Do You Want Universal Healthcare?

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I know this topic has been discussed before on this site..but, I was curious for an updated response. How many of you would be willing to pay more taxes for universal healthcare? I find it egregious that the US has put a cost on maintaining/saving ones life! I traveled to Europe and the thought of them having to bring their checkbook to the hospital aroused literal laughs. It's the same notion that we'd have to whip out our debit card to firefighters before they turned the hoses on our burning homes. It's sad. I think the overall costs of UH would be beneficial...in fact, the raised taxes would still probably be lower than our rising premiums every 2 weeks! Thoughts?

I feel, that if i had a choice to live a clean life and pay less taxes but get health care when i need it, it would be more beneficial to me personally than universal health care. Universal health care does not mean that we are all treated equal. I have been a nurse in the system for over 30 years. thats just my opinion! If i can afford to pay then i should benefit!

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Specializes in Quality Management.

I want healthcare to be an inalienable right, I really do. I also wish we could eliminate hunger. Every person should have enough food.

But I don't know how we are ever going to pay for all this.

The entire concept is so overwhelming that I have to stop thinking about it. It leads me eventually to the conclusion that "people are no damn good" and challenges my choice of career.

How can I "care" in the context of a system that is so screwed up? This is exactly the sort of existential challenge I've been dodging since I turned 40.

How do we exist consciously in a world filled with such inequities? Is the solution really to stop thinking about it? Is this why nurses burn out?

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.
The inmates cannot leave the prison to seek health care. The state put them there, so the state must provide health care for them. Otherwise, a three-year sentence for flagrant non-support could equate to a death sentence for someone with hypertension.

Every American is entitled to prison health care as long as they meet the qualifications.

Thier actions are what landed them in prison. And becasuse of thier actions they are medically taken care, have shelter, and food. And who is paying for that. US. I would rather have my tax $$ benefit those who are struggling to provide for thier families.

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No! Fist let's call a spade a spade. Do I want SOCIALIZED Medicine? NO I do not, and here is why. If you look at Canada and Great Britian you will see two failing systems. The cost of Socialized medicine is overwhelming to a nations budget, thus the level of care is sacrificed.

In Canada, private hospitals are illegal, so Canadians come to the US for health care that they can not get, or can not get in a timely manner. In GB private hospitals are popping up all over the country, as patients are tired of being denied care, or having to wait until they are untreatable before their number comes up. In both instances the Canadians and the Britians PAY for their care, even though they have already paid a huge amount in taxes for care that they can not obtain.

If we were to adopt Socialized medicine in this country, our quality of care will plummit. R & D will plummit, as Socialism stifles initiative, and medical progress will stagnate. Will more people receive care? No, because the uninsured and poor in our country already receive care when they need it. If they do not obtain it at a free clinic, all they have to do is show up in the ER, and they can not be refused treatment.

Health care workers already complain about the quality of care by HMOs. With an HMO niether the patient, or the patient's physician, is in control of the patient's care, but the beaurocrats that work for the HMO are. Factor thousands of more beaurocrats into the equation, and then contemplate the level of care that you will receive (if you are even deemed worthy of care) with socialized medicine.

Let's take an example of a patient diagnosed with Cancer. In GB they may be diagnosed in time to receive life saving care, but by the time their care is authorized and finally begun, the patient may be terminal. In our society of I want it now, how well do you think this will go over? In no time we will have private hospitals where only the "rich" can get quality, and timely care. Capitalism works, socialism does not. It fails every time that it is tried (do some research).

Our medical system may have flaws, but it is the best medical system in the world. Why do you think that people come from all over the world to receive care? We also have renowned R&D, because there is incentive to discover and invent. Take away the incentive, and intiative dies. Let's not put the nail in the coffin of our Health Care System, while reaching for a utopia that does NOT exist.

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Nicely stated 1suzyq!

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why can't we just extend medicaid to cover whoever chooses w/ a sliding tax (or "insurance payment" if you will) scale and pull tax money to cover it? that way we would not be putting a whole new structure in place, and people could choose to use that or not. Its not paying for insurance that bothers me, its all the crap that goes along with private insurance. Its having to decide if my problem is "worth" the copay at the moment compared to whatever other immediate needs I have, and with nsg school and raising 3 kids so money is always tight. My son was sick the beginning of this year with what seemed like the flu, but it went into his ears. Instead of taking him to the doctor we just rode it out because money was tight, figuring it would pass. Three weeks after the first onset of symptoms, he had a very very serious and painful ear infection. It was a mistake to wait, but usually its ok to wait, and with 5 of us, someone is always sick... just the copays alone would be over $100 for us, not counting our $350 each deductible.

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How can I "care" in the context of a system that is so screwed up? This is exactly the sort of existential challenge I've been dodging since I turned 40.

How do we exist consciously in a world filled with such inequities? Is the solution really to stop thinking about it? Is this why nurses burn out?

You care in the context of the patients you are assigned at any given time. You provide them the best care you are able with the resources available to you. That is your job, your role, your responsibility.

System shortcomings are best discussed over a glass of wine in a relaxing environment.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).
ok, so if you don't think health care is a right could you look in the eyes of a mom with a sick child and say" Sorry, your child has no right to life saving treatment because I don't think your child deserves it"? Just because she isn't driving a Rolls?

There are already social programs in place for situations such as this. You're painting those who don't view taxpayer funded-universal healthcare as a right as heartless, lollipop-stealing monsters....

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).
why can't we just extend medicaid to cover whoever chooses w/ a sliding tax (or "insurance payment" if you will) scale and pull tax money to cover it? that way we would not be putting a whole new structure in place, and people could choose to use that or not. Its not paying for insurance that bothers me, its all the crap that goes along with private insurance. Its having to decide if my problem is "worth" the copay at the moment compared to whatever other immediate needs I have, and with nsg school and raising 3 kids so money is always tight. My son was sick the beginning of this year with what seemed like the flu, but it went into his ears. Instead of taking him to the doctor we just rode it out because money was tight, figuring it would pass. Three weeks after the first onset of symptoms, he had a very very serious and painful ear infection. It was a mistake to wait, but usually its ok to wait, and with 5 of us, someone is always sick... just the copays alone would be over $100 for us, not counting our $350 each deductible.

That's what McCain is proposing. Neither candidate is proposing a "true" socialist universal healthcare program. Hill-dog did.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
Hill-dog did.

Hill-dog???

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Specializes in Quality Management.

we received this e-mail at work this morning:

featured action

sign the petition - health care for america now!

should america guarantee quality, affordable health care we can all count on or will we continue to be at the mercy of the insurance industry? you can take a stand. sign the petition now.

if you've already signed, click here to forward the petition to a friend.

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ahhh... so I was forced to go read all the details on McCain and Obama's healthcare reform suggestions. Neither sounds all that great to be honest. I read McCain's but did not see anything that said that we'd all get medicaid options or anything, just that there would be healthcare insurance available that is not tied to your job (which is great actually as the whole "90 day wait" thing is not such a small deal in these days of short term employment)

I hate politics because I always come away feeling very dissapointed in all of them. :(

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