Lanman-Trau: Lessons To Be Learned From England, Canada Health Care Systems

Universal health care 'detrimental' to Grassadella, says POG lieutenant governor

MAVOCKE, CEA--A universal health care system would be "detrimental" to Grassadella, POG Lieutenant Governor Beth Lanman-Trau (CNS) told GNN's James Madine on Country Time.

Citing problems with health care systems in England and Canada, Lanman-Trau, who is currently battling breast cancer, told Madine a similar system in Grassadella would result in widespread shortages of doctors, medicine, and less choices for patients.

"What this comes down to, James, is a sharp decline in the quality of health care in this country, and we can't afford that," she said. "In this age of increasing technology and advancement in medicine, we shouldn't be going backwards, we should be going forward."

In Mavocke, health care has taken a back seat to the troubled economy. However, an emotional debate about the subject in the U.S. has prompted many politicians to propose changes to the way health care is ran in Grassadella.

Lanman-Trau also took issue with the health care plan being proposed in the United States, calling it "a recipe for failure."

"There are some good things in [the U.S.] plan, but from what I've seen of the bill in the U.S.A. is that much of the plans being called for will put the U.S. track to socialized medicine and that's not what we want here in this country, and as we're seeing in the media with the protests and the controversy surrounding the U.S. plan, it's not what a good many Americans want either," Lanman-Trau said.

Lanman-Trau also specifically criticized the government-ran health care systems in England and Canada, citing recent reports in the UK of incorrect diagnoses that led to patients' deaths.

"Essentially what you see in these countries is a history of patients dying and not getting the care they need in a timely fashion. You see doctor shortages and long waiting periods to see a physician. These are clear things we can learn from and take away: government-ran health care does not work."

Nationalists did not waste time pouncing on Lanman-Trau's comments, saying the lieutenant governor is "clearly disillusioned."

"It's surprising that Beth Lanman-Trau, a cancer patient herself, would ignore the ugly realities of the Grassadellan health care system and promote a system that favors wealthy, healthy Grassadellans," Nationalist Party spokesman Derrick Weber said in a written statement to media outlets. "Perhaps she should travel around the country or even within her own state of POG and meet the many people who are not being adequately served by the current system."

Lanman-Trau admitted that "certain changes could be made" to the existing system, however, she did not elaborate.

The lieutenant governor was in Mavocke for a national cancer prevention rally. She was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in March.