Health Care

[PrinceLink]

Ya I did it. Bite me.

Okay while I do realize this is mainly is a United States issue and that every smart folk here is probably from somewhere that has it, I still want to hear all your opinions on it.


Currently In the U.S.A there is an on going debate on which involves whither we (US) should make government run health care.


What I want to know is your stands on this issue.


Do you feel that government should provide health care for its citizens?

How should government provide health care?

If your in a foreign country with a government health care option or something what do you like and dislike about it?

Why do you think the U.S. doesn't have it while every other well developed country does?

Or do what ever you want. As long as the post is even very little involved with this still comment.




JUST POST NOW DAMMIT!!!!

 

[Shadow*91]

hey a debate! ...is it '08 again or something?

anyways, i want goverment funded healthcare. people complain about taxes, it'll cost too much. well look at other countries. a few countries run a better goverment funded healthcare system for less then our current crappy system.

price is the only thing i ever hear people complain about when it comes to this topic. well, if other countries can do it better for cheaper then why can't we?

 

[Napalmbrain]

I'm a little torn on the issue due to my free-market ideals, but I believe health care is a basic right, so I would have to say I'm for universal health care. Of course, that could be because here in the UK where we already have universal health care (the NHS) which most of us take for granted, so it's not as easy to see what benefits the US system could offer. However, I would certainly like the NHS to stop wasting mountains of money on bureaucracy.

 

[Squall7]

I'm a little torn on the issue due to my free-market ideals, but I believe health care is a basic right, so I would have to say I'm for universal health care. Of course, that could be because here in the UK where we already have universal health care (the NHS) which most of us take for granted, so it's not as easy to see what benefits the US system could offer. However, I would certainly like the NHS to stop wasting mountains of money on bureaucracy.

Seconded on all counts. Though unfortunately, I have a feeling that a conservative UK government still wouldn't better the situation.

Though there's one thing that people forget, we also have private health too. If you have the money, you can get better care. Overall, I don't see why America cannot implement a similar system there.

 

[DBloke]

I really must be more weak so I can take advantage of this free health care that im offered.

Coming up
Hypochondriac mode when I get a bit of a bunged up nose.

OH NOES PIG FLU!!

 

[PrinceLink]

hey a debate! ...is it '08 again or something?

anyways, i want goverment funded healthcare. people complain about taxes, it'll cost too much. well look at other countries. a few countries run a better goverment funded healthcare system for less then our current crappy system.

price is the only thing i ever hear people complain about when it comes to this topic. well, if other countries can do it better for cheaper then why can't we?

Hopefully? But Its Far late to do something about it now.


I'm not quite sure by what you mean better. According to Fox News we have one the world's greatest systems. Right now we don't have really any goverment funded health care. All we really have is Medacaid for poor kids and Medacare for old folks. And those don't barely cover anything and they can be denied.

Also if people are complaining about prices they don't know whats going on. If we pass something close to Obama's main first plan then it would actually reduce goverment waste in health care. I have some stats on this but I can't be arsed to get them.

I'm a little torn on the issue due to my free-market ideals, but I believe health care is a basic right, so I would have to say I'm for universal health care. Of course, that could be because here in the UK where we already have universal health care (the NHS) which most of us take for granted, so it's not as easy to see what benefits the US system could offer. However, I would certainly like the NHS to stop wasting mountains of money on bureaucracy.

What fee-market ideals? I have never heard of such a thing.

Wait do you see that health care is a basic right for a person based on something like freedom of speech, or do you think its a basic right for the government to provide a basic service to us like the post office?

So in the UK how do you guys take it for granted? My main fear of a Public Option here would be people going to the doctors for every stupid little thing that happens to them. I'm taking that you guys must have long lines at doctors?

Also NHS= National Honor Society, National Highway System or National Health System? I'm thinking its the latter. Even though the second one could do it.

