Isn't it strange that two countries that currently enjoy universal health care coverage (courtesy of the US government) are Iraq and Afghanistan? Yet I, as an American citizen, born and raised here, cannot afford health insurance and would rather not go on public assistance, am expected to go to an emergency room in a hospital for medical care as per Dubya's recent quote: "People have access to health care in America," he told an audience in Cleveland. "After all, you just go to an emergency room." [source] Map of countries with Universal Health Care: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/94/Health.png
I didn't realise it was pretty much just the US, Africa and the middle east which doesn't care about it's sick.
It is truly sad. My father suffered from a repository infection a couple years back. His HMO told him it was nothing to worry about and they didn't pay for tests. So he didn't worry about it and traveled to France for vacation. Well, the infection got worse. He was lucky; in France he was able to get the tests that diagnosed the problem correctly. He also had a nurse that made house calls everyday to check on his health. The total cost for his treatment even as a foreigner was less that $1,000 USD. Had he been in the US, who knows what would have happened?
It is sad and slightly ironic that the richest nation in the history of the world pays the least attention to the well-being of its people. The lack of universal health care is only one of many ways that the American administration places the wants of the few over the needs of the many. How a patriotic American could even exist is beyond me.
we have universal health care, and it sucks. Medicaid and Medicare...neither of them can control the people that they look out for. If the US govt can't control these two, how are we supposed to control it for everyone? But I guess you want that right dgridley? You probably think the govt. "owes" you the responsibility of doing it...which is exactly the opposite of what the govt. should be doing. Universal healthcare is not a freedom, it is a burden on those of us who are not lazy and actually have jobs.
Yeah, the following don't need health care: - people born into poor families - vets that can't find work - homeless people that can't get a job because they're homeless (and smell) - college kids struggling to make ends meet (and refusing too mooch off parents) - Immigrants chasing the "American Dream" after coming here legally, now working for minimum wage You're right d16man, screw 'em... We, as people, have no moral responsibility to anyone but ourselves... Let them all die so we can pay less taxes... Those of us that were lucky enough to be born into middle/upper class families shouldn't be bothered with doing any good in the world... end of sarcasm.
No one stops you from paying someone's medical bills if you want. Or donating to a charity that provides low cost healthcare services to people in need. You are free to donate as much as you wish. You have many options to satiate your guilt. Please feel free to take some of them.
So you see the american public willing to eat a 1.7 trillion dollar tax in 2 years? I don't doubt its coming (clearly, people do not want to run their own lives anymore), but it'd be incremental.
Who gives a crap about American public? It's good for the government and it's good for insurance industry. They'll push it down your throat I don't know if 'universal' is the right word, technically you'll be able to avoid it. Similar to how you can avoid "universal" education by homeschooling your child, but they'll still confiscate your property if you don't pay up, even though your child doesn't cost them a penny. It's not about healthcare, education, or social security, it's all about taxes. Only brainwashing victims believe that goberment cares about healthcare. Their only concern is to come up with more and more reasons to tax us. In 50 years, 30-40% tax will seem like a bargain, just like it would look like a ripoff 50 years ago
I'm not arguing for universal health care out of a feeling of "guilt", I'm arguing for the greater good... I could afford to pay a few minor medical bills every once in a while for other people, but universal health care would help about 48,000,000 people... Ever heard of Kohlberg? You're thinking at a level 2, I'm at a 5... Try and catch up...
Personally, I'd rather pay for my health insurance... Beats waiting in line, and I get cheaper, faster care as a result... I love how everyone is always so quick to blame Bush for a problem he did nothing to create.. Meanwhile, where are the naysayers smacking the women who touted universal health care? Isn't she running for president now? You move yourself to one of those countries that has UHC, and see just how good it is...
