Yikes! 1 in 4 Americans lack health insurance!

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
We spend more than that. A lot more.

But we get more bang for our buck because we grossly underpay all our NHS staff.

[DuncanK]

Originally posted by Wraith
--"The competition prevents economies of scale."

In normal circumstances competition helps encourage companies to take advantage of that sort of thing. Health care is nowhere near normal circumanstaces, however. Too much competition is decidedly not the problem.

You don't seem to understand about average costs. The average cost of health care decreases as the expensive equipment and facilities are used close to full capacity. When there is competition average costs are high and that's why prices are high.

[Seeker]

Despite what you've read here, most Canadians don't even want a 'two tier' system where the rich could pay more to 'que jump'.....let alone an American style free-for-all!

In Korea your employer and you split the cost of health insurance in half.

The unemployed seem to be thrown on the much talked about, but little seen 'Christian charity' I've heard about.... (at 35% Korea is the most Christian country in Asia, although one suspects it may be mostly for tax purposes)

I guess in the US anyone unlucky enough to be unemployed without rich relatives must be a teenage dope addict gangmember, so it's OK if those people get sick and die or something...or at least that's the impression I get when Americans hear the subject of social responsibility towards the unfortunate....

[DRoseDARs]

My mom: 75,000,001

My stepdad: 75,000,002

Me: 75,000,003



He lost his job in mid-December (but wasn't told until the 29th of that month) and has decided NOT to do the Cobra Insurance, since he believes he can get another job in the next few months, hence insurance. The company he worked for kept changing from one crappy insurance plan to another every few months, looking for ever-cheap garbage being passed off as "coverage." The few times we've need to use the insurance, it's been hell getting the "flavor-of-the-month" plan to help us. They constantly try to weasel their way out of living up to their obligations as spelled out in their already weasely contracts. Point being: free-market insurance coverage is a craps-shoot, but always know what you're going to get...plenty of crap.



Anyone who says the United States DOESN'T need and is better off without a national health insurance plan needs to get a clue...

[Shi Huangdi]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Medical care is a human right. No one should be denied coverage for any reason.

Nope. It is not the government's responsibility to provide medical care to it's people.

[Dis]

I was without health insurance for a while.

I'm still here

The trick is to take care of yourself and you don't need health insurance

Sure bad things could happen. But that's not likely.

I have health insurance now and I never use it. I never go to the doctor.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
Nope. It is not the government's responsibility to provide medical care to it's people.

It is if the people of the United States say it is, and support for a universal payer system is overwhelming. If we were given the choice between Canadian style health care, with all it's problems and what we have now, it would pass massively.

[DuncanK]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
Nope. It is not the government's responsibility to provide medical care to it's people.

According to you, but in fact citizens are provided with health care in the US whether people can afford it or not. That's because, thank God, most people don't have a perverted right wing bias like you.

[Shi Huangdi]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


It is if the people of the United States say it is, and support for a universal payer system is overwhelming. If we were given the choice between Canadian style health care, with all it's problems and what we have now, it would pass massively.

The only Democratic candidate who wanted a universal payer system, Gore, dropped out of the race. Universal Healthcare had a chance under Clinton, when the Democrats had complete control of the government. If it didn't happen then, it probably won't happen now.

[chequita guevara]

The fact that our "leaders" don't support it doesn't mean the American people don't. Health Care is a massive industry in the US, and they're not about to let their profits go the way of the dodo. They wil buy every candidate they can. That's why Clinton, who rode to office on his support of health care reform, ended up doing nothing of the kind.

[Arrian]

I wouldn't mind a very basic saftey net type of system for everyone, but I am extremely wary of a full socialized medical system. As screwed up as the current system may or may not be, I cannot imagine the government doing a better job.

-Arrian

[Sava]

Uber, this might shock you but the vast majority of the unemployed aren't ghetto/urban people with 10 kids that have babies simply to collect welfare. This kind of opposition to such health-care programs comes from a lack of understanding of poverty in America.

And despite DD's and your cold, heartless views of what human rights' are, no child should be without medical care in a civilized society. You want less government? Move to Somalia or some other African country where warlords and militia factions reign free because of a lack of a strong central government. Anarchy is the equivalent of war. Freedom and democracy require a strong government to protect the people from the evils of society.

Che summed it up. Health care is a very profitable industry. The informed objection to nationalized health-care is motivated by greed. The ignorant objection to nationalized health-care comes from people that don't understand how the industry works and are unaware of the injustices of poverty in America.

[Arrian]

Sava, are you claiming to be informed?

-Arrian

[DuncanK]

Originally posted by Arrian
I wouldn't mind a very basic saftey net type of system for everyone, but I am extremely wary of a full socialized medical system. As screwed up as the current system may or may not be, I cannot imagine the government doing a better job.
-Arrian

If the current system is too expensive and there are good reasons to believe that costs can be reduced then why not give it a try?

[Arrian]

I'm not sure I see "good reasons to believe that costs can be reduced."

-Arrian