Medical care is in the news and medical care has been a major factor in my life. No one had general medical insurance in 1958 when I joined the Medical Arts Clinic in Albert Lea, although a few had Blue Cross or other hospital insurance. The physician was careful to tell the patient what the tests would cost if they were ordered. Many times the patient would elect to wait a few days, and during that time would frequently get better. The total medical costs then for hospital and physician were approximately 5 percent of the gross national product. (Health Care Law and Policy, page 69.)

In order to reasonably evaluate the present situation, I must go back to the laws of ownership and ask the question, “Who owns the skills of the physician?” It is believed by many that government owns these skills. I believe the doctor owns his skills and government must first take these skills from the doctor in order to give them out. Who decides what is fair payment? It so happened that government dictated the fees for Medicare. The physician had no input. Government dictated the fees for Medicaid and these fees were abysmal. A neutral third party should put a value on medical services just as in cases of eminent domain.

The dictatorship of the federal government created an exodus of the small town physicians. Hundreds left their practices in rural Minnesota and other rural areas because the economics would not support them. Physicians just graduating from medical schools have told me they can’t afford to go into family practice .

Currently the cost of medical care is 15 percent to 18 percent of the gross national product compared to 5 percent in 1958. I have been told by people in hospitals that fully 25 percent or more of the hospital bill is to satisfy requirements by the federal government. Costs of physician skills are now at only 10 or 12 percent of entire medical costs so costs to hospitals just for government regulations are about double the entire costs for all physician services.

When government has dictatorial power over one group, I believe it will eventually move to control all groups. Freedom will then be lost for all..

One has only to go back to the ownership question. “Who owns the skills of the physician?”

Arlo R. Blumer

medical doctor

Albert Lea