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?

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Coolpeach, I paid $110/week when my son was in daycare as an infant, and that was considered cheap for the area.

I cannot name the number of times I have gotten by with a little help. Maybe not from Uncle Sam but I have a great support system. My stepfather literally sat me down when I was about 36 weeks pregnant with my son and made me go over exactly what my living expenses were and how much paid time off I had. Once my paid time ended, he literally paid my bills so I could have three months maternity leave. That is certainly not a catastrophic medical event, but moms deserve to have their full maternity leave, which I could not have done without help. I am more than willing to have my tax dollars go to making sure we all have healthcare paid for (hey! including ME!). Much rather that than a bunch of other crap the government is paying for right now.

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

Lindarn,

Look back a few posts we just over this. This happen 8 years ago.

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.
whoops! Be careful. Do you know how many divorced women with children are working full time jobs and going to school to become a nurse?

steph

Very very true............I did it, but I was lucky enough to have a very supportive family to help me.......whom I will be forever grateful to.

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Oops quoted wrong post and talking to wrong poster... :(

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My impression is that divorced women with children who work and go to school get loans that they pay back. That is not the same as universal healthcare. Child support is definitely not the same as UHC. Scholarships are not the same as UHC.

steph

In addition, I have known more than one person who went back to school so they could better support their children after their spouse died.

They weren't all women, either.

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.

You know, I really do see both sides to this argument. I do. I grew up in a home with family members who were/are very anti-government. I heard all the rants and speeches about how the govt did this and that that "imposed" on or somehow violated the rights of my father. I could only imagine the argument me an him would have on this subject.

But the bottom line is that our healthcare system sucks! This just isn't about lazy people wanting to sit on their a**es and get a free ride. Hardworking middle class people are just struggling to stay afloat and god forbid, something tragic happens and they drown!

What other solution is there? I know somebody else already threw this question out there.....but nobody responded!!! Unless you count the responses that basically say I want to pay for myself and no-one else. To me that's not a solution because this is what we're already doing. And it's not working. Oh, and the "each community takes care of it's own"...well the rich communities don't need help and those living in the poorer communities can't get help because their neighbors are in the same boat. And I'm gonna be selfish here for a minute (please don't take me the wrong way), but it's not working for me (and many many others)! Why shouldn't hardworking people be able to afford healthcare! There is no reason or excuse for the sorry state our system is in.

Those who are living at the poverty level supposedly get their "free healthcare". Me and you pay for it. They have nothing to lose at that point. Sure their credit gets trashed, but what do they care because it was already bad and they have no assets to lose. Unfortunately they will never get out of the hole like this.

Even though I am for UHC, I will propose an alternative......How about we pass laws that requires insurance companies to be non-profit. The billions that were profit will now go to paying for actual healthcare. They cannot deny coverage to anyone, even someone who has pre-existing conditions. Insurance coverage is mandatory for everyone, the cost possibly based on an individuals income. And no more of this limited coverage crap that isn't major medical (what a rip off!!) I guess that medicare and medicaid would remain intact with this situation? Oh, and no more money spent on drug advertising to the public. That should lower the actual cost of medications since advertising is a HUGE expense.

OT: I read in consumer reports that the combined advertising budget for Lunesta and Ambien CR was almost $500 million!!! And that's just for 2 drugs!! Why are they advertising to us.....we can't prescribe our own meds or run out to Walmart to buy the latest craze!! Sorry, this is a huge pet peeve of mine. Just seems like such a waste of resources.

Anyway, I know that no system is or will be perfect, but something has to be done. And the "alternative" I came up with, well, I just don't see it working. Individual insurance companies would never make it. Some might if they had a healthy group but others would easily go bankrupt if the proportion of unhealthy members outweighed the healthy. This is why I vote for UHC. We need to pool everyones resources together so that it evens itself out and everyone gets coverage.

Good grief!! I can't believe I just posted a book!!

