How Can Anyone Support Universal Healthcare?
First off I don’t think anyone who has proposed this actually has a plan to pay for it.
Secnodly this has been tried in California and was a failture, it cost too much and even the liberals in Sacramento don’t want it anymore
Thirdly Canada has universal care and they all come here for treatment because they can’t get into a doctor up there. If there system is so great why do they come here for treatment?
And finally look at how the government runs things. Education is a mess, we throw tons of money at it but its a mess. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all going to be bankrupt in 10 years look how the government ran them, do you really want them running healthcare?
chicagod on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 4:29 am
Well, you could actually easily pay for Universal health care if you didn’t illegally invade other countries and then get your butts handed to you, but still not know when it is time to leave. Iraq another Vietnam. Or maybe get the money from the big financial institutions or their executive for all the money they wasted giving their executives such huge bonuses and salary. Amazing that again the rich get richer and bailed out, but the majority of people get poorer and crapped on. So much for stating it is a democracy anymore, that concept is long dead. It is a lobbyist style government where the rich control the country and the poor just do all the work.
Tried for how long in California? Anything that gets put into place that is new always will have some hiccups along the way. There are so many examples of effective Universal Health care in so many nations, which model did California use, or did they try to invent their own, which is so typical of Americans. Always trying to reinvent the wheel.
I am Canadian and I certainly have never been down to the US for any health care treatment. If I want right now I can see my doctor today, so not sure what you are talking about. Non-life threatening operations are sometimes pushed back to make room for life threatening operations, but we understand that because we have compassion for our fellow citizens. So sometimes Canadians who are impatient will go down to the US and pay for their treatment, but that is their choice, not because they will not get the treatment, they just have the money to jump the boarder and use your doctors. Canada loses a lot of health care professionals per year to the US because you pay them better, but then you also pay through the nose for health care insurance.
I can not fault you at all for looking at how the government runs things and how much of a disgrace the government is and how incompetent they are, not just in the US but also in Canada. It is time that the citizens stand up and demand smaller government and that they are accountable for their actions. It is sad that they can mess up for their term and nothing happens to them. If you or I messed up 1/10th as much in our jobs we would be fired. Unfortunately the government system that they have put into place themselves will not allow them to be fired, even if the majority of people want them gone. It is sad.
corona00 on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 4:58 am
You have a few misconceptions.
First of all there is no great flocking herd of Canadians running to the States to get treatment.
There are very few and we treat more Americans in Canadian hospitals than Americans treat Canadians in theirs.
Most cross border treatments are for very special cases where the closest specialist is on the other side of the border.
Canadian medical services are as good as any in America and in many cases better.
You already are paying huge taxes to support your private insurance system in the USA. Most of the costs are taken as administration and profit by the hospitals and Insurance companies.
Canada’s system costs about half the tax per person that you are already spending. If you adopted a system like Canada has you would save a lot of money, but I guess you like paying insurance executives their bonuses.
One Wiseman on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 5:08 am
How can you not support universal health care
considering now the fact that trillions have been wasted on unwinnable wars, polluting the world with DU weapons and other toxins, enormous sums are made available to bail out the financial sector with the taxpayer having to foot the bill. Ask yourself where has the lost money gone. Is it still in the USA, will the bail out money be invested elsewhere?
Health care leaves the money in the country, benefits the citizens and local facilities.
The present situation shows that the representatives of the citizens supported the bail out of the financiers not the needs of the people. How will the USA taxpayer ever pay for all the acquired debt especially with the manufacturing jobs moved outside the USA?
hildegard r on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:01 am
Health care, for some, is simply a moral issue and should not be a victim of unchecked greed and corruption that inevitably comes with capitalism and the “free-market”.
Let the free-market decide how much a TV should cost and who can afford to buy it. I don’t want the same thing for health care.
Supporting universal health care does not mean I want the exact system as was tried in California, nor does it mean I want the exact system Canada uses (and not “everyone” from Canada comes her for health care. That’s simply ridiculous).
I see no moral reason for denying someone care when they are sick or injured. Income should not be the deciding factor.
My income being slightly higher is not more important than someone receiving the care they need. Perhaps that’s where I differ from you.
