A Look at Government Health Care: Go to the Reservation

File photo: Peeling paint (Credit: Daniel Schwen)

South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds is weighing in on the proposed government takeover of health care, and he’s talking about experience with government health care that many other states many not have.

Rounds says one need only look at the state of government-supplied Native American health care to see what an abysmal failure socialized health care is.

From the Rapid City Journal:

South Dakotans who like the idea of more government involvement in medical care need only look at the Indian Health Service to see how easily things can go wrong, Gov. Mike Rounds says.

“Right now in South Dakota, we’ve got one of the best examples of a health-care system run amok, and that is Indian health,” Rounds said in an interview with the Journal. “And I wouldn’t wish that health care on anybody. It would be an absolute disaster in America.”

I have visited Native American friends in Indian health care facilities…and it’s pretty bad.  I’m just talking about the physical condition of the buildings, not the wait times, quality of care, etc., which are a whole other story.

You might recall the scandal a few years ago when the terrible conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (paint peeling off the walls, etc.) were revealed.  Well, military and veteran heath care isn’t the only U.S. government  health care that is pathetic.  I’ve seen the same kind of peeling paint, etc. in government-run Indian Health Service facilities as well.

Those who attended the Rapid City Tax Day Tea Party heard Ira Taken Alive tell from his personal knowledge why socialism and government programs are highly inefficient.

If you want to see living examples of why we need to keep government limited, as Ira said, “Go to the Reservation.”

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