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NOTHING makes the U.S. different. Except that unlike some other countries, the guys at the top are so focused on profit, so money-grubbing, that they don't care about the welfare of the population as a whole. And then they start yelling "Socialism!" and cherry-pick a few bad examples, and scare people.
Of course it would work here. As it stands, our health care is behind others. On the World Heath list, the U.S. ranks 31st(!) in life expectancy. We're even behind Chile and Slovenia.
First you'd have to prove that it "works" in those countries. The number of people who buy additional insurance and go out of the country for treatment would argue that it DOESN'T work.
Also the US isn't like those other countries, they don't have the huge welfare class of the US and have very different tax structures. Just look at the way US liberals howl anytime someone mentions everyone paying their own way, or at least paying SOMETHING. Those other countries the left admire so much don't have a "47%" like the US. Just who do you think would pay for healthcare when one party thinks everyone should get it but only half should pay for it.
Your first point is a total myth, again the US has by far the highest medical tourism of any country in the world, Americans go overseas at a higher rate than any other country by far. The systems in the other countries have lower costs and far better outcomes, additional insurance varies but the key is the basic, essential health care is covered and there are no medical bankruptices.
As for your second point, if the US is so bitterly divided and economically unmanageable, perhaps we should give up on the idea of staying united as we currently are and break up into smaller, more manageable countries. The current system is festering toward total collapse.
Wrong. More Americans go overseas for medical tourism (total numbers and per capita) than from any other country, both because of the cost and low quality, and often low availability. Very few Canadians come down to the US, that's just oft repeated propaganda. It's a fantasy that Americans get to see the doctor that fast, wait times here are very, very long for key procedures and yet lower quality and higher cost. I worked in Canada a couple time son projects and the Canadians all laugh cynically at this dumb talking point. They're very satisfied with their healthcare system and wouldn't trade it with the US disaster for anything.
More nonsense. It's wrong because you are in denial.
They have a mix of tax systems but at least the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Japan don't have regressive tax systems, it tends to be more regressive in the USA, are small businesses are hit hardest at all. In fact total taxes in the US are about the same as overseas, with small businesses hit with a nastier tax bill than any other industrialized country, yet we get far less for our taxes.
Actually, yes, there is something... Our highly progressive tax system makes the US different from other countries, and therefore less able to fund social programs benefits.
Indeed. Insurance companies actually make providing healthcare unpleasant, add no value to the patient, and suck money out of the system. I think the profits should go the people and vendors that are adding value.
Why should American employers have to subsidize the bottom line of other for profit companies? ( via employer sponsored healthcare) employers have been screaming about ballooning healthcare costs since the early nineties, and 30% of that cost is wasted.
I am in my mid 60s and do not know of a single person who went to the States for treatment instead of having it in Canada. There are some rare cancers for example that are best treated in the States and my Canadian health care covers that. I would think that if so many Canadians were going south for treatment I would have heard of it in conversations.
Most of the problems we do have I blame on the educational system as you need trained people to run the fancy equipment and the hospitals. And we do have problems as being number 30 is not good enough. We need to learn from those countries ahead of us and not from those behind us, and certainly not to stick our heads in the sand and claim we are the best. At least in Alberta we need to streamline the processes of seeing a specialist and even doctors at clinics. We of course could cut waiting times by eliminating a percentage of the population from getting health care but I think I would rather wait.
They have a mix of tax systems but at least the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Japan don't have regressive tax systems, it tends to be more regressive in the USA, are small businesses are hit hardest at all. In fact total taxes in the US are about the same as overseas, with small businesses hit with a nastier tax bill than any other industrialized country, yet we get far less for our taxes.
Nope. Look at tax revenue as a percentage of GDP. The US simply doesn't collect enough tax revenue to fund luxury social program benefits like single-payer health care because our highly progressive tax structure relies on way too narrow a tax base and relies far too heavily on the top, when in fact most of the income is earned by the bottom 90%. Also, the US doesn't have a VAT tax. That also decreases our tax revenue as a percentage of GDP:
Obviously you missed the point, those aren't socialist countries, they're very capitalist ones. Do you think countries with capitalist titans like Mercedes-Benz, Siemens, Husvarna, Philips, Sony, Samsung and Nintendo are socialist?
They are socialist countries, they are HEAVILY regulated economies that are controlled by the government. The US is also a socialist country currently as it is also HEAVILY regulated as well (though the US is doing so illegally as it has overstepped its legal authority and usurped the power of the people and the states)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corascant
They're mixed, just like the US is, because you can't have "capitalism" for absolutely everything. Primary education is one, firefighting services are another, healthcare is an obvious other example. People getting treatment after getting hit by a drunk driver aren't in a position to "negotiate" prices or look for the best bidder.
Yes you can.
Education was ran by donation societies, primarily taken care of by the Churches all the way up into the 20th century. Firefighting even to this day in some counties is a PAY service where you pay a monthly fee to the local chapter for fire protection.
Nothing stops people from setting up pre-planned medical uses and physicians so that when such occurs, things are taken care of.
We do not need government in this, government only drives up the cost and lowers the quality of service, let the free market decide, anything else is just moochers worried about not getting a free ride.
What makes the US different, that would make such system a disaster?
USA has the greediest people on planet earth. It'll never happen in a country with such greedy people. Therefore, it'll remain for profit forever. You know? Have to cash in on other peoples illnesses and misfortunes here in the USA, it's the American way, unfortunately.
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