A majority of Americans would tolerate higher taxes to help pay for universal health

[HM2VikingRN]

From Bloomberg:

Universal Health Care

Six in 10 people surveyed say they would be willing to repeal tax cuts to help pay for a health-care program that insures all Americans.

...

Most of the highest income group polled, those in households earning more than $100,000, support it. While more than eight in 10 Democrats say they like the plan, most Republicans oppose it.

Most of the highest income group polled, those in households earning more than $100,000, support it. While more than eight in 10 Democrats say they like the plan, most Republicans oppose it.

...

An agenda focused on health care and education spending would be better for the economy than returning money to taxpayers through tax cuts, she said: ``In the end it would cut costs.''

By 52 percent to 36 percent, Americans favored health and education spending as a better economic stimulus than tax cuts

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601170&refer=home&sid=a2TWmuh3vHHI accessed today.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Why should medicines be rationed out as they are now. Where does the Insurance industry get off telling me how many Viagra I can have in a month. when they pass out Norco like sugar pills.

[CRNA2007]

You can always pay out of your pocket for more viagra any time you like. So it definitely is not rationed.

Why should medicines be rationed out as they are now. Where does the Insurance industry get off telling me how many Viagra I can have in a month. when they pass out Norco like sugar pills.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

You can always pay out of your pocket for more viagra any time you like. So it definitely is not rationed.

That is so true.

steph

[graysonret]

Unfortunately, with government healthcare, we will see long waits and rationing, just like every other country that has nationalized the care. That's why the English leave the country to get care elsewhere (India is No. 1 for surgery), and Canadians come here for help. Some of the patients I work with, would not have made it, if they had to wait 6 months to see a specialist. Yet, they were able to see a doctor right away, and get the proper care they needed. Universal health care sounds great....another entitlement from the goverment. But, in the end, as a nurse, I cannot support such care to patients. I have looked and can't find such entitlement anywhere in the Constitution. And, no, don't quote the preamble's "promote the general welfare". That's why the founders had the 10th amendment included. To prevent the goverment from doing whatever it wanted under the clause.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

Your access comments are not supported by the data. See myths and memes at pnhp.org .

[nicurn001]

Graysonret , English and Canadians are not the only ones who go to other countries to seek healtcare , have you not seen reports of Americans going to Asia etc. to recieve the care denied by their insurers.Some patients here , do not make it , having fought and been denied coverage by their insurance carrier.So we both are already supporting such care to our patients in this country .

As to the constituitional aspects ,these have been discussed earlier in this thread .

[nicurn001]

This may be provocative , but , I'll pose this question( which I fell is valid in this thread ).

SHOULD HEALTHCARE BE VIEWED AS A RIGHT OR A BENEFIT ?.

When I read such comments as "Ask them this question "will you write out a $500 check each month to pay for your neighbors health care" " or " Universal health care sounds great....another entitlement from the goverment ", I think either these people have forgotten that they already collectively share their healthcare risk with the others who are covered by their insurance carrier.Or wonder how they can compartmentalise that they expect others to share their healthcare cost through the premiums they pay to the private insurers , but are unwilling to share the costs with others through a single payer scheme.(Before somebody brings it up, the $x00 toilet seat is an accounting tool , much like the $x00 tylenol tablet , to enable one charge to cover another charge used in free enterprise and government enterprises so as to shield knowledge about aspects of a program , that the enterprise doe not wish to publicise.).

I feel that Healthcare should not be viewed as a benefit, particularly one related to employment as in this linkage it emphasises a servitude to employers , ie.if you don't do as your emplyer wants ,you will lose your acess to healthcare or even if you simply change employment , you lose access to healthcare (or have to pay the onerus premiums of COBRA ).

[CRNA2007]

Onerous premiums like COBRA will eventually be the norm under a government run system. Are you willing to pay for sex change operations? Penile implants, and God knows what else.

This may be provocative , but , I'll pose this question( which I fell is valid in this thread ).

SHOULD HEALCARE BE VIEWED AS A RIGHT OR A BENEFIT ?.

When I read such comments as "Ask them this question "will you write out a $500 check each month to pay for your neighbors health care" " or " Universal health care sounds great....another entitlement from the goverment ", I think either these people have forgotten that they already collectively share their healthcare risk with the others who are covered by their insurance carrier.Or wonder how they can compartmentalise that they expect others to share their healthcare cost through the premiums they pay to the private insurers , but are unwilling to share the costs with others through a single payer scheme.(Before somebody brings it up, the $x00 toilet seat is an accounting tool , much like the $x00 tylenol tablet , to enable one charge to cover another charge used in free enterprise and government enterprises so as to shield knowledge about aspects of a program , that the enterprise doe not wish to publicise.).

I feel that Healthcare should not be viewed as a benefit, particularly one related to employment as in this linkage it emphasises a servitude to employers , ie.if you don't do as your emplyer wants ,you will lose your acess to healthcare or even if you simply change employment , you lose access to healthcare (or have to pay the onerus premiums of COBRA ).

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

Onerous premiums like COBRA will eventually be the norm under a government run system. Are you willing to pay for sex change operations? Penile implants, and God knows what else.

Sources to support this claim? Wild allegations designed to inflame sentiment rather than reason? Fear mongering?

Frankly, I don't believe that you can come up with even the thinnest shred of evidence to support this set of allegations. The evidence shows that single payer systems deliver better health care outcomes at lower prices.

[CRNA2007]

Let's look at medicare, which costs more than 500% of it's estimated costs by those that sought to implement it. When people pay little or no money for anything they will take advantage of the system no matter what it is. Single payor will be run by lobbyists. Groups that had prostate CA will want the penile implants. Gay and Lesbian groups will want the sex change operations paid for and on and on and on.

Sex change operation are part of the health care package for San Francisco city employees. See related links. Wild allegations designed to inflame? I guess when you can't argue facts name calling is the next step. By the way how thin is this evidence? Now let's see your evidence that American won't be paying for these type of surgical treatments.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_1999_May_25/ai_54775070

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002923955_sexchange10m.html

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/928

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2001_June_5/ai_75248586

Sources to support this claim? Wild allegations designed to inflame sentiment rather than reason? Fear mongering?

Frankly, I don't believe that you can come up with even the thinnest shred of evidence to support this set of allegations. The evidence shows that single payer systems deliver better health care outcomes at lower prices.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

COBRA is expensive but is there. Fortunately for me and my family. My husband is working two weekends per month extra to pay for coverage for us.

And I agree with CRNA2007 . . . government run programs will wildly exceed iniitial plans in regards to expense.

And that means even more tax money going out of my pocket.

When NOT ONE politician will stand up and say that we need to stop wasting so much money -

steph

[Jolie, BSN]

And I agree with CRNA2007 . . . government run programs will wildly exceed iniitial plans in regards to expense.

And that means even more tax money going out of my pocket.

steph

One need look no further than the recently implemented Medicare Part D as an example of government run healthcare with costs far in excess of estimates and limited (if any) benefit to those it was intended to serve.