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 ICU/Critical Care.

So my question is for all the people who say Yes to universal healthcare. If all healthcare should be free, how are we going to get paid? And if universal healthcare is instated, will our hourly wage go down?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

You get paid by the health care funding for the health system. Our wages are very good but then we are mostly unionized up here as well. The government uses the tax money to pay for healthcare but they don't administer health care.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Just curious about that. I couldn't afford my home if universal healthcare would mean I'd have to take a pay cut.

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

There are many pros and cons of the idea. I am for it though because by the time qualify for medicare I can only imgine what it will be like. Senoirs now barley get anyting without having to pay an arm and leg.

I think if done the right way and if there were different options available then it would work. Here in Ca there are several state programs, med-cal ( state medicaid), APT ( county ability to pay) and Health Families. If universal could maybe model around this it may be suitale. If say they based it on your taxes and there was 3 different levels. Say level 1 had 0 premiums or co pay ( basically the ones that qualify for state aid now) level 2 the working class afforable premiums maybe like $50 for single and $100 for families (lower than those being offered now for provate ins) for the whole family and say $5 office co pays and prescriptions then level 3 something along the lines of what alot of americans are paying for thier private insurance already. Across the board the care would be the same and all facilities and Dr.'s accepting all levels (unlike now where Dr.'s can choose).

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So my question is for all the people who say Yes to universal healthcare. If all healthcare should be free, how are we going to get paid? And if universal healthcare is instated, will our hourly wage go down?

Our hourly pay would not go down. The pay rate should stay the same, because we would have a more efficient system (billing systems all work the same - no various insurance having various systems) and people would still be paying an insurance "tax" as opposed to a premium.

As has been said before in this thread, the current US system is very inefficient financially. If anything, I would think that it would HELP because our employers, the hospitals themselves, would not be stiffed so much by indigent/non paying patients, since the government would be guaranteeing payment. No worrying about who is going to pay for the deductibles and the 20% or whatever copays and no worrying about the patient stiffing you. That trickles down to us as well. (although I kinda believe it trickles down to the administrative staff because I am getting SCREWED with the pay I make as a secretary atm lol)

Its amazing how little medicaid actually pays compared to what they attempt to charge, and anyone with insurance generally has a MUCH lower amt. My husband had a vasectomy awhile ago and the cost for the proceedure (outpatient) was $2600. My insurance paid $400, and the doctors office had to write off very close to $2000! as part of their agreement w/ my insurance company. I think that, with government payments, it would be similar, but would not be any 'cheaper' for them than it is for medicaid or insurance company write offs now.

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Specializes in N/A.
Check out the NPR series http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91972152

for some facts on how it is in other advanced countries. Enuf with the guesses and wild anecdotes.:yeah:

Thanks for bringing a rational side to this debate; other sources to check out (including a thread entitled "Doctors Revolt" on allnurses.com) include:

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_doctors_revolt

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2008/tc20080331_551691.htm

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEED91E3DF937A35750C0A965958260

http://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/history.htm

This was quite a history lesson for me--I had no idea universal health coverage was proposed ages ago by Franklin Roosevelt along with Social Security, but the AMA quashed it. Figures.

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and honestly, if it meant a slight paycut to me over what I pay for insurance now, to have no deductibles and copay, I would do it.

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This was quite a history lesson for me--I had no idea universal health coverage was proposed ages ago by Franklin Roosevelt along with Social Security, but the AMA quashed it. Figures.

oooh boy dont even get me started on the AMA. Wish I had the amount of politicians in my pocket that they do~

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I can't imagine my health care depending on some person at an insurance company deciding what treatment I get or don't get. I can't imagine having to keep track of every swab, gauze and product i used so it could go on the bill. What is the point of spending an outrageous amount for basic insurance and they can still deny you?

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I can't imagine my health care depending on some person at an insurance company deciding what treatment I get or don't get. I can't imagine having to keep track of every swab, gauze and product i used so it could go on the bill. What is the point of spending an outrageous amount for basic insurance and they can still deny you?

I have "good insurance" and its the same as what government employees get pretty much across the board.

When I go to the doctor, they randomly deny payment for a variety of things, most of which are false/inaccurate. I had a bill from the dentist for $400 and when I called the insurance company they said "oh, we just needed to know that you don't have another dental insurance". They never said that or sent me a letter to that end or anything. They just waited until I complained. (and why would I be paying out the nose for the "premium" version of my dental plan and still have another dental insurance elsewhere???)

My husband almost cut his thumb off at the start of this year (simultaneously flooding our home and shattering a toilet) and we called 911. They sent a cop car and an ambulance to our home. They were able to get the bleeding under control (and our water turned off) and gave us the option of going to the hospital ourselves once they bandaged him up really good to save some money. The ambulance was not covered.

Almost every single bill that I get, some part is either not covered under my insurance (some sort of dental cleaning that I'm only supposed to have once every three years but I had it twice in 2 years) or miscoded and denied (my child goes to a "well baby visit" at the doctors and it is coded as a doctor visit instead of well child and it falls under my deductible and copay category - or better yet.... I ask them to just check out her ears since we're there and she was tugging at them the other day and the doctor changes the category because of that ON PURPOSE!!)

Its a nightmare. Atleast once every two months I have to spend 20 minutes on the phone with the insurance company going over every single charge for the past x amt of time (sometimes up to a year) for one doctor's office or another to find errors. These are not $5 errors either but $100-$200-$500 and up!

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
But everyone DOES have access to healthcare. The issue here is who's paying for it.

Like I said, I can agree with access to basic healthcare as a right. Basic.

...

The one benefit I see to a universal payor healthcare system is that I can then go per diem. No need to stay full-time for healthcare benefits. I can work when and where I want.

...

This debate comes down to two structures of belief:

1) Everyone has a right to healthcare equal to that of everyone else. (Basic Right)

2) Everyone has a right to access healthcare. (Commodity)

:yeahthat: Well said.

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Specializes in Emergency/ Critical Care.
Nope.

Just ask the Brits. And the people who've been waiting for years for knee and hip replacements. And have no universal dental coverage.

I'm tired of paying for irresponsible people to use the ER as their free drug clinic. I'm also tired of paying for multiple baby deliveries to unemployed, unattached women who refuse to use free birth control after their 5th crack baby. I believe in helping out a fellow human, but I refuse to support someone who doesn't care for themselves, is able-bodied but refuses to work, and doesn't care that they're suckling on the taxpayers teat.

THAT is what universal healthcare means to me....

So you're saying that if you worked at a public hospital and were assigned a single mother on welfare who is addicted to crack that you would refuse to care for her?

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