If level 5 means mugging people to make yourself feel better. I'll stay at "level 2" - sound good? Congratulations. You pay the bills for a few people. Someone else does it, too. It's a wonderful thing - choice, I believe they call it isn't it? You can do what you want. If you want to help people with their stuff - feel free. Sure you are. There are 48 million people without it (the guilt trip) therefore we must pay for their bills (the result of your guilt trip). Did you know that about 16 million of those people are without insurance because they want to be? I, for one, pay for health insurance that I never use. How are you going to convince them to pay for someone else's medical insurance, when they don't even want to insure themselves? Another 12 million or so aren't even citizens (illegals). These people don't pay taxes, surely you do not believe they should get onto the universal coverage do you? So, what "greater" good are you really trying to accomplish here other than making yourself feel warm and fuzzy.
I think I did a pretty good job of explaining before... I'll try to reduce it to simplest terms, even though I believe you honestly are too stubborn to see another point of view... Millions of people that do want health care cannot afford it... Many of these people have jobs but those jobs don't pay enough... About 18,000 people die in the US per year because of a lack of health insurance... Any person with a concerned worldly view will see that they need help; we all have a moral responsibility to help those that are less fortunate; and the government, with our taxes, can help... If you don't want to help, fine, but I'm hoping the laws will change and you will be forced to do something good for the country, even if you don't want to...
That's because many cannot afford it, so those people don't have the ability to wait in those lines... You're saying, your desire for speedy service is more important then the lives of those that can't afford health care? I'm really scared for our countries future...
Or you, through individual efforts can help. Have you? Paid a medical bill for someone who can't? Awesome! I love when government approves of muggings. At least we've gotten down to the nitty gritty of why you support this. If you won't do something willingly, by god, government will make you do it. Secondly, you assume I do nothing. You said you could pay someone's medical bills. Have you? Do you? If not, why not? People can't afford food either. Or shelter. Or clothes. Feel like having government pay for those too? Surely, food is the most important thing isn't it. Why are we letting people go with out. Government, with out tax money, can help.
My health insurance is through Humana. I have dental and medical for myself at 36 and my 4 year old. I pay $233/mo. 1000 deductible. That is less than my employer (myself) would pay through a group plan... What I am saying is, that I cannot afford NOT to have it. It costs more NOT to have it. Those who say they cannot afford it, 9 times out of 10 have never looked for it, JUST DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR IT.. Think the world owes them something, or have abused the system to the point where they cannot get insured at a decent rate, ie., hypochondriacs. Ultimately the problems lie withing the health care industry which runs like a business. It is in a business of making money, and money it does make, mainly off of those who CHOOSE not to buy insurance... Life SUCKS and things cost money.. That SUCKS too... I choose to pay for my health care because it is cheaper than having someone dictate to me how money will be spent. In the end, under universal health care, I get shit service and pay more than that $233/mo.... I've been on both sides of the isle, so until you've had they other shoe on the other foot, don't dictate to me what you know nothing about. What you are asking me, is to pay for myself and those that CHOOSE not to pay for themselves or their children... That is bull shit my friend...
I'm sure you've taken ethics courses and understand John Stuart Mill's theory of Utilitarianism... In my opinion, it's better to live with those morals then taking an egoism to the extreme... As a matter of fact I have... If you knew me, you'd know that... You'd also know that it's a very small part of my contribution towards our community...
So, I'm curious. If you are willing to do this; why do you not assume others want to as well. I donate to organizations every year that I believe in (homeless, etal) - but I would not want federal dollars going to those same causes. It's not their responsibility. It is ours, if we choose. That's the great thing about this little thing called freedom. You can help others out or you can choose not to. Having government step in and take control where people do not want to is the opposite of that, now, isn't it? 40,000 people die each year because of car accidents. Do you think everyone should have their car taken away because of this? Only 18,000 people (I'm going with this number - I've heard it so many times, I almost think its made up, but too lazy too look) die because of lack of insurance. Secondly, there is no evidence to suggest these 18,000 people would be alive today if there was "universal healthcare". Quite the contrary, "universal healthcare" in europe killed 14,000 people in europe a few years back because of that heat wave, right? If healthcare will save 18,000 people; surely it'll kill those 14,000, too right?