X-Message-Number: 27024 Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:16:49 -0400 (EDT) From: Charles Platt <> Subject: the plight of the poor? Stodolsky writes: "Once again we see demonstrated that anecdotal evidence is useless as data. A comparison of medical care between Canada, where there is a universal tax supported system, and US shows that the US system is twice as expensive and people live three years less." I provided you with a fact: US state-funded hospitals must treat anyone who walks in the door. This is not "anecdotal evidence." It is true. You chose to ignore this fact in a fairly typical attempt to put the worst possible spin on US healthcare. Comparisons of life expectancy are of course of marginal value since diet, race, exercise, and environmental factors are important. The figures you cite (without sources) are probably for people of all racial backgrounds in the United States. As for complaining that hurricane "victims" (i.e. those who chose not to evacuate) did not receive health care in New Orleans, is this really intended to be an indictment of the US health care system? People lacked a supply of drinkable water, also. Is this an indictment of the municipal water distribution system? I really don't know how you expect anyone to take you seriously. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=27024