Page 26 - Like No Business I Know

Hypocritical Oaths

concluded that even with a stable corporate pool of members, we
would soon be hard-pressed to justify our overhead. That includes
your salary and mine.”
Dreyfus fidgeted.
“Every minute we delay, sir, could mean the difference between
life and death for someone.”
“Are you listening to me, young man? It is your survival and mine
that are at stake. Our industry has become too large to be left to the
vagaries of marketplace supply and demand. Excess demand gave life
to Triskelion, and excess supply can kill it. Managed care really means
managed caseloads. Too many people have either died off because
they couldn’t get enough care or have started adopting healthier
habits and don’t need as much care. It’s an inevitable triage, given the
socioeconomic realities of the United States. We’ve gone as far as we
can go with co-payments, tax breaks, and lowered standards. If we do
not manufacture demand we’ll go under.”
“Manufacture demand?” Dr. Dreyfus shook his head. “I don’t get
it.”
“I thought not.” Old Raven sighed, a raspy rattle. “It’s really not
very complicated. Examples abound in the real world. Government
agencies routinely spend their budgets, whether they need to or not,
in order to get the next appropriation approved at the same or a
higher level. The small electronic appliance industry thrives on
artificial demand created by ever-changing models and features,
feeding on humanity’s craving for invidious distinctions. Farmers and
ranchers receive agricultural subsidies and ‘supports’—even for
destructive crops like tobacco—to keep prices up; that includes not
growing anything at all and pouring milk down the drain. The
munitions industry keeps its factories busy with xenophobic
propaganda and by supplying both sides in ethnic and expansionist
conflicts. Are you catching on yet? How on earth are we going to stay
in business without clientele?”
The virologist still appeared obtuse.
“But our HMO exists to keep people healthy. That is its product.
It’s just a large cost-effective way of enabling medicine to be
practiced. Doctors swear an oath to help people, not to make money
for themselves or a group of investors.”
Raven’s eyes turned to stone.

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