5 States Looking at Single Payer Healthcare

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by Hoonose

I would suggest that for the most part the HC delivery systems, docs, hospitals and facilities stay within the private sector. As exists today. IMO we do not want gov't ownership/employees like the VA system, for instance.

I don't think the VA works very well but I'm not sure that it's because it's run by the government. I don't know what the reason is but my ex always had trouble with the VA. Medicare is run by the government and it works pretty well. I don't know what it is with the VA but it was a mess. There were doctors getting paid and they weren't even there! They were off working at their other job. But I don't think government run health insurance has to be bad like the VA.

I kind of like Obamacare if it had been allowed to work. I like the different insurance companies and the fact that they all were required to offer a certain things. And the competition kept them affordable--even though some people in states that didn't expand Medicaid got screwed (the fault of their own states) and apparently some middle class people got screwed too for some reason.

[Hoonose]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

I don't think the VA works very well but I'm not sure that it's because it's run by the government. I don't know what the reason is but my ex always had trouble with the VA. Medicare is run by the government and it works pretty well. I don't know what it is with the VA but it was a mess. There were doctors getting paid and they weren't even there! They were off working at their other job. But I don't think government run health insurance has to be bad like the VA.

I kind of like Obamacare if it had been allowed to work. I like the different insurance companies and the fact that they all were required to offer a certain things. And the competition kept them affordable--even though some people in states that didn't expand Medicaid got screwed (the fault of their own states) and apparently some middle class people got screwed too for some reason.

I've been a doc for 40 years and trained at a major VA hospital in Chicago.

Medicare works because it is affordable, very lenient on testing and treatments, has widespread coverage, and mainly delivered by the private sector.

The VA is cheap, more restrictive with formulary and testing, as well as geographical coverage, and suffers from administrative bloat. Also what I call the 30-60-90 day syndrome of management. Some private hospitals have this as well. It takes too long for these facilities to react. Local management has less impetus since the profit motive is gone. And less power of control. So the local management has to contact and relay any desired change to the regional and then maybe even national management. And then on back down the line. Inefficient and not very responsive to the patients being served.

Obamacare is great if you are poor, have pre-existing medical conditions, or have the misfortune of experiencing a major medical/surgical catastrophe. Not so good for healthy middle class folks needing cheap and easy and uncomplicated medical care/insurance.

[69Charger]

All I know, is I had great healthcare before Obama. Now I'm forced into high deductable garbage. Urgent care went from $20 to $103. Obama sucks.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Yes. I know that in New England we are the type of people who will pitch in and help others. It's kind of a given that you help your neighbors--I don't know if it's something to do with our history or what. But people volunteer, join in, help out. So it would be natural for most of us to pitch in and pool our money so that all could benefit from health care.

But if the red states aren't like that, they don't deserve to have us help them out--meaning that since they don't subscribe to the idea of helping others, then why should we help them? They'd be leeches if they came here and expected our health insurance system to pay for them when they haven't offered to pitch in, haven't contributed anything.

The red states seem to be sink or swim mentality. If you have back luck, then tough! Die, starve--who cares? At least that's the impression I get.

So states that have a health insurance system should insure their own and that's all. And also--no illegals are eligible for coverage because they are law breakers who have already drained the system with their kids and taking jobs and not paying taxes. The system has to be as fair as possible.

But it would be better by far to have health insurance nationwide because then people could move freely from state to state for family or jobs and not have to fear losing their insurance. There has to be a way to purchase affordable health insurance--paying doctors or hospitals simply is not affordable for most people. You have to have insurance in this modern era--and tying it to your job is not practical.

Agree with your entire post. It would be better if health coverage was nationwide but since red states don't seem to be interested in that, blue states need to put their own citizens first.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by kevinm

Are you going to put doctors on a government salary and pay schedule? How many people would enter the profession if they only got paid the same as a government worker?? How do they afford their malpractice insurance and student loan debt? They would be indentured servants to the government.

Doctors would qualify for free medical school as long as they practiced medicine for a certain amount of time--to make sure they didn't just go for free and then turn around and work at another profession.

No student loan debt. Some government workers make big money and doctors would be placed at the top. Do something to limit malpractice suits--I don't know what.

Everybody will need health care at some point in their lives. That's why we pay it forward.