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Country Z's National Health-Care Program(NHCP) provides free health care to all citizens. In the last five years, NHCP has received increase funds, both in absolute terms and as a percent of country Z's gross national product. Yet the standard of health care in the country Z has decreased. Meanwhile, the standard of health care in other industrialized countries has increased. Clearly, over the past five years, NHCP must have become an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion reached in the passage?
A. Over the past five years, the percentage of the NHCP funds spent on actual health care has increased, while the percentage spent on the management of NHCP's program has decreased.
B. Five years ago the standard of health care in the country Z was better than the standard of health care in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs.
C. The average salaries of doctors and nurses in country Z are slightly higher than the average salaries of doctors and nurses in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs
D. National Healthcare programs in other industrialized countries provide free medical care to resident aliens and tourists, as well as to citizens.
E. Over the past five years, the increase in the absolute amount of funds received by NHCP has averaged approximately two percent above country Z's rate of inflation during that time period.
ID 16505
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion reached in the passage?
A. Over the past five years, the percentage of the NHCP funds spent on actual health care has increased, while the percentage spent on the management of NHCP's program has decreased.
B. Five years ago the standard of health care in the country Z was better than the standard of health care in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs.
C. The average salaries of doctors and nurses in country Z are slightly higher than the average salaries of doctors and nurses in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs
D. National Healthcare programs in other industrialized countries provide free medical care to resident aliens and tourists, as well as to citizens.
E. Over the past five years, the increase in the absolute amount of funds received by NHCP has averaged approximately two percent above country Z's rate of inflation during that time period.
ID 16505
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nightblade354
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01 Apr 2020, 09:54
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Country Z's National Health-Care Program(NHCP) provides free health care to all citizens. In the last five years, NHCP has received increase funds, both in absolute terms and as a percent of country Z's gross national product. Yet the standard of health care in the country Z has decreased. Meanwhile, the standard of health care in other industrialized countries has increased. Clearly, over the past five years, NHCP must have become an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy.
P: In the last five years, NHCP has received increase funds, both in absolute terms and as a percent of country Z's gross national product
P: Yet the standard of health care in the country Z has decreased
P: Meanwhile, the standard of health care in other industrialized countries has increased
C: Clearly, over the past five years, NHCP must have become an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy
OK, so the amount of money received for healthcare has increased, but care has decreased. Therefore, we conclude that we have a wasteful bureaucracy. Hmm, is this the only conclusion we can draw? This is a very narrow interpretation and there could other conclusions. In the end, the assumption being made here is that less care = wasteful. If you can spot this, you are in good shape to move into the answer choices.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion reached in the passage?
A. Over the past five years, the percentage of the NHCP funds spent on actual health care has increased, while the percentage spent on the management of NHCP's program has decreased.
-- This is weak, and I put a hold on it initially, but it does weaken our conclusion. We are told that we have turned into a wasteful bureaucracy. But if we have decreased management cost, this goes directly against this conclusion. Rarely will a current day GMAT question attack a conclusion directly unless it is an easy question. Do we have to make the assumption that less spending = non wasteful? Sure, but it is the best that we have.
B. Five years ago the standard of health care in the country Z was better than the standard of health care in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs.
-- OK, but who cares? So our healthcare has decreased in quality. At best, this is completely random information comparing healthcare systems; something we already know, technically. At worst, this strengthens our argument (with some assumptions made) that we are wasteful. Either way, this doesn't help us.
C. The average salaries of doctors and nurses in country Z are slightly higher than the average salaries of doctors and nurses in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs
-- OK, this is more random information. We do not care if doctors make slightly more than others across other systems. Remember our conclusion: We are a wasteful bureaucracy. So if we pay more does that weaken our conclusion that we are wasteful? Maybe we are. Maybe we pay our horrible doctors 10x the average (How much is slightly?) of other doctors across different countries. But maybe we aren't wasteful. Maybe we pay more because our doctors are the best. Does this disprove we are wasteful? Nope. We could still pay management far more than anyone else and have bloated budgets. Always remember the conclusion and never make assumptions to justify an answer choice.
D. National Healthcare programs in other industrialized countries provide free medical care to resident aliens and tourists, as well as to citizens.
-- Very simply, we don't care about this because we do not care about other countries! We are talking about our system, not the other systems.
E. Over the past five years, the increase in the absolute amount of funds received by NHCP has averaged approximately two percent above country Z's rate of inflation during that time period.
-- So this just says that we are receiving more money. This confirms that we are getting more cash, so while this supports a premise, it has nothing to do with our conclusion. Out.
