All I want for Christmas is a single payer plan!

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

It's pretty hard to rebut anything this congressman says. He makes an argument for the right as well as for the left. I only wish we didn't have such a need to preserve the health insurance industry at our own health expense:

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

No thanks to the single pay plan.

I'm not standing in line; and I have enough connections to never, ever have to.

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While in Los Angeles a few days ago, I saw a homeless man talking to a stop sign. When he turned and looked at us driving by, he had a full white beard dripping blood from an abcess/laceration or who knows what under his beard. Sure, he could go to the ER, but are they going to provide him with antibiotics the next several days and ensure he takes his meds? We can thank Ronald Regan for letting people like this man to go untreated.

A country is measured by the care it provides its most vulnerable people, and in America, the richest nation in the world, we fail miserably in providing health care to everyone. Healthcare is not a privilege, it's a right that everyone should have, not just the ones that can afford it. Right now, at age 51, I am terrified to find myself without health insurance as I couldn't afford the $800 a month premium, pay for my very modest 1200 sq ft house and feed my 2 teenagers. Health insurance was never an issue til my husband died 5 yrs ago, and now it has become a crisis. My kids are insured at the cost of $200 a mth for a $5000 deductible, but I guess I'm the expendable one. Having to pick between my kids or me having health isurance should never be an issue.

I too, want a single payer plan for Christmas.

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No thanks to the single pay plan.

I'm not standing in line; and I have enough connections to never, ever have to.

So I guess the rest of us should die from lack of healthcare because we don't have connections? As the number one nation, how can this happen?

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My Country (USA) took care of me when I was in need of medical attention. I would just go to the ER and got the help that I needed. Then I had a child without a high paying job and had my baby without expense to me. Then I had a Transplant and again did not have to pay anything. My Country also payed for my Medical Assistant schooling so that I was able to have a career when I was to come off of disability. Now I am a Nurse (paid for by myself) and am glad to give back to my Country what it gave for me. I have no connections, just went to my local gov't health care center and all is well. This was all within the past 15 years.

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No thanks to the single pay plan.

I'm not standing in line; and I have enough connections to never, ever have to.

I'm happy for you, that you have these awesome connections you tell us about. But unfortunately, the average joe doesn't have these "connections" you boast of. And this is definately why healthcare needs some major changes.

Because whatever the case may be, the system we have in place now is without a doubt FAILING THE AVERAGE US CITIZEN.

My 2 cents, and I'll stand behind it.

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Not so much for the single payer system. As much as I think the insurance companies aren't fair. I just think the government taking away a free market (bite by bite), is just horrible. Ideally I feel it would be wonderful if everyone could have some health insurance. I do agree with a government option to keep the insurance companies on their feet. And I also believe in personal responsibility.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

I'll 2nd your Christmas wish. I'm 59 years old lost my job 17 months ago and my health ins. I can't get insured due to pre-existing conditions (duh at 59 everything is pre-existing). Cobra was out of my price range. So far I've had one job interview in the last year for each job I apply for there are at least 500 applicants if not more. I've been able to re-activate my Ohio license thru online courses but I don't live in Ohio and unless I can sell my place I don't have the $$$ to move. I've been fighting with the GA LPN BON to get my license re-activated and so far it looks like it could take another 4-6 months IF at all.

The un-insured and under-insured are every woman and man, we are people that up until this crash had good paying jobs with insurance (crappy insurance really). Up until I got sick several years ago I had no debt other than a very modest mortage on a small double wide, now I'm in debt up to my eyeballs from my health bills - the co-pays and deductables did me in along with many others....The major cause of bankruptcy in this country is bills related to health problems. I'm now one of those people you hear about, I can't afford most of my Rx's now (2 Thyroid meds, BP and 2 Bioidentical hormones) and the ones I can pay for I split dosages and skip days - yah I know it's a no no but it's better to take some than none. I fall in between the cracks I don't qualify for Medicaid and I'm too young for Medicare.

I'm not sharing my story for sympathy but for example, just that there are MILLIONS of us now and more to come unless something changes with our system. As Michael Moore said the insurance companies are a business and it's their fiduciary duty to make money not to care for people. He also asks the question - when did America quit caring about the least of us and become so greedy. I know if and when (I hope) I go back to work, I'd be more than willing to shell out a few extra dollars a month for an affordable health care system for everyone (not free but affordable).

I don't know what the answer is for America but our system is broken and I'm sure all agree. We (the USA) are the only affluent western country without some form of affordable healthcare system. WE are supposed to be the richest nation on the earth but many 3rd world countries have better health care than we do - if I remember correctly we rank somewhere around 37th. Are the current bills the right ones - maybe not, but it's a start in the right direction.

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Seems to me like we went the wrong way. I just don't

understand why we do things to limit competition, remove all concept of shopping for cost and magically attach health care to employers to

further reduce consumer choice and

then wonder why it's screwed up. Why does the price of most things fo down but not healthcare?

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Yes, there needs to be a change. I am from Germany and we have social health insurance where everybody according to their income pays into a mandatory system. For example, students pay a very low affordable premium and are fully covered. I live here in the US and are separated for many years from my husband because I depend on his policy. In other words, I can't afford to be divorced. What a country!

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
So I guess the rest of us should die from lack of healthcare because we don't have connections? As the number one nation, how can this happen?

Live your fantasy world. You will get healthcare; but you don't take into consideration that the American Culture DEMANDS NOW and I mean NOW treatment. You tell that neighbor of yours down the street he has to wait 6 months for an MRI. Yeah, right. Okay. Sure, he will wait like a good, little citizen. Waiting, waiting, waiting...like a good citizen. Yeah.....right....

You put that into your thought pattern.

You willl get your care like everyone else....2-6 months later.

Your choice. Not mine.

I don't agree with single pay...and since I don't agree....I won't have to deal with it..neither do most of my MD friends and family.

Do you really think they HAVE to participate? You're kidding right?

Dream on.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I'm happy for you, that you have these awesome connections you tell us about. But unfortunately, the average joe doesn't have these "connections" you boast of. And this is definately why healthcare needs some major changes.

Because whatever the case may be, the system we have in place now is without a doubt FAILING THE AVERAGE US CITIZEN.

My 2 cents, and I'll stand behind it.

That's fine. The problem is that you aren't dealing with the problem that single pay will no doubt have. All of the consequences.

Yes, free healthcare for everyone.

But does everyone think these physicians are willing to extend themselves for the little pay that the government is willing to give them? You have to be joking. No, some of them are not. And frankly, I don't blame them.

That's the bottom line. I am not waiting 6 months for an MRI, nor a surgery that I know I would need right away. No way, Jose.

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