Hillary's Healthcare Plan

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Patroklos


Universal crap.



People come to America for quality service. If you can't afford the procedure here, I doubt you can cross the ocean for it, I call BS.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=cheap+overseas+surgery&fr=yfp-t-501-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

mainly for cosmetic surgery, though.

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by Wezil
I dealt with our glorious healthcare system last week:

First, I had to go to a walkin clinic b/c I have no family doctor (and haven't had one for twenty years now...).

Second, I had to wait 2 hours in a waiting room with hacking and coughing patients sandwiched all round me.

Third, when I was finally blessed enough to see a Dr. I recieved a whole 5 minute rush job (after all there was a whole waiting room behind me).

Fourth, I ended up sicker than I started (see 2nd point above). I went in for hearing/ear trouble related to allergies and left with a lung infection.

Fifth, I had no choice but to go this route. While I would gladly have paid to see a Dr. privately, my government will not allow me to do this.

Great system.

And i've dealt with it 5 times in the last 2 years, every time for symptoms that were similar to a heart attack. I've never had to wait, received excellent care and was monitored in the ER for periods ranging from 4 to 10 hours. Total cost to me: 50$ to open a file at the local clinic (where i'd initially gone the first time. They're the ones who sent me to the ER.)

I don't care if i have to pay for universal health coverage with my taxes: it's there when i need it.

[Wezil]

Actually Richelieu, on an "emergency" basis our system is top notch. If you "drop" while walking down the street you will carted off to an emergency room and seen right away.

It's the rest of the system that sucks. Anything requiring diagnostics, regular care, or non-emergency health issues is where the system fails. These are the areas that are the easiest to alleviate with the introduction of private care.

[Lorizael]

Originally posted by MarkG

require every American to carry health insurance

it's not required by law that if you have a job you must be insured?

No, though almost all full time jobs and some part time jobs offer it.

[Apocalypse]

There is an episode of the old sitcom Newsradio, which explains our healthcare system quite well. Andy Dick changes a lightbulb at the station and gets hurt. The boss comes into visit and they have a conversation about how Andy had the choice of getting on the company plan or taking extra money and finding his own insurance. He chose to do the latter and just keep the money since he is rather young. They ended up paying for it through some manipulation of the industry.

[Kontiki]

That was one of the best episodes. Norm MacDonald was great as the lawyer.

[MarkG]

Originally posted by Lorizael
No, though almost all full time jobs and some part time jobs offer it.

if a politician in greece suggested that insurance is not required by law, he would be publicly be fed to the lions the next day....

[SpencerH]

All I can say is, WONDERFULL!



I had more LOL's but I was forced to cut back

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Wezil


Yep. Canada, North Korea and Cuba. We are in good company.

While LotM is partially correct, there is no "clamour" to "drop" the current system of universal coverage, there is a huge clamour to allow choice and freedom into the system. Even the courts have agreed the current system is unconstitutional.

I dealt with our glorious healthcare system last week:

First, I had to go to a walkin clinic b/c I have no family doctor (and haven't had one for twenty years now...).

Second, I had to wait 2 hours in a waiting room with hacking and coughing patients sandwiched all round me.

Third, when I was finally blessed enough to see a Dr. I recieved a whole 5 minute rush job (after all there was a whole waiting room behind me).

Fourth, I ended up sicker than I started (see 2nd point above). I went in for hearing/ear trouble related to allergies and left with a lung infection.

Fifth, I had no choice but to go this route. While I would gladly have paid to see a Dr. privately, my government will not allow me to do this.

Great system.

Last time I lived in Ontario (more than 20 years ago thank god) the wheat were seperated from the chaff by virtue of the fact that MD's could charge more than what was paid back to them by the govt (ie the patient had to pay an additional cost to visit a physician who charged more). Has that been outlawed now in the New Soviet of Canada?

PS when's the next postal strike I wanta have a good laugh?

[Kuciwalker]

Re: Re: Hillary's Healthcare Plan

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


IIRC, part of the plan is that insurance companies are mandated to offer some minimal form of insurance to everyone.

That's thoroughly retarded.

Someone with AIDS shouldn't be getting insurance. It makes no sense at all. The risk part is over; it's like trying to buy home insurance retroactive to Katrina.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
Another basic problem is that 1 out of every 3 U.S.A.ian healthcare dollars goes to support the bureaucracy resulting for trying to administer thousands of health care insurers.

Insurers add NOTHING to the quality of healthcare.

Those administrative costs pay for us not funding uneconomical care. The alternative is low administrative costs but excessive spending on medical care that's not worth the money.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by SpencerH


Last time I lived in Ontario (more than 20 years ago thank god) the wheat were seperated from the chaff by virtue of the fact that MD's could charge more than what was paid back to them by the govt (ie the patient had to pay an additional cost to visit a physician who charged more). Has that been outlawed now in the New Soviet of Canada?

PS when's the next postal strike I wanta have a good laugh?

Yes, it is gone. "Extra billing" it was called. I don't remember precisely when it was disallowed but it would have been shortly after you left. No doubt it helped contribute to the ongoing doctor shortage. Some citizens here have actually taken out ads to find a family doctor.

Postal strikes don't matter anymore. Canada Post is now the government agency that delivers junk mail. Anything serious is delivered some other way.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Ramo
Not really. The whole idea behind having a public insurance open to everyone is that it's going to reduce administrative costs.

Wait, you're saying that a bureaucratic system will have lower administrative costs than a capitalist system? Are you smoking something? Or do you work for GAO or something

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Wait, you're saying that a bureaucratic system will have lower administrative costs than a capitalist system? Are you smoking something? Or do you work for GAO or something

Public systems often have lower administrative costs [in this particular instance] because they have far less incentive to scrutinize expenses to make sure they are economical. Private insurance spends a lot of money on a bureaucracy to control the rest of their spending.

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Wezil


Some citizens here have actually taken out ads to find a family doctor.

OMFG!

Postal strikes don't matter anymore. Canada Post is now the government agency that delivers junk mail. Anything serious is delivered some other way.

Yeah, my parents drive over the border to mail anything important.