Why Nigel Has Such Bad Teeth.

Before we radically expand the federal government's role in health care we should pay close attention to the strengths and weaknesses of our socialized systems. England's much vaunted National Health Care system highlights the economic reality that "there is no free lunch."

Government bureaucracies cannot simultaneously control costs and maintain quality. They can either control costs through rationing and austerity measures or maintain the quantity and quality of goods and services through unsustainable increases in expenditures. In the case of the NHS is appears as if they are suffering from the worst of both worlds - shortages coupled with rising expenditures. Here are but a few examples of problems with the NHS:

Kidney cancer patients denied life-saving drugs by NHS rationing body NICE:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1174592/Kidney-cancer-patients-denied-life-saving-drugs-NHS-rationing-body-NICE.html#ixzz0MiuJSMnJ

Girl, 3, has heart operation cancelled three times because of bed shortage:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article6147701.ece

Cancer survivor confronts the health secretary on 62-day wait

http://news.scotsman.com/health/Cancer-survivor-confronts-the-.5095291.jp

Learning disabled 'failed by NHS'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7959730.stm

Disabled children wait up to two years for wheelchairs

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/04/wheelchair-wait-children

1,000 villagers wait for a dentist after just one NHS practice opens

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1160729/1-000-villagers-wait-dentist-just-NHS-practice-opens.html

Pensioner, 76 forced to pull out own teeth after 12 NHS dentists refuse to treat her:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-555589/Pensioner-76--forced-pull-teeth-12-NHS-dentists-refuse-treat-her.html;jsessionid=4A6244871D11291DB8B7108437D19CDE

Political meddling" threatens general practice, warns GP leader

http://www.managementinpractice.com/default.asp?title=%22Politicalmeddling%22threatensgeneralpractice%2CwarnsGPleader&page=article.display&article.id=16011

Government procrastination blamed for HIV-contaminated blood tragedy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/feb/23/haemophilia-blood-hiv-hepatitis

Women in labour turned away by maternity units

http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/ukwomeninlabor.html

Only five out of 51 hospital trusts passhygiene test, say inspectors

http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/ukaudit4.html

NHS is 'failing patients' despite record funding

http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/ukfailing1.html

Smokers and the obese banned from UK hospitals

http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/ukobese.html

5,000 elderly 'killed each year' by lack of care beds

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3341144/5000-elderly-killed-each-year-by-lack-of-care-beds.html