Author: marcelbuter
It was a long time ago the last time that I sat across from the Federal Government at a table. Together with former President Joep Eerlijk we discussed the healthcare issues that faced the Federation two years ago. The attacks on members of Parliament by Kleinez combined with the promise of former King iamthebest4 to destroy Cyberia led to a discussion about this subject. The fact that the costs for moving someone to the Netherlands, Belgium or any other country for medical attention were way too high meant that it was very easy to ruin someone financially. A plan was set out to look into changing healthcare in the Federation to such a degree that costs would go down.
For the first time in the history of the Federation the idea was brought up to make care in the three countries available. The Federal Government stated that due to logistical reasons that it would never be as efficient as flying them to other countries, but that care for minor injuries could be treated at a lower cost. After days of negotiations it was decided that Mayors would be responsible for the building of these hospitals and that the Government would aid by giving subsidy for the building crews and the land which was needed. The first hospital in the Federation opened its door soon after in Eurodam.
The effects were quick to be seen. No longer was it easy to shoot someone into bankruptcy, something which was having a large effect on the economy as a whole in the past trading periods. People who wanted someone dead needed to invest large sums of money to do so, stopping unnecessary violence almost completely.
In the last trading period the Federals decided to change all of this. Costs for healthcare would become higher by looking at where the victim was shot. In the past all shootings were treated the same, it didn’t matter if you got shot in the foot or in the head, all care was available at the same cost. The change was that where you get shot now combined with the operation time decided how much the cost of care is. No one even protested the idea, saying that it could never pass due to the fact that the current Federals would be undermining a decision made by their boss long ago.
The results have been disastrous. A large number of citizens in Digitalia have been shot, and a total of 6 Mayors have been shot, the thing that hospitals were trying to prevent due to the fact that Mayors are defenseless. The increased cost, combined with the low effectiveness of officers due to the lack of investment at the part of the Government in officer capabilities, have lead to a major hit on the trade in the Federation, and without doubt also the arrival of new inhabitants to the Federation, with in particular the country Digitalia.
The smartest thing to do would be to overturn the decision to de-socialize healthcare and to refund healthcare in the same way which it was done in the past. The long term effect on the economy as a whole plus the effect on the amount of inhabitants would outweigh any arguments that the gun and crime lobby in Digitalia could come up with. It’s time to emphasize that crime isn’t a lifestyle, it’s a last resort to problems when all other options have been looked at.