I recently heard a congressman telling about the “wonderful” German government health care system. He said we should follow the Germans. Obviously the congressman had not visited in German hospitals or talked to German citizens.

My wife and I lived in Germany for eight years and made some very good German friends. We saw German health care in operation. I had Germans working for me, so I got to see the health care system in action in the workplace, too. Their system is a huge drain on the economy.

German workers regularly abuse the rehabilitation program called a “kur.” A doctor would prescribe a “kur” for an employee. The person would be sent to a special “kur” location and read books, take walks and enjoy a month with pay away from work. A worker who had a real injury and needed rehabilitation would be sent away for a “kur” treatment. When a “kur” is prescribed, workers are not permitted to return to their jobs even if they want to return.

My wife and I went to Germany this year and spent a month with our German friends. One of them badly needs a knee replacement and had decided to get it done. It will be six months before she can see a specialist and who knows how long before she can get the operation. Her husband told her that she needs to get it done now as she is approaching the age where the system will not permit knee replacements. Their system certainly has rationing and so will ours.

The grass may look greener on the other side of the fence, but it’s not.

Ray Duncan

Vicksburg