GM Loses Another $16 Billion -- Bankrupt?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Which is why we should compensate them based on demand, not on what the government can afford to pay them. Not only is it hard to become a doc, but it's hard to retain one, when they can make more money elsewhere.

It's not about the money. People don't care about money as much as you think. Doctors already make a lot of money compared to other professions. Some people just don't want to do it.

It would reduce frivolous visits.

Frivolous visits are not really a problem. That's why I said that people don't really like to spend the night in the hospital with sick people, especially when they aren't sick.

I'm not asking for pure supply and demand, just that privatisation would be better then the system in Canada. I'm aware that hospitals do need to ensure that everyone is treated, but not every hospital needs to do the same thing. It would be more efficient for the hospitals to specialise.

Why would you specialize when you can make more money providing more services? Also, customers will have to travel more. It's just no good.

If they can get in, sure.

No, personally, my grandmother just broke her hip. She's getting treatment in 3 weeks, despite it being an emergency.

In the states she wouldn't wait 3 days. That's a huge difference.

How do you know that?

It's my business. I charge what they are able to pay, no more, no less. If it's not enough for health insurance then I have to take another job or find more clients.

That's a pretty mean world that you have envisioned for us.

What makes you think that? No, people don't pay an infinite amount to stay healthy. If it costs, they will determine whether they need the surgery now, or put it off.

No they don't. Either they need surgery or they don't. If they need it money is not an issue. They pay whatever they have to if they have it.

It's not a zero sum game. If you charge a profit on elective surgeries, you can funnel that profit into the emergency services.

It wouldn't work like that. People would die.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's not about the money. People don't care about money as much as you think. Doctors already make a lot of money compared to other professions. Some people just don't want to do it.

Some are willing to take a paycut, but it's hard when you are staring at all your student debt.

Frivolous visits are not really a problem. That's why I said that people don't really like to spend the night in the hospital with sick people, especially when they aren't sick.

Ever hear of hypochondriacs?

Why would you specialize when you can make more money providing more services? Also, customers will have to travel more. It's just no good.

It's the nature of a practice. If you specialise you become more proficient in a certain class of case, and it also lets smaller health clinics operate on a reliable basis.

More clinics = less travel.

How do you know that?

You can check waitlist times up here.

That's a pretty mean world that you have envisioned for us.

Mean? I dunno what you mean by that. I like the work, I do what I enjoy doing and people pay me for it.

No they don't. Either they need surgery or they don't. If they need it money is not an issue. They pay whatever they have to if they have it.

Not necessarily. Again, if they can get by without surgery, they won't pay for it unless they have to.

It wouldn't work like that. People would die.

People die in the system already. Why wouldn't the idea work? It's the rich people who are sustaining the system anyways.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
He's from a country that does do just that.

well than Canadian system should loosen up and allow private healthcare (hey he can still go to US ), while for USians there would be great many benefits of geting nationalized healthcare..
but reading this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_and_American_health_care_systems_compared

Cato Institute has expressed concerns that the U.S. government has restricted the freedom of Medicare patients to spend their own money on health care, and has contrasted these developments with the situation in Canada, where in 2005 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the province of Quebec could not prohibit its citizens from purchasing covered services through private health insurance. The institute has urged the Congress to restore the right of American seniors to spend their own money on medical care.[45]

it looks like to me that Canadians should have the right to purchase private health insurance as they want...

[MORON]

*delurks*

Sometimes I wonder if Ben is Civnation level, only with less amusing rhetoric.....

[MOBIUS]

Wow, I am proved right yet again...

A few years back I said that the big US companies would have to adapt to the environmental concerns of their consumers and that once petrol rises started rising as it was inevitable they would, they would collapse...

I was scoffed at by all the usual suspects, but guess what...?

[Asher]

That was a common sense assumption, don't give yourself too much credit.

[MOBIUS]

True, bet it's always fun to rub it in the face of the thickies who have no common sense...

[Dinner]

GM predicts a return to profitability in 2010 even without a bailout. They're still asking for handouts from Washington though.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7587336.stm

It looks like they'll weather the storm just fine.

[Arrian]

GM predicts a return to profitability in 2010 even without a bailout

And when is the last time GM was right about anything? Even if they are right, wow, only two more years of crushing losses...

-Arrian

[Dinner]

Not really crushing compared to total assets especially since they're making good profits from Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and Africa. They have the cash flow and credit to swing this.

There problem has been they've built nothing in North America except old out of date trucks. Hopefully management gets their heads out of their collective asses and starts making a full line of cars worth buying.

[Q Classic]

Well, those are two big ifs. Cutting costs? Recovering car market?

Perhaps, but who's to say anybody would buy from GM?

[Arrian]

My main point stands, Oerdin: when was the last time GM was right about something? Why in the hell should we trust their claim that they will be profitable in 2010?

-Arrian

[snoopy369]

Let's say we trust their claim, and refuse to bail them out as a result. Sounds good to me.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

A car manufacturer getting state handouts? Great idea.

Rename it "American Leyland" while you're at it.

[Jon Miller]

I heard some super sale is going on last night on the radio.

JM