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 Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
... The average survival rate of infants born at 23-24 weeks is between 25-35% with today's technology. These are kids who would have been delivered and put in mom's arms, and the door shut behind the doctor. quote]

But who is to say who should live and who should not? If you advocate not treating babies born that young then children would be dying that don't need to. I know many have problems but what about the others? My 700 gram daughter is a healthy 16 yo straight A student that is currently in Florence studying art history. Are you saying she shouldn't have lived?

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I am in favor of universal helathcare as long as it is designed along the same guidelines as the SouthCentral Foundation/Alaska Native Medical Center. Our Magnet facility is operated by American Indian Alaskan Natives with input from every tribal member by agreement with the Federal Government. Our federal funding is 1/4 that received by the general national public and less than prisoners per capita. Yet our facility has top notch technology and provides quality services to its people. Native Alaskans are a patient spiritual people time does not control their day with expectations for culturally competent quality care for all our people. It is time the citizens of the US no longer bury our heads in the sand...yes our government is a mess...yes hospitals are closing..yes there is a nurse shortage...yes we are suffering from an economic downturn which will continue for sometime. Perhaps it is finally time for nurses to join together taking the upperhand in designing and developing a universal healthcare system that will provide services for all citizens of our nation. Why not?

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Yes! and to those who say it wouldn't work, well we have it already and it works fine, it's called Medicare. The preventative care it would provide would save lives and dollars.

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Just look to the countries that have embraced the socialistic mindset of a universal healthcare. It sounds great on the surface but the hard and honest truth is we can't as a nation afford it unless you want to just be taxed into poverty and sign your check over to the government.

Look at the socialistic nations that have tried it. Europe and Canada have become nanny states and their economy is crumbling.

The politicians have slowly sucked us into believing they will take care of us. Newsflash!!!!!!!!!!!, all they want to take care of is their political careers and make you dependent on them. They have slowly taxed us into poverty as it is. Just look at your paycheck and then calculate the rest of the taxes you pay when you buy something. A bigger beuracracy is not the answer.

History proves it time and time again. Newly established countries depend on the efficiancy of capitalism and the free market system to be self correcting. Later comes slick talking politicians that convince the masses that they have the solutions to all of our problems and the country turns toward socialism. This leads to the slow degredation of the country's economy that can't compete with the rest of the world.

There is no easy solutions. I know from history that when the government gets the taste of money it cannot control itself because of the political self-serving politicians in Washingto DC. Let the free market system work as it has since the inceptin of this great country.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
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Look at the socialistic nations that have tried it. Europe and Canada have become nanny states and their economy is crumbling.

We spend more on healthcare and cover fewer of our citizens than any socialist country, yet OUR economy is headed for the hopper as well. So much for that argument.

And "socialism" is the proverbial straw man---it's the word people use to scare us away from UHC. Is it socialism to have police and fire protection? Decent roads? 911 service? Weather reporting? Why not health care?

'Nuff said.

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I am Canadian and I love our system. I am not saying it is perfect but as a single parent I like not having to check my bank account before I take a child to the doctors. My oldest was born at 24 weeks and she was in one of the best hospitals with specialists caring for her for 15 weeks and it didn't cost me a cent.

Hmmm, so in essence, what you are saying is that you appreciate healthcare that YOU are not personally and financially responsible for...?

Birth entitles nothing, though there are inalienable rights...healthcare is not one of them.

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Hmmm, so in essence, what you are saying is that you appreciate healthcare that YOU are not personally and financially responsible for...?

Birth entitles nothing, though there are inalienable rights...healthcare is not one of them.

:bow: Welcome to the debate.

steph:D

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Yes! Yes! Yes!!!!!!

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Hmmm, so in essence, what you are saying is that you appreciate healthcare that YOU are not personally and financially responsible for...?

Birth entitles nothing, though there are inalienable rights...healthcare is not one of them.

She would probably have found a way to pay that bill out of pocket if it meant she could take her daughter home, but is grateful that it did not bankrupt her.

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Just clearing a double post...weird...

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Specializes in Women's health & post-partum.
Hmmm, so in essence, what you are saying is that you appreciate healthcare that YOU are not personally and financially responsible for...?

Birth entitles nothing, though there are inalienable rights...healthcare is not one of them.

She does pay taxes...

Out of curiosity I looked up our medical expenses last year. Insurance ($3,926), drugs ($3,212), O2 ($476) (my dh has emphysema), copays ($120) and ER visits ($100). That would be in excess of $650 per month. Because we're on Medicare (another $187 monthly out of our SS) and are in an HMO, we aren't paying nearly as much as many young families.

I wonder if Canadians pay any more than that in taxes for their medical care.

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Why do we need Universal Healthcare? Seems to me that there are many programs, religious and community based missions, service club hospitals that are in place to aid those that are unable to meet there medical needs.

Entitlement programs do nothing but generate more entitlements, nature of the beast. Short term political solutions at best. The problem is that the underlying issues are never (rarely) addressed...if a program is successful, augment it; if a program is not successful, it is underfunded.

What is wrong with todays system? Hillary couldn't figure that out and she is much better connected than I, had the best minds in the country available, and her husband was the president.

It seems to me the premise that everyone is entitled to the most advanced medical procedures, regardless of cost, is part of the problem. Everybody wants champaign on a beer budget, not gonna happen.

Where is the break for healthy people (that is most of us)? Why should the onus be on the working stiff? Too much graft, abuse, and manipulation around to have a Universal system.

No solutions from me but I will deride a Universal system based solely on the model of any total government system, of any type, I have seen.

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