Cap'n T on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:02 am
Stop spending money in Iraq, bring the troops home, and use the millions and billions to give us all the health care coverage we deserve. It is not easy for people with pre-existing conditions, I.E. I was born diabetic, to get insurance coverage at all, let alone at a reasonable cost! I make 42k a year, so I get absolutely ZIP zero nada help from the government except a kick in the pants! So even if the governmetn doesn’t control it, someone needs to fix this!
mamacita on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:16 am
what happens now is people who can’t afford regular health care wait until they are in an emergency situation and then they either visit and emergency room or are taken there by an ambulance
emergency room care is the most expensive form of health care that you can buy
few unisured, or underinsured, people can ever pay their emergency room bills
so the costs are passed on to the rest of us who have adequate insurance coverage
which makes our insurance more expensive and employers have to cut payrolls and put people out of work, or just not provide health insurance as a benefit
which leads to more people not having insurance
it is called a ‘death spiral’ and it will, eventually, kill off our hospitals
jamesmom on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:44 am
It’s not that I want them to run healthcare I just think that there are way too many people being denied the basic care and/or treatment as a result of a lack of healthcare and/or money. FYI I buy my glasses from Canada because their technology is far more evolved them ours….. Universal Healthcare has kept the Queen of England alive.
nyjae on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 7:11 am
As a healthcare professional, I can honestly tell you it would be a decent idea with some regulation. Asia, Canada, Europe all do Universal Healthcare, and guess what? their life expectancy is longer than an average American.
The only reason why it would frustrate some people is because insurance companies would be obscelete and therefore will have to cut jobs.
But in the long run, universal healthcare is better.
kimbo on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 7:35 am
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:ptFf…
Half of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. Three-quarters of those filings are
people with health insurance.
Hmm. Maybe you are not asking the right questions.
U.S. health care spending is approximately $2 trillion per year, or $6,697 per person.
8
The United States continues to spend significantly more on health care than other
countries in the world.
Do some research with an open mind.
wendy c on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 8:29 am
You are right!
Lets just let all of these old, unhealthy people just die instead of wasting our tax dollars to keep them alive if they can not afford to have their own health insurance!
KIDDING OF COURSE!
Ever hear of that Christian Principle – “Do unto others as others would do unto you?”
Obviously not!
Lo Siento!
Paul B on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 9:09 am
They support it because all they hear is “free healthcare”. But when you crunch the numbers a program like this is rediculous especially in a free market capitalist society.
McCain / Palin '08 on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 9:35 am
Your knowledge of the facts is a scant as your ability to spell.
If universal health care fails people as much as public education has failed you, then I’d oppose it too.
billy d on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 10:20 am
The Government already pays 3/4 of the health care for America. Going the extra mile would not ruin our medical advances or treatment.
Delgarit on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 11:07 am
Easily, it is a good thing. Everybody comes here from Canada to get treatment? I think you are severely misinformed
jero on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 11:41 am
There is nothing good about Universal Healthcare. Doctors in Canada are WAY overworked. It just does not work.
Kabu on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 12:33 pm
No thinking person supports Universal Health Care.
Marina on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 1:04 pm
No government should control as little as possible..Vote republican
kitkat on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 1:35 pm
Have you ever been to Canada or Europe?
Jules Winnfield- Royale w/Cheese on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 2:10 pm
THANK YOU!!!!!
At less some one agrees with me
Go Mccain!
Ashley on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 2:23 pm
You’ve been sadly misinformed, if you think all Canadians go to the US for healthcare. I am Canadian and have NEVER had to go the US for healthcare.
While our system is not perfect, it’s certainly better than NO HEALTH CARE, which is what alot of Americans have.
And yes, we have a Dr shortage here, howver any person who shows up at the hospital will be seen by a Dr. We also have walk-in medical clinics. The wait times at hospitals can vary. Every person who comes in is rated on a scale. Obviously life threatning cases come before a broken toe. Makes sense doesn’t it?
And yes, we have shortages of beds at some hospitals. My mom had a stroke, and spent one night in the hallway of the emergency room. While it was not the best scenario, she received the exact same care as anyone else.
Or how about my daughter, who was ejected from a car. She had severe fractures to her skull, a broken neck in 2 places, a broken pelvis, broken and separated ribs, internal injuries to her aorta, and spleen, nerve damage, jaw damage, leg damage etc etc.
