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.

I don't think it's true that 'anyone' can get Medicaid. Have seen it happen too many times in the other direction.

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Specializes in med-surg.

Maybe not Everyone but most can.

I used to think the same along time ago.

After starting visiting nurses you would be surprised @ the very high number of eligible people. I once saw a woman who had a son who was an MD she had beautiful antiques & furniture in her home & was on medicaid no spend-down. That is just 1 example.

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.
If we think health care is expensive wait til it's free.

Under UHC, healthcare will not be "free". You will still be paying for your healthcare. The big difference is you will cut out the middle man by paying for it via taxes instead of the insurance company. Yes, the govt has not always been "successful" in everything it does, but you can't reach success until you try! And do you seriously think the insurance companies are doing a better job?? You will most likely be paying LESS than what you are paying your insurance company! And everybody is covered. You've done a nice job of outlining the current problems with healthcare. You also say no way to UHC. So what do you propose?

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.

Guess what? The rest of us WILL be responsible for your 2 grown young and healthy daughters if they were to be in a car accident tomorrow. They have no insurance, BY CHOICE, the taxpayers would foot this bill.

In NYS we have Child health plus & family health plus for people that can't get insurance thru work.

I'm glad NY has this. We have something similar in our state, but it is for children only. If you're an adult, you are SOL. Unless you are in pristine health, any and all insurance companies WILL deny you coverage, unless you are fortunate enough to be under a group plan thru your employer.....and now I'm learning your not safe even then. Many of us CAN afford insurance.....but are denied, NOT by choice.

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
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.

The president who started this resigned during his impeachment hearings

On February 17, 1971, Richard Nixon met with John Ehrlichman to discuss the Vice President's position on health maintenance organizations. The Miller Center of Public Affairs has this audio recording (conversation number 450-23. "Richard Nixon - Oval Office Recordings,"

http://millercenter.org/scripps/digitalarchive/presidentialrecordings/nixon/oval?PHPSESSID=b813e56b3017d097cd176720bc10fc74

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I used to work in a community health center and know exactly what people go through - people who really do need Medicaid - to be on it. And more often than not, they couldn't.

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Specializes in med-surg.

look, i think that we are unfair in who gets what. the ones in true need like the elderly (the gov told them they would take care of them & do not) are the ones who get denied because they have a little savings or some assets.

then there are people who get just because, there was a girl in my daughters school i was taking a bunch of them to a movie & asked what did they want to be when they grew up? one girl said she wanted to live with her grandfather & uncle in fla. and do what i asked? collect welfare was her answer i do not want to work it is a waste! she was 16 @ the time. she did not move to fla but she is still living in town & did get on welfare. she has fulfilled her lifetime dream.

like i described in my original statement. someone can come to this country never contribute to our system & get everything paid for (medicaid covers all medical, heap cover heating, section 8 housing covers rent, phone bills paid, food stamps) while our own elderly are struggling & denied & have to fight for things.

again americans have 2 forms of universal health care medicare /medicaid & no one is happy with them.

insurance companies do not do a good job. they are also regulated by the government who writes the laws that the insurance has to follow.

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

links below just show that the gov. has already tried to be successful & have failed that is why we are where we are.

http://www.answers.com/topic/fhp-international-corporation

http://www.answers.com/topic/u-s-healthcare-inc

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I like how people try to use the 'immigrants are coming and getting all our benefits' tactics to scare people.

The majority of 'welfare riders' are Americans.

The government never said it would 'take care' of the elderly. Medicare is doing a sufficient job. Sure it could be better. Everything in existence could be better. Part of the problem with Medicare and SS is that the elderly are abusing it. Medicare and SS were not meant to be free or total rides. They were meant to help at the end of life, which was not expected to be 102.

The arguments that you give about our system being broken are exactly why we need a new system. You can't complain that our system is broken and still reject the idea of trying a new system. It is illogical.

In any case, we can argue about UHC but realistically I don't see it ever making it. People will reject it for the wrong reasons and the status quo will continue. America will slide further along the road of haves and have nots. Of course, the haves like it this way...

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Specializes in med-surg.