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Lets look at this. Here in Dallas min wage is currently $6.55 an hour. It actually just went up to that amount a week or so ago. Anyway, lets say a woman with 3 kids leaves a domestic violence situation. She grew up in the ghetto, she dropped out of school to run away from her father who molested her. She now has an 8th grade education. She is not the sharpest tack in the box, and when she was tested in school her IQ was in the low 80's. She has low self esteem, and post traumatic stress from being molested by her father, and then beaten and raped by her husband. Her social skills are well below average because she grew up where she did around the people that raised her. She gets a job making min wage. This means she makes $262 a week before taxes, and $1048 a month. Now I know that back 15 years ago I paid for daycare for two kids. It cost me $236 every two weeks, and thats $118 a child for two weeks. If she has three thats $354 every two weeks, and $708 a month. Remember that these were the prices I paid 15 years ago I can only deduce that it would be more expensive now. Lets just assume she is paying day care prices from 15 years ago, and that leaves her with $340 a month, or $85 a week. She has three kids, and no husband so she can't easily work a second job. Her kids are already in daycare all day. She must find a way to pay rent, buy food for 4, pay for transportation to get all her kids to daycare and home, and her to work. She must pay for her electricity, water, gas, sewer, garbage pickup, and if she is to better herself pay for her tuition and books while also covering daycare for her to go to school. She must do this with the $85 a week she has left minus the taxes, social security etc they take from her check. We havent even thought about how she would dress herself and her children, pay from laundry, soaps, shampoos, medical care, and medications.

So tell me how is she supposed to stretch that $85 to do that with no help?

I would like you to tell me that. Remember she cannot get family help, daycare assistance, foodstamps, medicaid, free sitting, wic, grants, or any type of assistance. So tell me how can this woman get to where you are now.

I agree. That woman gets free healthcare.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Ok, I have an idea.

When I fill out that form for work (W4, is it?) that tells my employer how many deductions I have, how about I also tell the Uncle Sam how I want my government to spend my tax dollars. That way none of us would be funding things we don't believe in. I think it would be an interesting experiment.

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Ok, I have an idea.

When I fill out that form for work (W4, is it?) that tells my employer how many deductions I have, how about I also tell the Uncle Sam how I want my government to spend my tax dollars. That way none of us would be funding things we don't believe in. I think it would be an interesting experiment.

I like the idea.

But there would be a bill in congress called McCain - ??? that would outlaw it.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
I like the idea.

But there would be a bill in congress called McCain - ??? that would outlaw it.

Yes, well, I'm not on McCain's side anyway. :D

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Nor am I....Sen. McCain's health care proposals would increase the number of uninsureds...

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Specializes in med-surg.

I know I am new here & this thread has been up awhile but I have an uncontrollable urge to respond.

:down:NO without a doubt NO universal health care.

I am probably going to get on my soap box for this one.

What has the gov't ever done that has been successful???

The way health care is now is already due to the politicians fixing it.

Our health care system was not broken back in the 70's, I remember when we got sick we went to the doctor & paid $20 for the visit. If there was anything else needed then the insurance kicked in this was called major medical.

:no:

Fast forward to present:

1) Hospitals can not by law turn anyone away for not having insurance they have to accept reduced fee or no fee patients. We have had several hospital close due to their not working in the black.

2) Americans have 2 forms of universal health care Medicare /Medicaid & no one is happy with them. Anyone can get Medicaid on our dime. Let me let you about a patient of mine that I took care of. He & his wife came from India to live with their son both in their late 70's. He was an accountant she a seamstress in India. They never worked here they received a little over $300 mo/each, food stamps, HEAP, assistance with phone bills, rent paid by section 8 housing, and Medicad paid all medical bills, he was on a long term program thru visiting nurse with aide service, nursing, PT,OT, social worker. He had a broken hip came to the hospital & rehab for 6 mo total. When it was time to return home he would need to have his wife continue insulin injections, he declined saying a nurse would have to come 2xd to administer even though they were independent prior. The wife's status had not changed she was able to still perform the injections his MD said NO he was to do as prior. He called me Mrs. Pataki. He also wanted a hospital bed for home the MD said NO or go to a nursing home this Indian gentleman said AMERICA was doing him an INJUSTICE. Go figure.

3) In NYS we have Child health plus & family health plus for people that can't get insurance thru work. I have 2 grown daughters & both were offered health care thru their employers, but they would need to pay a premium not a big one but something, both felt that since they are young & healthy they refused the insurance. Why are the rest of us responsible for other peoples choices. I already pay for my insurance @ $850/mo plus our $4500.00 deductible as we are self employed.

If we think health care is expensive wait til it's free.

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