She spent alot of time in the hospital, had a ton of specialists, x-rays, MRI’s, CT scans etc etc etc. She had to go to a rehab centre, and do months & months of physio. Not one dime came out of my pocket. Yes we pay higher taxes, and that is why.
Why do people go to the US for treatment? Because instead of waiting a year for a knee replacement, they can pay out of pocket and have it done sooner. More power to the wealthy.
Go look on YA in the health section. Look under injuries, and you’ll find a whole lot of people who have been injured and say they don’t have insurance and can’t go to the hospital. Or try the Cancer section. That’s really sad.
tess on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 3:16 pm
Two friends from Canada and England were talking about how great it was to have universal health care. Then they started talking about the QUALITY of the care.
One (21 years old) had a heart condition and needed a pacemaker. He was put on a waiting list and told to expect to wait for at least a year (England). He was passing out all of the time because his heart problem was so bad. But there were many others in worse condition waiting before he could even hope for a pacemaker. He passed out one time in the doctor’s office, so he got bumped up, and his waiting period turned out to only be a few months!!!!
American wait time: hours to days, at the most. Even if you have no insurance.
Socialism, here we come!
Free To Be Me on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 3:57 pm
It’s so easy to make judgments from high up in your pedestal isn’t it? Imagine that some unfortunate incident (like, for instance, the current economical crisis) takes away all the money you have to live comfortably – or say that you’re a minimum-wage worker. Say that your wife has cancer, or that your kid gets run over and is in a wheelchair. You also have to support your parents because they’re too old and sick to work. All your money is going towards paying for medicine for these people who can’t fend for themselves. If *you* get sick, it’s all over. No way to pay the bills. You and your family no longer have the right to stay alive because you don’t have enough money. Isn’t that fair?
Public healthcare doesn’t mean that everyone gets free painkillers when they slam their toe. It means that people who have no condition to treat severe problems get a second chance at life. It does work, and very well. Look at France and Finland for two great examples.
Paul R on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 4:03 pm
Education is a mess because DUBYA ran on NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. Which is exactly what McCain is running on.
Do you have a grandparent on medication. You need to ask her about what Bush’s plan that destroyed social security. That we had a surplus in 8 years ago. Now NOTHING. Social security is called an entitlement program and with Bush the program was expanded BUT the money went to the Insurance business, pharmaceutical and hospitals NOT TO THE PPL that put the money in there. When a person puts your car in a ditch there will have to be a lot of turns and mud that you would not have to do to get where you are going.
just me on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 5:01 pm
I think universal healthcare is a terrible idea.
Blue cross blue shield offers a package that is 84.00 a month for a family of four.
People in the medical field are exhausted as-is, and the people wanting free healthcare have no conception of this.
If you have a job, and dont waste all of your money on fast food, its extremely easy to get health insurance.
You make a very valid point when you mention Canadians. I have spent a good deal of time in Canada. If it was beneficial or helpful, why would they continue to come here for medical care. because it is a horrible plan, and most people who are for it are the same ones who want everything else without having to work for it.
Jero- not ALL Canadians come here for medical care, just MOST of them, because they don’t want to wait in a long line to get medical attention that has been dumbed down so that everyone gets free medical care for their runny nose.
kt on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 5:27 pm
The number of uninsured citizens has grown to over 40 million. Since health care premiums continue to grow at several times the rate of inflation, many businesses are simply choosing to not offer a health plan, or if they do, to pass on more of the cost to employees. Employees facing higher costs themselves are often choosing to go without health coverage. No health insurance doesn’t necessarily mean no health care since there are many clinics and services that are free to indigent individuals. However, any costs not covered by insurance must be absorbed by all the rest of us, which means even higher premiums.
Health care has become increasingly unaffordable for businesses and individuals. Businesses and individuals that choose to keep their health plans still must pay a much higher amount. Remember, businesses only have a certain amount of money they can spend on labor. If they must spend more on health insurance premiums, they will have less money to spend on raises, new hires, investment, and so on. Individuals who must pay more for premiums have less money to spend on rent, food, and consumer goods; in other words, less money is pumped back into the economy. Thus, health care prevents the country from making a robust economic recovery. A simpler government-controlled system that reduces costs would go a long way in helping that recovery.
