As a retired military member, I probably have a little better understanding of the “disaster” thing. That is after all, pretty much the military’s whole reason for being: creating violent disasters of the most unimaginable kind, and attempting to protect themselves from the same. With modern medical and airlift technology, evacuating and caring for the wounded was never a really big problem ever since the Korean war. Messes get cleaned up, life goes on – for the survivors.
But knowing the potential for unacceptably high levels of disastrous consequences was what kept people trained, supplies stocked, equipment tested and chains of command communicating and working together. I am quite certain it still does to this day, in the military. Today, New York sends the National Guard looking to collect ventilators across the state, while administrators bid for them on the open market. N95’s are going for 10x their normal price. It’s a fucking travesty.So nobody in the healthcare industry saw the potential for a disastrous pandemic? More to the point: Who is going to accept responsibility for not preparing? We are talking about paper gowns, masks and rubber gloves. No storage space? Not enough in the budget? Should be interesting reviewing the plans in a few months. Wonder if they will comply with the subpoenas?
Healthcare suddenly became a scarce commodity when it literally ran out with their fingers buried deeply in the insurance co. cookie jar. We as a citizenry have paid the highest prices anywhere for the best healthcare available. Too bad it only comes on a pay-as-you-go basis. Now we employ questionable re-use sanitizing practices in tents as the price goes up REAL high. Has penny-wise and pound-foolish ever rang more true? Healthcare is no longer taken for granted. It is laid bare for what it is under the weight of the biggest pandemic in modern times: A ponzi scheme run by the Pharma co.’s and HMO’s.
Funny thing about this one is you only see how much you’re paying in from the pay stub. So now we have a new negative economic stimulus to go along with a run on the banks, and a run on the stores: A run on the hospitals. Consider the numbers assuming a 2% mortality rate, because numbers really are the the bean counter’s main concern, right? WTF have we been investing in all these years? Too bad parts of the problem are extremely lucrative, with practical solutions written out of law and corporate governance.
Just when you thought things in Corporate America couldn’t get any worse, Muilenburg’s deeds or lack thereof, now seem trivial in comparison.