Health Care: The Ticking Time Bomb

ShayRN · Jul 9, 2009

Hey Ron, the system we have now does work for 95% of us.

Clearly it doesn't. Maybe it is great that I have fantastic health insurance, but I know a lot of people who don't. I would say right now it is more like 50/50. God forbid you ever find yourself in a situation where you can't afford or don't have insurance. Maybe then you can take off your rose colored glasses.

Ron Houston · Jul 9, 2009

Hey Ron, the system we have now does work for 95% of us.

How does a system work when health care premiums have risen 4 times faster than wages. How does a system work? When health care cost are a factor in half of the personal bankruptcies since 2000. When lack of insurance leads to an estimated 18,000 unnecessary deaths per year. When the insurance industry is not regulated and plays with peoples lives by denying necessary treatments. Tell that to the people that can't afford needed medications because they can't obtain insurance because of pre-existing conditions. Tell it to someone that has lost a loved one because they could not obtain the medical care they needed. Our health care in this country for many is "Don't get sick.". What does your 95% comprise? Does it comprise those fortunate enough to health care excluding those that do not in the totality.

misswoosie · Jul 9, 2009

What good is quality when you can't afford it? No system will be perfect but the system we have now does not work. Some type of reform is needed. Quality for cost? "I would much prefer a bologna sandwich than to starve.". I don't think that the quality of health care will be compromised. Yes we have the best health care in the world but when one catastrophic illness can bankrupt a family. "What good is it?" When people die because of the cost. "What good is it?". We tout ourselves as a moral Christian nation, it is time we walked the walk instead of talking the talk.

So what would you say was an affordable amount to pay, considering you don't care what the quality of the care is like?

I think you are wrong to think that you will get the same level of care,investigations,staffing and technology from a government run system.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jul 11, 2009

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VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 11, 2009

Numerous off topic and attacking posts deleted. Thread reopened. Please abide by the Terms of Service in your posts.

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lamazeteacher · Jul 12, 2009

When I was in nursing school I worked a min wage job that didn't provide health insurance. My wife, son and myself could have milked the government and used the .gov medicine, but we didn't want to add to the problem. We went without health coverage for three years and paid as we went, some of which I am still paying. Not a lot though. It can be done WITHOUT the government.

You were very fortunate that no one in your family had a serious illness or surgery. That would definitely have added to the problems in our broken health care system.:icon_roll

lamazeteacher · Jul 12, 2009

Miss Woosie:

I know that Pap smears and mammography studies cost much less in Canada, than in the USA, but I don't know the price of them in the UK. Here, they're hundreds of dollars, each.

We have some government funded clinics and "free" clinics subsidised by philanthropic groups, (staffed by volunteer receptionists, clerks, nurses and doctors) who have agreements with labs, radiology, EKG, and EEG, to charge considerably lower fees for their patients. Medications are provided by pharmaceutical company representatives and given to patients upon doctors ordering them. There is a problem with the latter, as clinics aren't supposed to dispense medications, and of course the treatment is ruled by what meds are on hand. The key concern at those clinics, is to treat ailments before they become acute, and teach patients the things they need to do to stay well.

Many illegal aliens attend the "free" clinics. I don't know what will happen to them, when the public system gets going, here. Traditionally they've been seen in Eds, so that's probably what will happen again, when they become quite ill. Being poor certainly shortens one's life span.......

lamazeteacher · Jul 12, 2009

Hey Ron, the system we have now does work for 95% of us.

What is your reference for that figure? I would have thought it was much lower!

lamazeteacher · Jul 12, 2009

Just a quick question... I have debated this with my spouse over and over again... We both agree 100% that healthcare should be a right not a privilege. But my question for fellow healthcare workers is this. Would you be for this plan even if it meant that your pay was cut to say $12/hour? It is my belief that there would be cost cuts to support a plan of this nature and I think that pay would be one of those. Just a little something to ponder....

The rate of pay you're suggesting is below starting salary for people without a degree, now. I doubt that salaries, if they're lowered, would descend to that!

Fear mongering prompts scare posts like this. The 1 % tax on those with very high incomes (over $200,000/year or more) will fund a great deal of the program, plus health care billing of employed persons. We have more than enough equipment for diagnosing illnesses now, as well as most other things.

Cost containment measures will diminish a lot of overages; and get people out of hospital and at home rather than staying in hospital where nosocomial infections are a threat, and cost additional amounts that wouldn't be necessary if the patient wasn't admitted. Doctors' fees will be more reasonable and realistic, asd well as those generated by hospitals. Huge premiums charged by insurance companies will be eliminated. Using nurse practitioners more, will also reduce costs.

Many surgeons book surgeries without trying more conservative approaches, first. Wearing a knee band prevented a knee replacement for me, after a PT recommended it. My surgeon was about to retire, and wanted one more for the road, I think..... I've not needed any more analgesics for it, since using the knee band. :lol2:

patrick1rn, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 12, 2009

The slippery road to totalitarism is paved with good intentions. They call the healthcare system in America broken. One person here wants to expand medicare. Some people are misguided that it is a right or a privledge. They want to raise taxes on people and give that money to people who make less. Think about it, the government will force you to pay more money for a service that you will not even use.

