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Changes to existing statutes to make health INSURANCE (not health CARE) more affordable
There is a difference
When I talk of helath insurance and health care I mean them together.
Bottom line.. you can't afford insurance you have no health care . Costs are closely tied because the burden of the uninsured and underinsured affect the system...
and the cost of insurance is high for a myriad of reasons.
health insurance.. health care.. they all mean the same thing as far as I'm concerned and for the sake of this debate.
Why have a comittee that looks at everything BUT a UHI. Why not have a comittee that ALSO does a study of the impact of UHI, costs etc?
Any "scheme" to me seem to be just bandaids on big and growing problem. It may delay the inevitable, but IMO the system will eventually break and can't susain.
Why have a comittee that looks at everything BUT a UHI. Why not have a comittee that ALSO does a study of the impact of UHI, costs etc?
Any "scheme" to me seem to be just bandaids on big and growing problem. It may delay the inevitable, but IMO the system will eventually break and can't susain.
There were / are both types of committees.
Eliminating pre existing exclusions is not a "band aid". Getting a handle on punitive damage awards is not a "band aid"
Allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines is not a "band aid".
Sorry TM - your focus is myopic - its either a UHI or nothing.
Moderator cut: off topic
Last edited by autumngal; 09-18-2008 at 08:50 AM..
This must be how it sounds when the politicians discuss this issue. So many arguments against every suggestion that nothing ever changes.
There needs to be a change for the positive. It's ridiculous to think that ALL Americans can't have access to good, affordable health care. It shouldn't be a luxury for the people who can afford it. Those with preexisting conditions shouldn't be left out in the cold. We shouldn't be an illness or injury away from losing everything we own in order to pay the medical bills.
It just seems like a conflict of interest when thinking of health care in terms of company profits and huge salaries/bonuses for CEOs. I know America is built on capitalism, but doesn't it seem strange to think that the quality of our health care is directly tied to companies who have to find ways to show increased quarterly profits to their share holders by way of keeping us alive and healthy for less cost? Won't that ultimately always lead to the people with less money available to spend on health care having inferior options and protections?
If there turns out to be no money in making good health care affordable, which there doesn't really appear to be, then how will we ever make it happen in a capitalistic society?
It will illustrate the large number of low cost or free health care available in this country
that is great..
but going to the Dr for a cold or sore throat or even the annual check up is not the problem.
what about the specialists that are needed should a condition arise. What about surgeries and god forbid cancer treatments. Free and low cost clinics are not equipped nor do they deal with situations like that..
what about the specialists that are needed should a condition arise. What about surgeries and god forbid cancer treatments. Free and low cost clinics are not equipped nor do they deal with situations like that..
I don't know about your area but here, if required, referrals are made to Mayo or Barrow's or AZ heart institute etc - at little or no cost to the patient -
I don't know about your area but here, if required, referrals are made to Mayo or Barrow's or AZ heart institute etc - at little or no cost to the patient -
Maybe that's part of the problem - too many differences between too many areas.
I am for Universal Healthcare, and for a number of reasons:
(1) Morality: I feel that it is completely and totally immoral of institutions in our country to be profiting immensely from services (or lack thereof) that are centered around basic human needs. Much like food taxes, privatized healthcare systems disproportionately burden the poor and working (and middle) classes.
(2) Outrageous Costs of Healthcare in America today: Not only are we all already paying for a version of socialized medicine in America, we are paying much more exorbitant amounts than we should be as our tax dollars are lining the pockets of many private industries that, not coincidentally, happen to be some of the richest (with the highest paid executives) in the country (healthcare, insurance, pharmaceutical, etc.) - in regards to the previous talks of "administration costs" of UH, the highest "administration costs" possible are those that we pay now.
(3) Universal Healthcare = Business Growth/ Job Creation: As a hiring manager, when preparing annual budgets I factor in that our benefits costs will average app. 25% of our workforce's salaries (e.g. if a person makes $40K a year, on average we will pay app. $10K for health benefits for that employee). Our company's benefits aren't great - a single mom with one child will still have to pay close to $400 in premiums each month, so total investment in health benefits for that employee (both employer and employee) is about $15K per year. Compare this example to the German example where both employees and employer pay 6.5% (totalling 13%) of the individual's salary - between employee and employer at my organization, it's about 37.5% (or if you consider the total payment for health benefits as "salary", meaning the person making 40K a year's salary is actually 55K/yr - it would still be at over 27%). With universal healthcare of any type, not only would we be able to pay our employees a lot more (assumedly much farther above and beyond what the increase in taxes would be), we could similarly afford to create new positions and jobs immediately despite the faltering economy. Think of what the impact would be on small businesses, or any entrepreneurial individual thinking about starting their own business - how many persons/ families have likely avoided going into business for themselves (or expanding a current business) because they couldn't afford to cover private healthcare costs? I think the impact of universal healthcare on our economy would be astounding...
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