Does Socialized Medicine Work?

[MosesPresley]

I have read that it causes rationing and long lines. The only time that I have experienced anything that comes close to socialized medicine was when I was in the USN. There were not any long lines, and I received good care.

I don't understand the rationale behind the rationing argument.


I would like to hear what you all have to say for or against and I would like to hear what people that actually live with a socialized medical system have to say about it.

[Fake Boris]

The lines may sometimes be longer, because in private healthcare people wait with their bank account.

In general, universal healthcare costs less and achieves better overall results.

[Japher]

Socialized Medicine "works" in a socialized economy, such is the post WWII Britland. Still, you have to wonder why many of those britlanders come over to the Ameriland for specialized operations, surgeries, and procedures.

IMO, the problem with socialized medicine is that it focuses itself souly on the many and ignores the few. If everyone has the disease you have than you will be in luck, but if you have some autoimmune disease that would take 2 minutes to cure than you might as well dig your grave now, because it won't get the time of day.

[Elok]

I didn't know there were any autoimmune diseases that took two minutes to cure. By nature, they're ornery lil' bastards.

[Riesstiu IV]

Socialized medicine is for p*ssies. All you need is Whiskey. Got a cold? Some Jack Daniels will put fire back into your belly. Lacerations from a bike accident? Just pour Jack Daniels on the wounds and your good to go.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Japher
Socialized Medicine "works" in a socialized economy, such is the post WWII Britland. Still, you have to wonder why many of those britlanders come over to the Ameriland for specialized operations, surgeries, and procedures.

IMO, the problem with socialized medicine is that it focuses itself souly on the many and ignores the few. If everyone has the disease you have than you will be in luck, but if you have some autoimmune disease that would take 2 minutes to cure than you might as well dig your grave now, because it won't get the time of day.

As Elok said, what disease takes two minutes to cure?
The US trails most countries with universal care in most basic health statistics, and we spend far more as a percentage of GDP on healthcare.

I think Japher is correct in that if you have a rare disease and you have the right coverage (the big if), you would likely receive better care in the US, bu if you are part of the 95% of the population that doesn't get some rare condition and are worried mainly about the every day threats to health, you get equal care in the universal system at a lower cost to society, and there isn't ever an "if" about being covered.

[GePap]

Oh, and given the exchange rate, I am sure people in Britain can get cheaper care here in the US. More importantly, Britain does not have the best universal health care model out there. The question is how many French or Japanese come to the US to get treatment.

[Combat Ingrid]

DIY medicine

[BlackCat]

Re: Does Socialized Medicine Work?

Originally posted by MosesPresley
I have read that it causes rationing and long lines. The only time that I have experienced anything that comes close to socialized medicine was when I was in the USN. There were not any long lines, and I received good care.

I don't understand the rationale behind the rationing argument.


I would like to hear what you all have to say for or against and I would like to hear what people that actually live with a socialized medical system have to say about it.

I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you are a poor person it may take a while but you will most probably be cured. That rarely happens in the USN - actually, you are probably quite sure to die there since you can't pay.

[Kirnwaffen]

I have read that it causes rationing and long lines. The only time that I have experienced anything that comes close to socialized medicine was when I was in the USN. There were not any long lines, and I received good care.

Then you were very lucky. I can't really speak to the quality of the Navy's medical system, but the Army has serious problems. As an example, I had a Soldier who, for various reasons, was being administratively separated from the service. As it turned out, the docs wanted him to get a neuro-psych consult prior to being separated. Wait time for first appointment: six weeks.

In addition, we had a soldier in my battalion die of an embolism during spleen removal, and three others suffer serious complications during routine surgery (i.e. heart stopped, stopped breathing).

All of that said, I don't think that it makes for a very good argument against socialized medicine. What it does argue for is extra capacity in the system and high standards of competence and accountability.

[LotC]

In a word, yes.

[Japher]

As Elok said, what disease takes two minutes to cure?

It was sarcasm, get over it. The point is that in places with socialized medicine it's the masses with the most problems get attention first. If you are the only person with your condition you will get treated last, regardless of how sever or easy it would be to cure.

It's not that it's much better here where ED and RLS get cures before cancer and colds.

[Fake Boris]

Private medicine has no better incentive than a public one to invest in research on rare conditions.

[GePap]

To me the most basic problem of a profit motive based health system is that the greatest possible profit comes from treating illness, not maintaining health, which is what a health system should prioritize.

The best health care system is one which gives incentives to people to remain healthy and gives universal access to the tools, consultations, and information to help people remain healthy, while minimizing the spread and impact of disease and insuring care for those who suffer from unforseen physical injury.

This would also happen to be a cheaper system than one which expects people to get chronic conditions and then works to manage them.

[Jon Miller]

Yeah, that is one thing that socialized health care really needs. It needs an incentive for people to be preventative...

I am not sure what the best way to do this is. I would sorta like to tax fat people (and increase the federal tax on tobacco and alcohol).

JM