> Vulnerable and sick people can only have things that would a.) help super rich people with the same conditions
I have occasionally wondered if, in some kind of time-travel scenario, I could convince the local royalty that subsidizing healthcare for the masses would ultimately benefit them years down they line when they need an experienced doctor who knows how to do some kind of surgery.
> Someone who has genuine concern for helping people doesn't cut medical programs in fly-by-night operations to leave people with medical devices in their body and whatnot.
> I have occasionally wondered if, in some kind of time-travel scenario, I could convince the local royalty that subsidizing healthcare for the masses would ultimately benefit them years down they line when they need an experienced doctor who knows how to do some kind of surgery.
Your intuition that subsidies can increase outcomes for even the super wealthy is correct, but it should be noted that this already happens today.
Subsidies for healthcare, including for highly specialized and technical procedures that are expensive, yield:
- Increased Access to Cutting-Edge Treatments
- More Skilled & Experienced Surgeons
- Lower Costs Through Economies of Scale
- Encouragement of Medical Research & Innovation
For instance, for heart surgery in particular, in the US, there is Government Subsidies and Assistance (Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, VA, and ACA) as well as Private and Non-Profit Aid (HealthWell and PAN Foundation, American Heart Association & Mended Hearts, Hospital Financial Assistance).
Then there are major healthcare foundations funded by billionaires, focusing on medical research, global health, and disease prevention. Some of the more notable and impactful ones are:
I have occasionally wondered if, in some kind of time-travel scenario, I could convince the local royalty that subsidizing healthcare for the masses would ultimately benefit them years down they line when they need an experienced doctor who knows how to do some kind of surgery.
> Someone who has genuine concern for helping people doesn't cut medical programs in fly-by-night operations to leave people with medical devices in their body and whatnot.
Some folks might miss the political reference: https://www.citizen.org/news/egregious-abandonment-of-ongoin...
> but what sells it is detecting and aiming at the dissident hiding under a truck
Mildly relevant: https://xkcd.com/2128/