Posted by David Bernstein:
Huckabee vs. Moore:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2007_07_08-2007_07_14.shtml#1184263095
"[1]Frankly, Michael Moore is an example of why the health care
system costs so much in this country. He clearly is one of the
reasons that we have a very expensive system. I know that from my
own personal experience," said Huckabee, who lost more than 110
pounds and became an avid runner after he was diagnosed with
diabetes.
"I know how much more my health care cost when I didn't take care
of myself than when I do take care of myself, not only in terms of
doctor visits but regular diseases, illnesses, chronic things that
come up, monthly prescription bills," Huckabee said. "All of those
things have gone dramatically down since I've taken care of myself
and worked to live a healthier lifestyle."
No comment could be obtained from Moore, but Meghan O'Hara,
producer of "Sicko," questioned Huckabee's motives in criticizing
Moore.
"Looks like Mike Huckabee is auditioning for some insurance company
dough, since he's raised just about no money and sparked zero
interest since jumping into the race," O'Hara said in a response
provided by Moore's production office. "I wonder what the good
governor would say to the French, who drink more, smoke more, eat
more cheese and still live longer than us despite paying less for
health care?"
Advantage: Huckabee. Feel free to correct this non-expert in the
comments, but from what I read the real experts find very little
correlation between the various health care systems used in the
Western world and longevity, and attribute the (relatively small)
differences in longevity to lifestyle factors, with obesity being the
primary disproportionate "health sin" in the U.S.
Anecdotally, I know Israelis have great longevity, despite, from what
I can tell, is a relatively poor (and very unequal, because the
wealthy use private insurance) health care system, and despite a high
percentage of ultra-Orthodox and Arabs with very large families living
in general poverty and ignorance.
If Moore's "people" have any evidence that the French's longevity is
due to their health care system and is despite an overall worse
lifestyle profile than Americans', I'd love to see it. (Indeed,
drinking more is likely correlated with better health if more people
drink, but there are fewer alcoholics. And cheese, per se, isn't
harmful, and has some dairy-related health benefits.)
Moreover, O'Hara's retort is not directly on point, since Huckabee
raised the issue of health care costs, not longevity. Smokers, some
have argued, actually save the system money by dying young of a
signature disease. The morbidly obese tend to have lots of chronic
health problems, like diabetes.
The American health care system can use all sorts of improvements, but
I doubt anything on the table, much less Moore's favored single-payer
system, will improve Americans' health more than it would be improved
if we cut the rate of gross obesity by 2/3. My esteem for Mr. Moore
would rise significantly (from an admittedly low base), if his next
film encouraged Americans to take more responsibility for their
health, and he led by example. And I say all this as someone who could
stand to lose a few.
References
1.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AR_HUCKABEE_MOORE_AROL-?SITE=ARMOU&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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