Liberals would like you to believe that it is about the haves and the have nots. The so called rich versus the so called poor.

If reform is going to happen, then reform needs to occur internally, I do agree that charging a massive amount of money to see a patient for 2 mins is a fraud during rounds. On the other hand we need to find out who these uninsured people are in the USA are ? This magic number 47 million, How many of them are here illegally ? How many of them chose not to have health insurance? I want to know.

If you liberals believe that healthcare is a right, then I assume you believe it is a right of being an American citizen, those who are here illegally dont have those rights and should not be entitled to that benefit correct ?

It does sadden me all the corruption, the massive charges for a two minute bedside visit, the high insurance premiums providers have to pay, and the greed of the industry. Make no mistake, health care is an industry, like retail, or any other capital industry. It needs a major shake up when people can not get health insurance at reasonable rates. Yea I am middle of the road on this one, at one hand, it saddens me to see people do without, but on the other hand, I know the government is horrible at running anything.. look at the Postal service for example.

The Solution ?

1. No Free insurance , people who are going to use a government backed insurance need to pay premiums, deductibles like others.

2. Preventive medicine needs to be emphasized ie eating right, not getting to be a big fat pig, and exercising, and immunizations.

3. Money hungry people with erroneous law suits needs to be penalized.

4. Hospitals need to charge reasonable rates finally after the above

5. Insurance needs to change.. I dont know how.

6. Government run national health care wont happen and wont work in the USA

7. Either legalize or Deport Illegals who use and abuse are health care system. If you legalize them, then they are taxed and become part of the system, if you deport them, then they are no longer a burden on the system. One or the other or both.

8. Penalize stupidity.

ACU_RN · Jul 12, 2009

The slippery road to totalitarism is paved with good intentions. They call the healthcare system in America broken. One person here wants to expand medicare. Some people are misguided that it is a right or a privledge. They want to raise taxes on people and give that money to people who make less. Think about it, the government will force you to pay more money for a service that you will not even use.
Liberals would like you to believe that it is about the haves and the have nots. The so called rich versus the so called poor.
If reform is going to happen, then reform needs to occur internally, I do agree that charging a massive amount of money to see a patient for 2 mins is a fraud during rounds. On the other hand we need to find out who these uninsured people are in the USA are ? This magic number 47 million, How many of them are here illegally ? How many of them chose not to have health insurance? I want to know.
If you liberals believe that healthcare is a right, then I assume you believe it is a right of being an American citizen, those who are here illegally dont have those rights and should not be entitled to that benefit correct ?
It does sadden me all the corruption, the massive charges for a two minute bedside visit, the high insurance premiums providers have to pay, and the greed of the industry. Make no mistake, health care is an industry, like retail, or any other capital industry. It needs a major shake up when people can not get health insurance at reasonable rates. Yea I am middle of the road on this one, at one hand, it saddens me to see people do without, but on the other hand, I know the government is horrible at running anything.. look at the Postal service for example.
The Solution ?
1. No Free insurance , people who are going to use a government backed insurance need to pay premiums, deductibles like others.
2. Preventive medicine needs to be emphasized ie eating right, not getting to be a big fat pig, and exercising, and immunizations.
3. Money hungry people with erroneous law suits needs to be penalized.
4. Hospitals need to charge reasonable rates finally after the above
5. Insurance needs to change.. I dont know how.
6. Government run national health care wont happen and wont work in the USA
7. Either legalize or Deport Illegals who use and abuse are health care system. If you legalize them, then they are taxed and become part of the system, if you deport them, then they are no longer a burden on the system. One or the other or both.
8. Penalize stupidity.

Good post. Turning health care over to the federal government is a death sentence to us all. Those who claim otherwise are flat wrong.

ACU_RN · Jul 12, 2009

The rate of pay you're suggesting is below starting salary for people without a degree, now. I doubt that salaries, if they're lowered, would descend to that!
Fear mongering prompts scare posts like this. The 1 % tax on those with very high incomes (over $200,000/year or more) will fund a great deal of the program, plus health care billing of employed persons. We have more than enough equipment for diagnosing illnesses now, as well as most other things.
Cost containment measures will diminish a lot of overages; and get people out of hospital and at home rather than staying in hospital where nosocomial infections are a threat, and cost additional amounts that wouldn't be necessary if the patient wasn't admitted. Doctors' fees will be more reasonable and realistic, asd well as those generated by hospitals. Huge premiums charged by insurance companies will be eliminated. Using nurse practitioners more, will also reduce costs.
Many surgeons book surgeries without trying more conservative approaches, first. Wearing a knee band prevented a knee replacement for me, after a PT recommended it. My surgeon was about to retire, and wanted one more for the road, I think..... I've not needed any more analgesics for it, since using the knee band.

Ah, I get it now, you work for Obama. Makes sense now.

Health Care: The Ticking Time Bomb

Would you support a public health care option?