has not lost weight in the last fiscal year).
E). a foodie tax (all fast foods, candy, ice cream, sweets, butters...).


The newly graduated medical personnel would be paid minimum wages for their time in the public clinics and charity hospitals.

Any other practical details would have to be worked out by folks who are more knowledgeable than I am about such things.

Harsh? Yeah, it's harsh. But these are trying financial times.

radical sapphoq