Blame Michael Moore for me bringing this question up, (THIS IS NOT A MICHAEL MOORE BASHING/PRAISE THREAD), but what is your opinion on a government run, universal health care system? Explain your choice.
I think I made a thread on this a couple months ago, but I'm completely opposed to it. The government can't do anything right, the less they touch the better.
Brought to you by the same people who brought you the welfare system and Social Security. That should say enough.
Some blend of private/public heath would be better. The US is alone among nations in having such a bloated and wealthy health insurance and pharmaceutical industry while many middle-class and poor citizens get shafted on medical expenses, especially retirees on fixed incomes. Fully socialized medicine has its well-known problems, too, so that is not a solution. I think our pharmaceutical industry should have to compete internationally in a free market. The drugs here just cost too much to justify when they are available in Canada and Mexico for reasonable prices. I think the private health insurance system works if you are rich or are in a group plan with a company contribution. But if you are poor, self-employed, or don't get health benefits at work, the systems fails completely in this country. Louisiana should be getting rid of government monstrosities like our Charity Hospital system (the only one of its kind in the country). Most states send charity cases to county public hospitals, most of which suck worse than Big Charity. Charity and county hospitals should be replaced with an affordable health insurance system for the self-employed and small businesses and a cheap-to-free health insurance for the poor. No way should a country like Cuba be able to provide better care for all its citizens than the US.
No, I'm talking about a system. One that works. That is not what is responsible. Lawsuits are a tiny fraction of medical costs and most of them are justified. Sure they should profit, but not profiteer. But why should the medicine be too expensive for ordinary people to buy. Why doesn't the free international market apply to them? Why should they get the exclusive right to sell us overpriced medicine when it can be developed and marketed more cheaply? Because of the Pharmaceutical Lobby and contributions to Congressmen and Legisatures, that's why.
Medicine is not a luxury. Show me a $75 health plan. :lol: The market says they are overpriced. Canadian drugs are cheaper. Just look at how cheap they become when the patent expires. That is a pathetic excuse for an insult. Grow up, will you. Is it possible for you to have a discussion without resorting to this childishness? Incidentally, I'm a researcher in a non-tenured professional position. I keep my job because I've brought in $millions in research funding, conduct innovative projects, and produce award-winning results. So what do you do that offers you a $75 health plan? :grin:
I don't know that I want a fairly inefficient government running my health care program but you have to admit our system doesn't work very well. And it doesn't just extend to those that cannot afford health insurance. Having health insurance today is no "insurance policy" that you will be taken care of. My sisters have insurance, both are battling cancer, and one of them is sinking into debt. Of course, their respective HMO's don't approve all tests, treatments, etc in a rapid fashion. They make them fight for it first. I pray that I never get sick because I feel that health insurance is getting to the level of car insurance. No problem taking your premiums, until there is a problem with you. I wish our elected officials cared enough about us to really tackle this head on. It would be a banner year. Not really a Michael Moore fan but his film did raise some very interesting points. Did not really show anyone as a hero. Oh yeah, and if there really is a $75 health plan out there.....sign me up, please.
This is exactly by belief. I'm young, but I'm worried if I get very ill in my future, I'm going to have to fight the insurance company to death just to get the same treatment citizens of other countries get for FREE.
Who do you think has their hand on the throat of medicine? I don't need insurance to buy a car or a house, only to protect it as an investment. How many people can afford to purchase health care w/out insurance? Reform is a no brainer, but one of the reasons HMO's are so tyrannical are the out of control costs of health care. At any rate, I merely listed one problem with our health care system as it relates to people that already have some form of insurance. You actually think the current system is adequate and that health is a privilege not a right? Not all people that cannot afford insurance go without because they are fiscally irresponsible. There is no easy solution to this problem but there should be a solution. Our mortality statistics compared to our expenditures are just not that enviable, and the benefits to the rest of the world from our "R&D", is not enough of a trade off for me. I did not advocate socialized medicine, but that doesn't mean I have to be satisfied with the current inadequate system.
I agree.:thumb: Hillary tried this already! NO, the government has no business getting involved with health care. Anything the government can do the private sector can do better. I'm opposed to the government being in charge of anything. Thats all we need is a bunch of politicians or a committee of them along with special interest running health care along with everything else they already do. Btw, some of this has already happened, Illegals get cheaper health care in this country than a lot of taxpayers, maybe better service also. Who will pay for this? Expect the deficit and taxes to go through the roof. Look at the other countries that have tried this. Many of their citizens come to America for treatments or the medicines come from this country for a reason and that happens to be that those countries don't have the funding for research or new medical treatments. Then there is the horror story of long lines of people waiting their turn for operations, etc, kinda like we wait in line in the USA for a drivers license or some other government building! Somehow I don't think this information made it through Michael Moore's editing process.:hihi:
