In NY state we have almost the equivalent of socialized medicine where everyone can get health insurance, no matter their source or income level. Diabetes is the illness that is most costly to treat, therefore the thinking was to monitor the lab results of the public health clinics. Believe me, this has not been the only battle regarding reporting of non-infectious conditions. The NYC Board of Health has been doing the same with other health issues.

Each and every time the prevailing reason was for the good of the public, with the aim to unburden the tax payer’s from the future burden of spiraling health care costs for the indigent.

As a result, Longman’s conclusion is flawed because much is already known of these groups being affected. In fact, entire studies have been done about the development and progress of diabetes in this socio-economic group that constitutes this indigent class. All of these done with cursory explanations to the patients.

At present they are getting away with doing this because most of the indigent cases served by these clinics are the poorest of the poor who will easily give away their rights, either from a lack of understanding or from sheer desperation and need of free medical treatment.

As for the lack of outcry in my state over the erosion of personal liberties that are taking place, I can only surmise it stems from an inherent belief from of the population that all government is good and that is the Government’s responsibility to take care of all our needs… hence the tolerance for socialized medicine and the high debt the City carries to support it.

Thank you for writing this post!

Those who are worried about a police state need to understand this: every step towards socialism is a step towards a police state.