All deserve good, cheap health care

Luigi Mangione, who allegedly shot to death health insurance chief executive Brian Thompson in New York, has become almost a Robin Hood-type hero… which says something about the state of health care in that country.

Although he has yet to testify about the killing, he has – in social media posts – portrayed himself as someone challenging the inequity of the health insurance system, which sees hundreds of thousands of Americans every year deprived of treatment because they can’t afford it.

Also, many families have been bankrupted by medical bills of parents, children or siblings who have died from illnesses such as cancer.

The anger is understandable, given that the medical industry – which is what it is in the US and many Western nations – is characterised by huge profits, rather than superb care.

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In this country, there are many medical aid members paying considerable amounts for coverage, only to have certain procedures not covered or having to cope with huge co-payments.

Hospital groups and top medical specialists, meanwhile, have never had it so good, financially.

Is the solution the government’s proposed National Health Insurance?

It doesn’t sound like it. But something has to be done to make quality, affordable, health care available to all.

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