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

[Imran Siddiqui]

Of course you don't think it was a rebuttal. It was actually based in logic and basic economics.

[Ben Kenobi]

I want to hear how government action is going to save me money in healthcare.

Still waiting.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, the most obvious example is how much do you pay for a health procedure in Canada compared to the same in the US?

[Ben Kenobi]

Well, the most obvious example is how much do you pay for a health procedure in Canada compared to the same in the US?

Healthcare insurance costs run more than vehicle insurance costs, and I don't get a choice as to whether I pay. In the US, I don't have to pay for anything at all. So how is the system saving me money?

[giblets]

Doesn't the US government spend more per capita on health care than the Canadian government?

[Hauldren Collider]

That statement by itself is meaningless. As I mentioned before, Congo also spends less per capita than the US government. Healthcare isn't cheaper there, it's just nonexistant.

That said, Ben Is Always Wrong, and this isn't an exception.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Healthcare insurance costs run more than vehicle insurance costs, and I don't get a choice as to whether I pay. In the US, I don't have to pay for anything at all. So how is the system saving me money?

How does this have anything to do with paying for a health procedure? How are you not paying anything at all for a health procedure? Do you simply run out when the bill is due?

[notyoueither]

That statement by itself is meaningless. As I mentioned before, Congo also spends less per capita than the US government. Healthcare isn't cheaper there, it's just nonexistant.

That said, Ben Is Always Wrong, and this isn't an exception.

The Canadian government spends less and Canada has better average outcomes than the US.

Better?

[giblets]

That statement by itself is meaningless. As I mentioned before, Congo also spends less per capita than the US government. Healthcare isn't cheaper there, it's just nonexistant.

That said, Ben Is Always Wrong, and this isn't an exception.

If you're using a metric of "how little am I forced to pay", as Ben seems to be using, then it matters.

[DaShi]

That statement by itself is meaningless. As I mentioned before, Congo also spends less per capita than the US government. Healthcare isn't cheaper there, it's just nonexistant.

That said, Ben Is Always Wrong, and this isn't an exception.

You do realize that the US is dead last in comparison of health care quality to cost among first world countries? Either way, at posting this after your MrFun comment.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

here is a relatively recent summary of healthcare spending per capita in USD with life expectancy in the country


In all those countries, except US, everyone is insured, they all have "free" access to healthcare, and UK is probably the worst out of them all in the quality of service provided and waiting times (with possible exception of Canada)...

in the end UK healthcare, even though below average in the list above.. is at least relatively cheap, while it may still be better than US one for the "majority" of the population - not just the wealthy top...

this

http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/23/2/88.full

for sure cannot happen in UK, or any other country in the above except the US.

How can educated, intelligent people argue for US "market" based system is just a proof that education does not necessarily lead to rational thinking.

[Tupac Shakur]

The US healthcare system isn't "market" based.

[Dinner]

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

No question about it. The elderly would see a 50% rise in their personal expenses over night and that would mean a crushing decrease in personal expenditures nation wide.

[Dinner]

Doesn't the US government spend more per capita on health care than the Canadian government?

Yes, by a very large amount.

[Ben Kenobi]

The Canadian government spends less and Canada has better average outcomes than the US.

Are you gaging 'better than average outcomes' from the studies claiming that Canadians live longer?

Statistically, white Americans live longer than white Canadians. Correct for other variables and Canada's system does a worse job.