Thread for obviously newsworthy stuff

[spambot]

Well it's not like Republicans ever refuse to answer a question oh wait yes they do.

[Kidlicious]

Alternatively, currently most employers pay on average 1/2 of the health insurance costs because of tax advantage. Just make it so that that payment is made to the government instead of the health insurance companies and then the health insurance companies take 3/8 from the government (if the employee has a health plan). Then the government offers MedicareForAll at the cost of 100 USD for anyone.

JM

I don't know if that adds up. But someone is still paying for it or it adds to the deficit.

[Proteus_MST]

I don't know if that adds up. But someone is still paying for it or it adds to the deficit.

That's what taxes are for

[Kidlicious]

That's what taxes are for

B-b-but it's a right, not a privilege.

[Proteus_MST]

B-b-but it's a right, not a privilege.

I would think of paying taxes rather as a duty.
Although I am sure that Trump would disagree

[Aeson]

A spontaneous herd of beavers building the wall is an actual way it could be built, although not likely.

[Kidlicious]

I would think of paying taxes rather as a duty.
Although I am sure that Trump would disagree

It's an obligation, not a duty. And Trump has paid 100 times more tax than you.

[rah]

And he has avoided 100 time more than everyone here combined.

[Broken_Erika]

Girl Scouts sue Boy Scouts over planned name change

The Girl Scouts of the United States of America have filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America for dropping the word "boy" from their name.

Set to be called Scouts BSA from 2019, the Boy Scouts announced the switch in May as it prepares to allow older girls as members for the first time.

But the Girl Scouts say the change could erode their brand, calling the move "uniquely damaging" to them.

Their lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction against trademark breaches.

"Only GSUSA has the right to use the Girl Scouts and Scouts trademarks with leadership development services for girls," papers filed in a Manhattan federal court said.

The switch could "marginalise" the Girl Scouts, the complaint reads. It reportedly says the switch has already caused confusion, with some believing their organisation had merged with the Boy Scouts.

In response, the Boy Scouts of America issued a statement saying it was reviewing the suit, and that it believed "there is an opportunity for both organizations to serve girls and boys in our communities".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46119393

[Aeson]

Gender war just got real! Escalation will ensue ... the Troop formerly known as Boy Scouts are going to be selling cookies door to door. Girl Scouts will start hiring pedophile Scoutmasters. Culminating in a world encompassing game of red rover

[Jon Miller]

I don't know if that adds up. But someone is still paying for it or it adds to the deficit.

The fact that medicare is cheaper than our private healthcare is how it adds up. A lot cheaper and in many cases better.

JM

[Kidlicious]

The fact that medicare is cheaper than our private healthcare is how it adds up. A lot cheaper and in many cases better.

JM

Well the administration costs are less. I don't think that makes it a lot cheaper.

[Jon Miller]

Well the administration costs are less. I don't think that makes it a lot cheaper.

I think there are efficiencies of scale available. Also, I sorta assume that silly rules like medicare not being able to pay for generics/etc will be done away with.

But yes, the private system is just a lot more inefficient. The market failure is a bit obvious even from a capitalist perspective. Those who purchase the insurance (employers) don't care about health outcomes, those that care about health outcomes (employees) don't pay, and those who are responding to the market (health insurers and hospitals) don't have to be efficient either for providing health outcomes (since employers don't care) or for being cheap (since employees don't care).

JM

[Kidlicious]

I think there are efficiencies of scale available. Also, I sorta assume that silly rules like medicare not being able to pay for generics/etc will be done away with.

But yes, the private system is just a lot more inefficient. The market failure is a bit obvious even from a capitalist perspective. Those who purchase the insurance (employers) don't care about health outcomes, those that care about health outcomes (employees) don't pay, and those who are responding to the market (health insurers and hospitals) don't have to be efficient either for providing health outcomes (since employers don't care) or for being cheap (since employees don't care).

JM

I don't like the idea of losing control of my health care to the government even though I'm not happy with the current system. I don't think doctors want to lose control either. There's really no turning back after you totally eliminate the market. The long term effects of government control are not good imo.

[Proteus_MST]

I don't like the idea of losing control of my health care to the government even though I'm not happy with the current system. I don't think doctors want to lose control either. There's really no turning back after you totally eliminate the market. The long term effects of government control are not good imo.

The market will still exist.

Here in germany we still have private health insurers (and insurances) in addition to the statutory health insurers) and peoiple can freely chose if they want to have their health insurance from a private company instead of the statutory ones.

Is more expensive, but you get additional services (for example preferential treatment with regards to waiting times in the waiting room for doctors, more options for preventive medical checkups (although some of them also are offered by the statutory health insurers) and so on.
There also are supplementary insurances you can get from private insurers.

That what I, for example, have:
In addition to my normal statutory health insurance I have a supplementary private hospital insurance which grants me lots of goodies if I have to lie in hospital, like treatment by the head physician, getting a single occupancy bedroom (or a monetary reimbursement per day if no single occupancy bedrooms are abvailable) and internet free of charge (if available)