Could the United States afoord to NOT have medicare/medicaid?

[korn469]

I know that Paul Ryan proposed a budget plan with significantchanges to the current medicare syste. However, if we could ignore the political realities that old people vote, and old people like medicare, what would happen to the United States if medicare ended tomorrow (the fourth of July)? How would the US change? What would happen to seniors? What kind of changes would it force on society? I'm curious to know what you think would happen.

Yes I made a typo in the post title.

Epic fail.

I suck at life.

[Kuciwalker]

We would likely be thrown into a depression if Medicare ended tomorrow.

[Hauldren Collider]

Paul Ryan's plan only affects those 55 and younger, it wouldn't take effect tomorrow if passed tomorrow. Frankly I don't think it goes far enough, but it's the only serious proposal thus far. I'd love it if it were made into law.

[Ben Kenobi]

The US would be better off if all medical care were free market.

Short run, it would hurt. Long run, Americans would be better off.

[giblets]

I know that Paul Ryan proposed a budget plan with significantchanges to the current medicare syste. However, if we could ignore the political realities that old people vote, and old people like medicare, what would happen to the United States if medicare ended tomorrow (the fourth of July)? How would the US change? What would happen to seniors? What kind of changes would it force on society? I'm curious to know what you think would happen.

Yes I made a typo in the post title.

Epic fail.

I suck at life.

Why does it matter? No one (at least no one with political power that I've heard of) is proposing shutting off medicare overnight. Paul Ryan wants to switch to giving people vouchers IIRC.

[MrFun]

The US would be better off if all medical care were free market.

Short run, it would hurt. Long run, wealthy Americans would be better off.

fixed

[Kitschum]

Well, well look at all the socialists coming out of the woodwork. Then you're going to suggest the US raise tax rates, and next thing you know they're building Gulags in Alaska.

[Bosh]

The whole American medical system is rank insanity. Here in Korea things aren't perfect but the total health care spending (as a percentage of GDP) here is lower than American governmental health care spending and wait times for pretty much anything are shorter than America (for comparison purposes, Korea's system is a lot like Canada's but with better cost controls, people going to the doctor very often which helps with preventative medicine, much much much shorter wait times and very short doctor visits, which is the main downside of the Korean system)

[MikeH]

The whole American medical system is rank insanity.

[Ben Kenobi]

Short run, it would hurt. Long run, wealthy Americans would be better off.

As it is now, the present system is unsustainable. So your "choices" are to fix the system now or have no choice but to give up the system later.

Having Canada style healthcare is doubling down on a losing hand. You'll pay more for worse care, you'll see less, not more technology, your doctors and nurses will be paid less, you'll have longer waiting lists.

As it is now, the American system is superior in both access and care, even for those who aren't rich.

[DaShi]

I've had better and far cheaper health care in China than the US. In the US, I had one primary care doctor recommend me to a specialist who didn't do anything. I came in for a specific treatment and he said he forgot his "tools" so he sent me home. Didn't stop him from charging my insurance and taking my copay. Fortunately, I'm superhuman, so the problem took care of itself. But what a waste of time and money.

In China, I had huge kidney stones while travelling. Went to the ER where they drugged me up nice, conducted an ultrasound, and sent me out with some painkillers and some TCM. Less than 24 hours later, all the stones passed and I didn't feel any pain since first arriving in the ER. The whole thing only cost about $30 dollars.

[MrFun]

The whole thing only cost about $30 dollars.

Wow!

[KrazyHorse]

We would likely be thrown into a depression if Medicare ended tomorrow.

While that's likely true (and additionally the abrupt end of any government support would engender a huge amount of suffering on the part of those with revealed medical conditions) this is, as I'm sure you're aware, insufficient criticism of any reasonable move toward a more market-oriented system...

[korn469]

The whole American medical system is rank insanity. Here in Korea things aren't perfect but the total health care spending (as a percentage of GDP) here is lower than American governmental health care spending and wait times for pretty much anything are shorter than America (for comparison purposes, Korea's system is a lot like Canada's but with better cost controls, people going to the doctor very often which helps with preventative medicine, much much much shorter wait times and very short doctor visits, which is the main downside of the Korean system)

Sounds way better than what we currently have. I just don't know if it is wise to spend almost a quarter of our federal budget on our broke health care system. I would rather spend the same amount on preventative care for EVERY american instead of just normal care for the old. I know that over spending like we do now isn't wise.

[korn469]

While that's likely true (and additionally the abrupt end of any government support would engender a huge amount of suffering on the part of those with revealed medical conditions) this is, as I'm sure you're aware, insufficient criticism of any reasonable move toward a more market-oriented system...

I'm all for the market, as long as it isn't privatizing profits and socializing risks. Also here is a good article I think about moving the American health care system to a true market driving system.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/09/how-american-health-care-killed-my-father/7617/

I agree with the majority of his ideas.