Critical Reasoning

In countries where healthcare is universal and provided free of charge by the government, visits per capita to the doctor are twice as frequent as they are in countries where healthcare is paid at least partly out-of-pocket by the consumer. Presently, governments do not have a reliable way of determining whether the symptoms for which these patients were treated for would have otherwise subsided without medical attention. However, this information does not warrant the conclusion by some universal healthcare critics that in the countries with a higher frequency of doctor visits, about half of them are unnecessary. Alternatively, in those countries where healthcare is not free, consumers often forego visits to the doctor except in cases of severe symptoms.

In the argument above, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

A. The first is a premise that the argument disputes; the second is a conclusion that has been based on that premise.

B. The first is a premise, of which the implications are in dispute in the argument; the second is a claim presented in order to argue against deriving certain implications from that premise.

C. The first is a finding, the accuracy of which is evaluated in the argument; the second is evidence presented to establish the accuracy of the finding

D. The first is a premise that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument accepts; the second is that conclusion.

E. The first is a conclusion that rests upon further evidence within the argument; the second supports that conclusion.

OA B

Source: Veritas Prep