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The funniest part is that Japan has total coverage and the same tax rates as the US. Not only that, their health care system is even actually more privatized than that of the US. Amazing how Japan can have universal coverage, similar rates of taxes, and it is even less socialist than what the US even currently has.
I think most people agree that our system is terrible with spiraling costs, lack of accountability for behavior (smoking, eating, drinking etc), and emegency room as last resort for the uninsured.
With both our health care & education systems we are at or near the top in per capita spending but nowhere near the top in outcomes.
I'm 6'5 250lbs of solid muscle. BMI says I'm "overweight". I'd love to have some government lackey tell me I'm "too big" after I smash em in the face! This is America............we are free to kill ourselves with obesity and junk food. Fine! Just don't expect other people to pay for it. That's the type of mentality that made America great. Not some nanny state of "ooh you must go back re educate.......waist line too big!!!" WTF is that?
If some fat American wants to eat themselves into diabetic neuropathy and raise their own fat farm of a family on coke and potato chips so be it. Personal choice of what you eat and the consequences is the last vestige of natural population control. Problem is you and I are subsidizing all their irresponsible choices in life.
If this country function as you stated, then it is all well, but it is not. We are a socialist country. The government dictates everything. They are already started with school food. Parents cannot even send lunch to school because school says the home made food don't food nutrition label on it.
And when you have a group that has no skin in the game, then they are going to abuse it. The rest of us will have to pay. For example: Medicaid, they have no monthly premium, no copay for doctor visit, medicines etc.
I don't mind we have a universal health care system, but everyone must have skin in the game. For example, make the first 20 times out of your own pocket. This will make those people take twice before going to the doctor 5 times just because they have a cold.
If they abuse the ER for no emergency, they will be bill for the cost. Abuse it 3 times a year, they are kick out of the system.
A study of 13 industrialized countries released Thursday showed Japan spends the least on health care, while the United States spends the most without providing superior care for the money.
Yeah, so? I'm sure I can find a study with really bad methodology and heavily skewed too.
Not impressed...
Mircea
Quote:
Originally Posted by mysticaltyger
Exactly. It is not socially acceptable to be fat in Japan, but it is in America.
If I were to do a study, I would look at as pounds per capita or something like that.
Census Bureau says 312 Million but 200 Million are obese so US population is really 512 Million.
Now look at costs, and it's a bargain. Pound for pound, health care is cheaper in the US than any other country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mysticaltyger
We keep fighting each other about WHO pays for health care but ultimately we all pay for it. If we don't collectively make some serious lifestyle changes, we will be bankrupted by medical costs regardless of whether it's socialized medicine or not. All the health care in the world is not going to save us if we don't start taking better care of ourselves.
Government involvement is neither necessary nor desirable to achieve those goals.
The Free Market will do that, and for once, to you advantage.
[Free] Market Economically...
Mircea
Quote:
Originally Posted by wxjay
Much of this is culture driven - i.e., we have to have a culture that motivates well-being and morals in order to become healthier. That isn't going to be done alone and it isn't going to be accomplished through a single-payer system or regulations. It comes from the moral compass of our country and its citizens.
It comes from government involvement and a lack of Free Market involvement.
Move your health care system from a Socialist system to a Free Market System, and then health care because affordable for all.
When one can call their health insurance agent and say, "Hey, I want to change my policy to add a rider for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, since I just got divorced and I'll be banging everything that moves" then you will know you have abandoned your present Socialist/Command system and arrived at Free Market health care.
You make fat people pay for the privilege of being fat, and you'll motivate them to lose weight.
Motivationally...
Mircea
Quote:
Originally Posted by fibonacci
The funniest part is that Japan has total coverage and the same tax rates as the US. Not only that, their health care system is even actually more privatized than that of the US. Amazing how Japan can have universal coverage, similar rates of taxes, and it is even less socialist than what the US even currently has.
No, the funniest part is that you still don't understand the impact and costs to health care associated with attitude.
Japanese, like Europeans, go to the doctor to get well.
Americans go to the doctor to feel good.
Feeling good is much more expensive than getting well.
I guarandamtee you that pregnant Japanese women do not have an ultrasound every freaking month, even when it is totally unnecessary and pointless.
American women do.
That, is the difference between health care and feeling good. Not that it matter, because as soon as you run out of money, you won't have that luxury.
If this country function as you stated, then it is all well, but it is not. We are a socialist country. The government dictates everything. They are already started with school food. Parents cannot even send lunch to school because school says the home made food don't food nutrition label on it.
And when you have a group that has no skin in the game, then they are going to abuse it. The rest of us will have to pay. For example: Medicaid, they have no monthly premium, no copay for doctor visit, medicines etc.
I don't mind we have a universal health care system, but everyone must have skin in the game. For example, make the first 20 times out of your own pocket. This will make those people take twice before going to the doctor 5 times just because they have a cold.
If they abuse the ER for no emergency, they will be bill for the cost. Abuse it 3 times a year, they are kick out of the system.
I'm sorry, but who are these people just going to the doctor and emergency room for the eff of it? I'm sure there are hypochondriacs out there who do, but they are such a small part of society. And what are they doing that doctors are charging so much to the ins. company that we end up having to pay for it?
Another reason Japan has such cheap healthcare is the Ministry of Health sets maximum legally chargable prices for everything. X-ray scans are set at 1500 Yen (12 dollars). You can't practice medicine or sells anything in Japan if you refuse to follow the Ministry Regulations. They also back that up with jail time and stiff fines. So the question becomes do you want to do business in the third largest market in the world and one with a wealthy healthy population? Of course you do! The companies that do business in Japan are familiar many are American. When the costs of providing care, goods like drugs sickness doesn't blow a hole in insurance company bottom lines so insurance in Japan is inexpensive and guess what every one has it.
Well;its not surprising really when the USdoes 70% of medical and drug researvh which the world profits from. That is likely to be endign sonn tho as the profit movtive is reduced.
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