What do you think of the prospect of a universal health care plan in the US? Many people such as myself fall between the cracks and either don't qualify for or can't afford quality health care or insurance. Sen John Edwards discusses his Universal Health Care Proposal at the International Longshoremen’s Association in Charleston, SC Feb ,2007 as posted on veoh: video: http://lookwhatdavefound.info/2007/05/27/john-edwards-universal-health-care-plan/ Many presidential candidates are making excellent use of the video sharing websites to make their issues known.
An excellent idea. I think even the rich should have access to free health because healthcan be a matter of life and death. To compesate, the rich should be "taxed " heavily in other areas.
Healthcare is not a right. The government has no obligation to provide you with healthcare. If you can't afford your own healthcare, then that's just too bad. And before anyone starts bitching at me, I have a brain tumor and I'm in need of another MRI but I can't afford it. So I will wait however long until I have another $4,000 to buy one. If I die before I get the MRI, then I will die. Point is, nobody owes me a fucking MRI. The day the government takes over healthcare is the day the our world leading healthcare goes down the shitter.
Why should the rich be taxed because others have failed at life and can't pay for their own healthcare? One day, if I ever become rich, I am going to do everything in my power to keep my money safe and out of the governments grasp. Perhaps move much of my earnings to swiss accounts. Hell, if I ever make it big, I will probably just move out of the country all together lol
And this factoid comes from where? No one can be turned away from an emergency room; if they need immediate treatment. For anyone in support of "universal healthcare" - no one stops you from paying anyone's medical bills. I'll happily set up a website where you can voluntarily pay some random person's bills if you so choose too. Why make a government program to do something you are perfectly capable of doing on your own? How many peoples' bills have you paid today? Or; If you required hospital care, would you knock on your neighbors' doors and force them to pay your bills for you? If not, why not? You'd elect politicians to do just that for you. Don't be a whimp, bum money off your neighbors yourself. Or; I agree. Let's turn combine the medical industry with the efficiency of the DMV with the kindness of the IRS. Awesome! Or; Let's look at other countries where they have a national healthcare system. Is it working? No. So why emulate it?
That's too much common sense and reality in one post, you're going to give the supporters a migraine.
The biggest problem is exemplified by Walter Reed. I.e., there would be the same cronyism as in the war profiteering. It would be better to let the states handle it as they see fit. The US Federal government is just too corrupt.
Sure, people in need can go to an emergency room but that only drives up costs.. universal health care would see costs drop because everyone could then go to a primary care physician rather than use up ER resources. As for as the poster needing an MRI, sorry to hear that but NO ONE should have to go without health care if they need it. I presume you've worked and paid in taxes at some point in your life.. certainly the community should see to it's citizens, even if you were or are too sick to contribute.
How exactly will socialized medicine drive down costs? The rest of us that actually pay for our health care will now be forced to pay more for the same coverage to compensate for those that want something for free. This socialist mindset that everyone is entitled to everything while somebody else picks up the tab just pisses me off
It will drive down costs compared to what they are now.. everyone who can't afford insurance goes to the ER which would be unecessary if everyone was entitled to health care from a primary care physician.. Look, I work at a regular job as many hours as I'm physically able and pay taxes.. I don't expect something for free but I have needed kidney surgery now for 5 years and can't work enough to qualify for insurance from work and don't want to go on the public dole either but it would be nice to get a helping hand where it's needed.
I'm sorry to hear about your health problems. My wife is in a similar medical situation (PKD) and will need a kidney transplant. As such, she isn't eligable for coverage under my policy. We are looking at quite a large medical bill, but we're planning and saving for it. With all that being said, I'm still against universal coverage. As someone else posted, why should those that can pay do so for everyone? It will not lower costs since most people don't go to the emergency room for common ailments. If it were being paid for by someone else, they would go to primary care provider, which would increase the costs for those that are paying for it. This isn't even touching on the costs and the screw ups involved when you get the feds involved in private industries.
In any case, it's interesting to see the different viewpoints.. I just know there are many that can't work for one reason or another that "I'd" like to help if I could.. short of universal health care, what's the solution?
1. American healthcare costs as much as double for the same service in many other countries 2. American healthcare is laggin behind other countries ... a basket case country like Cuba has better healthcare. 3. Bush just got approved for 120 BILLION more war bucks ... people like you voted to throw the money in the wind instead of building 120 hospitals at 1 Billion a piece.
Help by paying someone's medical bills; if you -really- care that much. No one is stopping you. "Caring" is meaningless, put your money where your mouth is. Yes; and you can thank stupid government policies that have created the mess; too. And the solution people advocate is -more- government policies? Really? It does? Someone's been reading too much propaganda lately. Here is your "better healthcare" http://www.therealcuba.com/Page10.htm Yes, Cuba does maintain decent facilities for foreigners (who have money) but for the average person, the system is a disaster. If Castro's system is so wonderful, why did equipment necessary to keep him alive last year have to be flown in from Spain? Can't be that great, can it? Go to this site, sponsored by the Canadian government for wait times on MRI's, normal tests, etc: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/wait_times/wait_mn.html If I want an MRI here, I can get an appt in a few days. In Canada the wait time is like 3 months. Awesome!
1. The wait time in Canada are being artificially created so the people will push for an American style rip off system. 2. Haven't you read how many rich Americans go to Germany or even Mexico to get treatments banned by the U.S. government ? 3. I guess you would have voted to give 120 more BILLION dollars to the war effort instead of building 120 Hospitals at 1 BILLION dollar each. You are so brilliant.
I think its a crock...they already have two, medicare and medicaid, and we see how well those work. If the govt. can't control these two, what makes them think they could control health care for everyone?
Building hospitals is the job of private enterprise; not public government. So, yes, public funds should go to things that are actually lined up in the constitution. LOL. That is too funny. So the government is making people suffer long wait times for procedures so the tax rate will be dropped and people will pay for their own medicine? Actually, I wish government would do this more. Make their services suck so bad, people long for competition and choice in their life And this has to do with the wonderful Cuban system how? That's what is great about not having government paid medical care. You -can- go elsehwere for a treatment if you want to. Viva freedom!
What interest would private enterprise have in curing you of any health problem when it's far more profitable to keep you sick
This is the point I make on the welfare state. Why trying to help people out of poverty; when you guarantee their vote if they need the public money to survive. You can make this argument either way. But, if this is your defense of a taxpayer subsidized government health system, its pretty sad.