Big-time media misrepresent the U.S. health-care system as “dysfunctional.” It is only dysfunctional in so far as big government has made it so.

Do we really want big government taking over a system that is still the best in the world, in spite of big government’s past illegal interference?

What big government wants to do is change (the magic word) every doctor-patient, two-party arrangement into a three-party arrangement, like it or not. “Medical payments must be assured by the government; there is no alternative.”

It may not always be convenient, but the care is there now — clinics, hospitals, great doctors and nurses, state agencies, charities, benefactors, foundations, kith and kin. The best arrangements for many are private or group insurance plans and two-party contracts (patient and service provider), assisted, as needed, by charities, medical professional generosity, benefactors, foundations and kith and kin.

Consider the example of the Joplin Community Clinic, an amazing charity located near the corner of Seventh Street and Joplin Avenue. That little corner serves 55,000 patients per year from eight counties in Southwest Missouri, even some orthopedic patients from Arkansas. They turn away nobody. Their service is free; they do not discourage patients who can afford it to make a $10 “charitable” donation. About 50 percent of the patients do donate $10.

The clinic’s specialty care partners are Joplin’s two major hospitals, Freeman Health System and St. John’s Regional Medical Center. These friendly relationships most certainly relieve a lot of the heavy load our hospital emergency rooms handle which includes people with “emergencies”— that includes “no other medical attention” available for those without doctors (like rural folks).

Unlike Medicare/Medicaid, the clinic takes dental patients. For adults, it is limited to extractions, but for children it consists of screenings, cleaning and protective sealants to prevent cavities. Complicated dental procedures like root canals, fillings, braces, caps and bridges are not performed in the clinic’s two-chair dental section.

The clinic treats just about any medical problem. For example, breast-cancer screening, for women of course and for men, too.

The clinic has the necessary, most adequate pharmacy. Most of this staffing is voluntary. The credit for the clinic’s success goes to many people: volunteer doctors, volunteer dentists, volunteer registered and practical nurses, volunteer general helpers and assorted other volunteers (like fund-raisers, sweepers and moppers, and gofers).

But of all volunteers, the financial contributor is the least visible but nevertheless very much needed for the financial health care of the clinic. In 2008, the clinic received $459,864 in grants and donations. The clinic’s value to the community in 2008 was $876, 276. That’s an amazing annual return on your money, Joplin; you should do so well in the financial markets.

The greatest source of income — 30 percent of all income — was individual donations; the greatest expense — 62 percent of all expenses — was patient care. Another example of performance; but then, the Joplin Community Clinic is performance oriented. And Joplin should be very proud of such performance.

Joplin’s Community Clinic is a great example of how health problems can be solved, unfettered by intrusive government.

John Cragin lives in Joplin.