Yes... I know the bleeding hearts are going to start tugging the heart strings and say "Oh the children... Oh the elderly... Oh Humanity."
But why should we change our system from one of a private market and capitalism to one where the government grows; taxes increase and red tape abounds?
I've seen the stats and charts that viking posts over and over and over. I have seen that the UK and Canada... and "every other first world nation" provides universal healthcare. "And they spend less on healthcare..."
Did you know that the UK has a 10% income tax on income as low as $5 K a year? and a 40% tax on income of 66K a year? That doesn't include sales tax; property taxes; excise taxes and everything else that is taxed to hell and back.
What are the things that are different with their healthcare system? How do they do it so cheaply for everyone?
I have to actually research that; and I will; and then get back to you.
I keep hearing and reading that the actual costs of medical care are going to drop. I fail to understand this; really.
Oh, I understand that is cheaper to prevent a disease with a visit to a doctor's office than to treat one in the emergency room.
I understand that if we ACTUALLY work on prevention then healthcare costs may go down.
But I wonder... who accesses care now? Generally; only the folks that really need it.
What happens when no one has to "pay" to see a doctor. Every runny nose; cough and sniffle will be seeking treatment. You think that is difficult to get in to see a doctor now?... Holy cow.
the Emergency Room will still be utilized as a Primary Care clinic because of the inabiltiy of individuals to get appointments...so there goes those "savings."
And if you think that there will be an improvement in the number of drugs and treatments that are available as opposed to those under private insurance companies... you are sadly mistaken.
Big Brother willl appear to alturistic and people will smile and laugh and make merry... until they realize all the things that will not be covered.
Only one way to ensure that 350 million people get health care all the time... control costs. How do you control costs? Pay for as little as possible.
Diabetic? Having problems managing... doctor wants a HgBA1C a couple or three of months in a row... and then one in 3 and 6 month intervals to see how your NPH coverage is working for you.. sorry only 2 per year.
Chemo... costs to much. Radiation? Why you may get radiation poisoning?
Surgery... sure we will cover that; just not the anethesia.
Then; on top of that; how many providers of care are going to stick around and take 10-15 bucks for the same visit that they were previously getting 85-100 bucks for?
And I keep hearing that the providers will not be government employees; that means that there will still be medical groups and such. They will still want to make a profit or they will leave the business...
They will save money as well by cutting costs... how do you cut costs?
first and biggest costs savings is getting rid of labor... by and large. Don't believe me? Ask all the Ford, GM, IBM, and Mortgage employees that were let go when companies failed to meet the bottom line?
or They can refuse to accept the government contracts and accept private insurance only... happens all the time already.
I personally need knee surgery; not to keep my leg from falling off; not to make it so I can walk; because I can; Hell; not even to let me run... because I can do that too. I need knee surgery to alleviate pain from all my years in the Army. How far down the waiting list do you think that my surgery will be? As it is now; all I need to do is schedule an appointment with the ortho/sports med guy.. pay my 150 hospital co-pay and voila... I ll have my knee fixed within 2 weeks from when I make the appointment.
I would estimate that I would be lucky under government healthcare to get it done in less than 3 years.
Indefinate life support... nope... commitees will have to be formed to decide how soon.. (not if) to pull the plug. Prostate Cancer... why try chemo and wait and see... when its really cheaper in the long run and just do a radical prostatectomy... get that tumor quick and no more cancer for you!...
I am sorry Uncle Sam may in fact be our "rich uncle" but when he has to spread it around 350 million or so of our cousins... we aren't going to get much; at all.
So, no thanks. No government healthcare for me please. I'd rather have more take home pay for me and my family. I'd rather have the choice of all the doctors out there... not just the ones that will work cheaply enough to accept medicare.
I'd rather not have to wait for the medical treatments that I need or want.
And to be quite honest... I am sick to death of my tax dollars paying for well; anyone else. Yes, I am a selfish jerk. And no, I really don't care. I provide for my family with my work; I juggled work and family and school to get myself in my position. I enlisted in the Army to get a trade and the GI Bill; and then used those to get college and my MBA. I give to charity. The charities of my choice. If I want to give money or food to the homeless on the street; should be my choice. I tell you I know I do not want to give money to women and men who have 10 kids from 6 different people cause they don't know how to keep it in their pants or what a condom is. Government should not be the biggest charity that there is. We no longer teach accountability and responsibilty in this country. Nope.. we teach entitlement. And that sucks. This would be just one more in the line of handouts and entitlements.
Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness.
Pursuit does not mean you will neccesarily get it. People need to keep that in mind. And, btw, life is never fair, and it never will be.
Katie82, RN
642 Posts
[ In contrast, Social Security operates smoothly and efficiently,
returning in benefits more than ninety-nine cents of every dollar collected, spectacularly greater efficiency than you will find in any private sector retirement plan or any private insurance.
Source: http://www.sharedprosperity.org/av/071120/transcript-retirement-security.pdf
Is this the same SSA I have lived near for the past 15 years - I lived in Baltimore near the Hqrs. Smooth and efficient in the same description as Government Agency is an oxymoron of the highest caliber. Since SS has been in the red for some time, it may be that they are returning 99 cents on the dollar. However, they are highly subsidized by the government. Fact is, SS is now paying out to a large population that paid far less into the system than we are now. And in the case of SSDI and SSI, these are payers who contributed little to nothing. They may have done a good job in NOrleans, but I deal with them on a day to day basis as an advocate for my partients, and I can tell you they have the same overworked, underpaid attitude as any other government agency.