A dollar spent on healthcare is not "productive". What do you base this statement on? Well run public healthcare programmmes are exceptionally cost effective. Cancer screening, childhood immunisations, dental, eye and hearing screening for children, free doctors visits for children. These are all things people around me use on a routine basis. They have a real and measurable effect on productivity for us all and do save money. All these healthcare programmes and many, many more, aren't run for the sake of smiles and happiness. They save dollars, lives and increase productivity.