We can eliminate wasteful inefficiencies such as duplicate paper work, claim approval, insurance submission, etc. Think back to all the times in your life you’ve had to fill out a medical history, answering the same questions over and over. Think about all the insurance paperwork you’ve had to fill out and submit. Our current health care system generates an enormous amount of overhead. Every time we go to the doctor, a claim must be submitted, an approval department has to go over the claim, checks have to be mailed, patients are sent co-pay bills, and so on. The thing that’s especially wasteful is that each doctor’s office usually maintains their own record-keeping system. A universal healthcare plan would allow us to build one centralized system. There would be no need for maintaining insurance information or wasting time submitting claims. The work savings in the banking and postal areas alone would be worth billions every year.
We can develop a centralized national database which makes diagnosis and treatment easier for doctors. Most doctor’s offices maintain a separate record-keeping system. This is why you always have to fill out a lengthy health history whenever you go to a new physician. This is a problem for several reasons. First of all, it’s wasteful of both time and money. Second of all, patients may lie, forget, or do a poor job of explaining past medical problems. Doctors need accurate information to make a proper diagnosis. Last of all, separate systems means we have a tougher time analyzing data at a national level. For example, are incidents of a certain disease dropping? How often is a certain illness associated with a specific set of symptoms? A centralized national system would allow us to do data analysis that we never dreamed possible, leading to medical advances and increased diagnosis efficiency. The main argument against a centralized database is that certain insurance providers may deny coverage if they find certain past medical problems. However, if the government is paying for everything, that should never be a problem.
Medical professionals can concentrate on healing the patient rather than on insurance procedures, malpractice liability, etc. Doctors have to take classes now s
Christy on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 5:28 pm
“Thirdly Canada has universal care and they all come here for treatment because they can’t get into a doctor up there. If there system is so great why do they come here for treatment?”
A few hundred Canadians per year travel to the US for healthcare. Most of them have their procedures paid for by the Canadian government. If you can’t make your case without making it with repeatedly-debunked falsehoods, you may not have a very strong case.
Read the article that shows this is a lie here:
“Phantoms In The Snow: Canadians’ Use Of Health Care Services In The United States
Surprisingly few Canadians travel to the United States for health care, despite the persistence of the myth.”
http://cthealth.server101.com/myth_canadians‘_use_of_healthcare_in_the_u_s_.htm
Ronnie C on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 5:52 pm
Obama wants the government to control healthcare, have they done a good job with social security??? NO…Obama is a socialist and his agenda is to control the masses….with the so called Universal Healthcare!!
80's Girl on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:07 pm
yeah, I was gonna say.. look how well its been working out for canada.
*Jo* The* Cowgirl* on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:40 pm
Only those wanting a free ride.
Gabriel V on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:48 pm
Every program the government becomes involved in goes to pot! It never works and costs taxpayers a fortune in it’s failure.
If any STATE wants universal health care, then they should provide it with their citizens paying for it. that way if it fails they can point fingers at the responsible officials and boot them out.
Federal government should stay out of it!
EDITED for Paul B.: I hope you don’t think medicare is free. Each senior pays $80 a month out of the social security to cover part of their expenses. As far as extended care, the state takes a lien against all their possessions once they have used all their available funds. They recoop most of their money in the end. The federal governmnet squandered the SS money years ago, so it’s low on funds requiring more from the participants. Also most seniors have to have insurance above medicare because medicare doesn’t cover everything. You’ll find out when you get there!
momwitha on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 7:04 pm
Universal Healthcare is a nightmare waiting to happen. I was watching a program not long ago about a guy living in Canada. He needed an MRI. The waiting list for an MRI in Canada was 8 months. He got an equity loan on his house of $18K to come to the US for the MRI. Good thing he did. He had cancer and would have died even before he would have been able to get his MRI in Canada. The doctor on the program said a lot of Canadians have come to the US for medical needs because their healthcare system is not working for them. The doctor was concerned where everyone is going to go to get the treatment they need if the US goes with the Universal Healthcare. He said the US will be backed up just like Canada is, and a lot of people will lose their lives….waiting. I don’t want to see the US go to that type of healthcare. Its not good for anyone who needs treatment.