I did not list just illegals

I gave an example of just 1 American abuse there are plenty more. Many more than most people care to admit.

The system is broken, but the politicians or gov should not be the ones to fix it. They the politicians are the haves that we talk about. They get free medical, free retirement on us for life.

Look @ all their perks @ our expense & for what an insurance system they developed & now want to fix.

So how could the politicians ever fix something they are not experiencing themselves?

What job do you work @ that provides free medical & free retirement for life? None I have ever had.

Just my opinion of course. There is always 2 sides to every argument or there would not be disagreements.

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I did not list just illegals

I gave an example of just 1 American abuse there are plenty more. Many more than most people care to admit.

The system is broken, but the politicians or gov should not be the ones to fix it. They the politicians are the haves that we talk about. They get free medical, free retirement on us for life.

Look @ all their perks @ our expense & for what an insurance system they developed & now want to fix.

So how could the politicians ever fix something they are not experiencing themselves?

What job do you work @ that provides free medical & free retirement for life? None I have ever had.

Just my opinion of course. There is always 2 sides to every argument or there would not be disagreements.

You are right. However it is us that elect these politicians. Any failures of politicians reflect on the citizens that vote for them...

However if you were to vote against it solely because you don't think politicians should handle it you would be doing the country a disservice. We need a system to be implemented. While people squabble over insignificant details, 40+ millions people continue to be without insurance.

You don't wait for something to be perfect before voting on it. If everyone did that we'd never get anything done.

Of course in our 2 party system nothing ever really gets done anyways as the two sides just squabble of nonsensical and insignificant things. Hmmm, I seem to be merging threads here...

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.

again americans have 2 forms of universal health care medicare /medicaid & no one is happy with them.

i don't qualify for either of those two programs. neither do alot of people i know. medicare and medicaid is not universal. so to state that americans have 2 forms of universal healthcare is simply untrue. it is not universal until everyone qualifies.

i am not arguing that our healthcare system is in a sad state. i totally agree with you. but sitting back and complaining about it while being unwilling to agree to change does nothing to improve the situation. at this point, i would agree to just about any policy that anybody could come up with if there's a chance for improvement over our current system.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

stanley, you appear to contradict yourself. in one post you indicate that medicare is serving the elderly just fine:

from stanley's post #460: "1) reduces patient incentives to find the best possible prices for the best possible services/products available.

...is this a problem with the growing elderly population on medicare? not really..."

in another, you indicate that the elderly are abusing ss and medicare:

medicare is doing a sufficient job. sure it could be better. everything in existence could be better. part of the problem with medicare and ss is that the elderly are abusing it. medicare and ss were not meant to be free or total rides. they were meant to help at the end of life, which was not expected to be 102

it can't be both ways. either ss and medicare are efficient systems that are meeting the needs of our elderly citizens, or not.

it is not the fault of the current elderly population that the politicians, policy makers and bureaucrats who engineered ss and medicare failed to plan for the decreasing population growth, longer lifespan, explosion of expensive medical technology and overwhelming tax burdens that are making these programs unsustainable. if you want a more current example, you need look no further than medicare part d, a program enacted with overwhelming bi-partisan support that has exploded to 5-10x the initial cost estimates. given this track record, why in the world would any thinking american taxpayer trust our government to plan an even more far-reaching and expensive program?

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

However if you were to vote against it solely because you don't think politicians should handle it you would be doing the country a disservice. We need a system to be implemented. While people squabble over insignificant details, 40+ millions people continue to be without insurance.

You don't wait for something to be perfect before voting on it. If everyone did that we'd never get anything done.

We had better wait until it's right before passing it, because once voted in, it will never be un-done, or even significantly amended to make it more responsive or cost-effective. As evidenced by SS and Medicare. While some Americans do indeed need healthcare coverage, that is not a reason to impose a poorly-thought-out, overly expensive or cumbersome system on the whole country.

What we need are pilot-studies comparing several options for UHC, MSA's coupled with catastrophic coverage, preventive plans, individual plans separate from employers, etc. Only when armed with information as to how various forms of healthcare coverage work, should we be voting anything into law.

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