If one were to perversely design a FASCIST national health policy, what would it look like?

[Faryn Balyncd]

In the 1930's, "corporatism" was Mussolini's term of choice for his version of economic totalitarianism.

In sharp contrast to socialism, in Mussolini's "corporatist" model, corporations were a most essential corponent of a rigid economic authoritarianism.

What would be the key features of such a "corporatist", or fascist, national health policy?

(How could such idle speculation about the 1930's possibly be of interest today?)

[rudeboy666]

1. State 'corporation'?

Do you really think that a modern corporation (which seems to be an amoral entity with no deep regard for the consequences of its products or services. Not to mention its elastic loyalty to the society it operates in) would function under a totalitarian state?

[Irreverend IX]

2. The government would provide a form of nationalized health care...

Through one or two corporate contractors. "Health examinations" would be mandatory, so the contracting health care providers would become very rich indeed. Doctors would be tasked with keeping the masses healthy enough to shuffle into work every day, but also with a number of "public health" programs intended to uphold whatever theories of social and racial hygiene the fascist regime holds dear. For instance, they could impose mandatory sterilization on Muslims, administer barbituates and narcotic painkillers to "rebellious" children, and implant RFID tracking chips into some or all of the population.

This is how I see health care working in a strongly "corporatist" fascist state like Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan that is truly committed to controlling the lives of its people in every way. In a less ideology-driven fascist regime, health care would probably be pretty similar to the for-profit US model.

[Kelly Rupert]

3. Well, for one,

I'd mandate that individuals purchase health insurance from corporations. If I were socialist, I'd mandate that individuals purchase health insurance from the government, via taxation.

You see, here, fascist and socialist are roughly the same theory. While the socialist model is preferable, either of the authoritarian models are preferable to the libertarian model of "don't get sick, and pay out-of-pocket when you do."

[kenny blankenship]

4. Make buying insurance from for-profit insurance companies compulsory?

[unhappycamper]

5. A facist policy is what we have now. n/t

[izzybeans]

6. We live Mussolini's dream.

[TygrBright]

7. An awful lot like what we got now. Except without Medicare and Medicaid. n/t