Chickens for Health Care

Senator Harry Reid's likely Republican opponent in Nevada has an interesting idea for solving health care costs. Bring a chicken to the doctor.

Last week, when Lowden suggested "that bartering is really good," it seemed that she may have been talking about haggling prices and just had her vocab mixed up. It happens to everyone.

But yesterday, on a local news program, Lowden seemed to double down on the idea. Asked whether the statement made her seem disconnected, she shot back that it's Reid who's disconnected for not knowing "that this is already happening in our state."

"Let's change the system and talk about what the possibilities are. I'm telling you that this works. You know, before we all started having health care, in the olden days, our grandparents, they would bring a chicken to the doctor. They would say I'll paint your house," she said. "[That's] what people would do to get health care with their doctors. Doctors are very sympathetic people."

So, last week she thought it was a good idea that patients "barter" for their treatments -- ie if I broke my leg, I should go 'shop around' to see who could fix it cheapest, or negotiate the doctors down while in excruciating pain. Now she's taking that a step further -- thinking people should bring their doctors a chicken, or paint their homes, like in "the olden days." You know, I think that's a very good idea -- pay the doctors like in the olden days, and get treatment like the olden days. Feeling sick? Maybe the doctors will have some nice leeches for you... or perhaps a nice, little exorcism will get rid of that rash? Jeepers.