Amended: Power to the Patient

I had initially said that we currently have a socialist system in place for our healthcare system and have had one for 40 years. But that's incorrect and I do apologize. Socialism is defined as an "economic organization advocating state, public or common worker ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals with a more egalitarian method of compensation" (Wikipedia). I think anyone who reads the below post would be able to infer that the current healthcare system does not, in any way, have attributes that are described in the socialism definition.

Upon further review, I would have to say that our current healthcare system resembles fascism the most. Fascism is defined as "comprises a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology and a corporatist economic ideology. In the economic sphere, many fascist leaders have claimed to support a "Third Way" in economic policy, which they believed superior to both the rampant individualism of unrestrained capitalism and the severe control of state communism. This was to be achieved by establishing significant government control over business and labour (Mussolini called his nation's system "the corporate state") (Wikipedia).

Of course, the problem with labels is that they don't perfectly fit. There also isn't a clear cut definition for fascism, especially when it comes to economics. But after reading the definitions of socialism and communism, I have to say that our current healthcare system fits the fascist mold the best.

In any event, it most definitely isn't socialism. So replace all "socialism" with another "-ism" of your choice. Either way, it's an unsustainable system that is doing anything but benefiting society.