And people wonder why I want out... (Orange: health insurance, college)

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

...of California.

Todays paper (The Orange County Register) where I happen to work. On the front page....a little blurb about the $12 billion plan, that Ahnold unveiled to provide health care to the state's 6.5 million uninsured (1 million of them illegal immigrants).
Says it will be funded by redirected state funding, and fees, on doctors, hospitals, and employers...in other words "You and Me!!"

That's just another reason I want out, and to go to a non-welfare state, where folks earn their keep. WY, MT here I come.

Sorry to be so negative, but this stuff really burns me. I work hard for my money, and my family, and things seem to be just given to others. Guess I must be jealous.

[Winston Smith]

Well, the U.S. spends $50 BILLION per year on roads, yet 47 MILLION people don't have health insurance. I have yet to figure out those priorities.

The problem is, be they legal or illegal immigrants, U.S citizens, poor, deranged, recently fired, divorced, incompetent, whatever, if they have TB or some other nasty disease, you and I with our health insurance can still catch what they have. They're in line with us at the grocery store, they're pumping gas from the same pumps we use, and they may even be preparing our next meal at the restaurant. Nah, public health, who needs it?

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

I guess there's no easy answer. The whole system is messed up. I think Canada has public health, and even their system is messed up.
Only thing for certain is death and taxes I suppose.

[Winston Smith]

Canada's public health system, like the ones in Europe, is not perfect. But, they spend a whole lot less per person on making sure people can see a doctor -- and everyone is covered. We spend many times more pp here and 47 million are uninsured. Even the most primitive tribes in Africa have a medicine man or woman. Yet in the U.S. of A., if you "ain't got the do-re-mi" (as Woody sang), ain't no one gonna' help ya. There's no easy answer, that's true, but making sure people get a doctor when their sick should be the most basic of priorities in a land as rich with resources as America. Schwarzenegger is a European; he knows the benefits of providing healthcare for the people. In this I salute him.

It's funny how people are different. It's ideas like these that make me want to STAY in CA, while other can't flee fast enough. To each his own, I guess, no matter how opposite.

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

You make some very valid points. I guess I was to busy being pi$$ed off about the "illegal" portion of it, without thinking about the "poor, deranged, recently fired, divorced, incompetent" folks you mentioned, and for that i must apologize.
The money has to come from somewhere, and I hardly have enough to live on now.

[Cattknap]

Throwing more of the taxpayer's money at a problem rarely solves it....Government is usally inept, irresponsible often corrupt and many times unethical when it comes to spending our money. Raising taxes for medical for the masses (and you know taxes are going to be raised no matter what any one says) will result in nothing but government waste and fraud and, mark my words, a medical system that will be like any other governmental agency in the state: Inefficient, poorly administered and totally inadequate in dealing with the medical problems of the masses. You think we have an illegal alien problem now? Just wait until the state offers free medical to all that need it....sorry, it is not my job to take care of the masses.

[Mvn2nc]

Originally Posted by johns65vette

...of California.

Todays paper (The Orange County Register) where I happen to work. On the front page....a little blurb about the $12 billion plan, that Ahnold unveiled to provide health care to the state's 6.5 million uninsured (1 million of them illegal immigrants).
Says it will be funded by redirected state funding, and fees, on doctors, hospitals, and employers...in other words "You and Me!!"

That's just another reason I want out, and to go to a non-welfare state, where folks earn their keep. WY, MT here I come.

Sorry to be so negative, but this stuff really burns me. I work hard for my money, and my family, and things seem to be just given to others. Guess I must be jealous.

I can certainly sympathize with you on first thinking it is because of Illegals for the most part.
Nothing burned me up more a couple of years ago when my daughter was admiited to emergency at a local hospital with an asthma attack and had to wait over an hour because the hospital had to many people in that waiting area with the dumbest problems.Babys had colds, one child had a weird bump on its thigh. You know Medicare pays for these visits and this certain ethnic group uses the emergency room for everything. This i dont understand.
But in the meantime,my child is now 19.No health insurance.Gets sick, goes to a local clinic and has to pay over $100.00 ( actually i did) to be seen by a doctor. No break for no insurance.Medicine was another $50.00 due to no insurance. To many young adults who are not in college and can not be on their parents insurance anymore have no protection for their health.

[metaljaybird]

I don't understand why uninsured = unhealthy or poor. I was uninsured for years, by choice. Now that I'm not a consultant, I have medical. Sure, it's handy, but I am willing to bet that most of those uninsured in the US are not poor and are healthy.

I'm not so paranoid to believe that insuring every citizen is going to make us healthier. Probably just make us rely more on healthcare instead of taking care of ourselves.

[greatbasinguide]

California has free medical care for the poor, it is covered by the Burton Santini act.

If you want medical coverage and you are a youngin, do your country a favor, spend a few years in the military and you will get life time medical care. When I retire, In 6 months, I won't Cobra my insurance, I will simply use VA.

Get buried for free too.

[Cattknap]

Originally Posted by metaljaybird

I don't understand why uninsured = unhealthy or poor. I was uninsured for years, by choice. Now that I'm not a consultant, I have medical. Sure, it's handy, but I am willing to bet that most of those uninsured in the US are not poor and are healthy.

I'm not so paranoid to believe that insuring every citizen is going to make us healthier. Probably just make us rely more on healthcare instead of taking care of ourselves.

Yep - rely on the government instead of ourselves. Have the government fix everything for you - take away your personal responsibility, take away the incentive to give to the poor and be charitable, take away our freedom of choice...let the ineptly run government take over our lives.