Similar question: https://gmatclub.com/forum/country-z-s- ... 34635.html
P: In the last five years, NHCP has received increase funds, both in absolute terms and as a percent of country Z's gross national product
P: Yet the standard of health care in the country Z has decreased
P: Meanwhile, the standard of health care in other industrialized countries has increased
C: Clearly, over the past five years, NHCP must have become an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy
OK, so the amount of money received for healthcare has increased, but care has decreased. Therefore, we conclude that we have a wasteful bureaucracy. Hmm, is this the only conclusion we can draw? This is a very narrow interpretation and there could other conclusions. In the end, the assumption being made here is that less care = wasteful. If you can spot this, you are in good shape to move into the answer choices.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion reached in the passage?
A. Over the past five years, the percentage of the NHCP funds spent on actual health care has increased, while the percentage spent on the management of NHCP's program has decreased.
-- This is weak, and I put a hold on it initially, but it does weaken our conclusion. We are told that we have turned into a wasteful bureaucracy. But if we have decreased management cost, this goes directly against this conclusion. Rarely will a current day GMAT question attack a conclusion directly unless it is an easy question. Do we have to make the assumption that less spending = non wasteful? Sure, but it is the best that we have.
B. Five years ago the standard of health care in the country Z was better than the standard of health care in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs.
-- OK, but who cares? So our healthcare has decreased in quality. At best, this is completely random information comparing healthcare systems; something we already know, technically. At worst, this strengthens our argument (with some assumptions made) that we are wasteful. Either way, this doesn't help us.
C. The average salaries of doctors and nurses in country Z are slightly higher than the average salaries of doctors and nurses in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs
-- OK, this is more random information. We do not care if doctors make slightly more than others across other systems. Remember our conclusion: We are a wasteful bureaucracy. So if we pay more does that weaken our conclusion that we are wasteful? Maybe we are. Maybe we pay our horrible doctors 10x the average (How much is slightly?) of other doctors across different countries. But maybe we aren't wasteful. Maybe we pay more because our doctors are the best. Does this disprove we are wasteful? Nope. We could still pay management far more than anyone else and have bloated budgets. Always remember the conclusion and never make assumptions to justify an answer choice.
D. National Healthcare programs in other industrialized countries provide free medical care to resident aliens and tourists, as well as to citizens.
-- Very simply, we don't care about this because we do not care about other countries! We are talking about our system, not the other systems.
E. Over the past five years, the increase in the absolute amount of funds received by NHCP has averaged approximately two percent above country Z's rate of inflation during that time period.
-- So this just says that we are receiving more money. This confirms that we are getting more cash, so while this supports a premise, it has nothing to do with our conclusion. Out.
Similar question: https://gmatclub.com/forum/country-z-s- ... 34635.html
12 Jul 2021, 21:21
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Montyyy95
NHCP provides free health care to all citizens. In the last five years,
NHCP has received increase funds, both in absolute terms and as a percent of GNP.
Yet the standard of health care has decreased.
Meanwhile, the standard of health care in other industrialized countries has increased.
Conclusion: Over the past five years, NHCP must have become an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy.
The author says that the reason standard of health care has decreased inspite of obtaining more funds is that NHCP has become an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy. So much money is being wasted in management and not enough is being used for actual health care.
What will weaken it?
A. Over the past five years, the percentage of the NHCP funds spent on actual health care has increased, while the percentage spent on the management of NHCP's program has decreased.
This option tells us that % of funds spent on actual health care has, in fact, increased. Hence, the conclusion that not enough is being used for actual health care is weakened. Also if % spent on management is lower now, NHCP may not be an overgrown and wasteful bureaucracy.
Correct.
It is not necessary that wastefulness is being experienced. We don't know how standard of health care is calculated. Many variables could lead to lower standards despite putting in more money. What if drugs are getting more expensive? What if fewer medical professionals are available? What if raw materials needed to manufacture drugs are exhausted? What if more and more people are getting sick putting more pressure on healthcare resources? The reasons could be many.
B. Five years ago the standard of health care in the country Z was better than the standard of health care in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs.
Irrelevant what the status was vs other countries 5 yrs ago. Country Z's standard has decreased (compared with its own standard only) and standard in other countries has increased.
C. The average salaries of doctors and nurses in country Z are slightly higher than the average salaries of doctors and nurses in other industrialized countries that have national health care programs
Irrelevant.
D. National Healthcare programs in other industrialized countries provide free medical care to resident aliens and tourists, as well as to citizens.
Irrelevant.
E. Over the past five years, the increase in the absolute amount of funds received by NHCP has averaged approximately two percent above country Z's rate of inflation during that time period.
Just tells us more about what we already know - NHCP has received more funds over the past 5 years.
Answer (A)