Though there's one thing that people forget, we also have private health too. If you have the money, you can get better care. Overall, I don't see why America cannot implement a similar system there.

You live in the UK right?

So essentially your saying that instead of a total and entire government take over of Health Care reflated businesses you have a Public Option right?

And if you speak of a Public Option we smart folk over here are desperately trying to make it so. I think it would be awesome to have a Public Option because hey you always have the option to buy better stuff if you can afford it AND if you can't its nice to have a safety net.

You know kinda like the post office. I mean I could mail my letter using Us postal service and get my letter in by 5 days to Alaska OR I could use a more expensive private company like Fedex or UPS to get it there in 2 days but double the money. I like options.

 

[Squall7]

I'm not quite sure by what you mean better. According to Fox News we have one the world's greatest systems. Right now we don't have really any goverment funded health care. All we really have is Medacaid for poor kids and Medacare for old folks. And those don't barely cover anything and they can be denied.

Fox News could be another talking point. I didn't know that Medacade and Medacare could be denied. Does sound like the media representations of the American Healthcare system are somewhat evading these kinds of issues, and I think it goes quite a way in the argument for Government funded Healthcare.

Also if people are complaining about prices they don't know whats going on. If we pass something close to Obama's main first plan then it would actually reduce goverment waste in health care. I have some stats on this but I can't be arsed to get them.

In some ways, I think its similar to a thing to PFI's. PFI's are basically companies that own a public building, and get paid by the government to run it. The problem is, is that it actually costs way more to do things that way. If the PFI was taken out, and it was just solely Government run, it would cost less in general.

Then again, I don't really like the way insurance is dealt with in general. Too many instances of companies trying to squirm their way out of coughing up money.

What fee-market ideals? I have never heard of such a thing.

Wait do you see that health care is a basic right for a person based on something like freedom of speech, or do you think its a basic right for the government to provide a basic service to us like the post office?

So in the UK how do you guys take it for granted? My main fear of a Public Option here would be people going to the doctors for every stupid little thing that happens to them. I'm taking that you guys must have long lines at doctors?

Also NHS= National Honor Society, National Highway System or National Health System? I'm thinking its the latter. Even though the second one could do it.

I don't think it's that long a line (well, waiting room obviously) in a GP's surgery. Hospitals can have large waiting lines, but I think it's usually a case of it only really be like that in A&E departments in general. You may see a delay in other areas, such as dermatology. You won't usually be sitting there all day or anything though. To be honest, it's a case of in A&E, some people need more urgent attention than others, and it's uncontrollable.

NHS = National Healthcare System (I believe).

You live in the UK right?

So essentially your saying that instead of a total and entire government take over of Health Care reflated businesses you have a Public Option right?

And if you speak of a Public Option we smart folk over here are desperately trying to make it so. I think it would be awesome to have a Public Option because hey you always have the option to buy better stuff if you can afford it AND if you can't its nice to have a safety net.

You know kinda like the post office. I mean I could mail my letter using Us postal service and get my letter in by 5 days to Alaska OR I could use a more expensive private company like Fedex or UPS to get it there in 2 days but double the money. I like options.

Yep, I live in the UK.

It's a decent analogy (NHS with Post Office), although as far as I can tell, I think it's usually a lot more expensive in general. Plus there are other issues with our current NHS, such as certain drugs cannot be prescribed and such.

As mentioned by NapalmBrain, our system is far from perfect, but I feel it's at least a good thing that it exists.

 

[Napalmbrain]

I'm a little torn on the issue due to my free-market ideals, but I believe health care is a basic right, so I would have to say I'm for universal health care. Of course, that could be because here in the UK where we already have universal health care (the NHS) which most of us take for granted, so it's not as easy to see what benefits the US system could offer. However, I would certainly like the NHS to stop wasting mountains of money on bureaucracy.

What fee-market ideals? I have never heard of such a thing.

You've never heard of the free market?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_market

Wait do you see that health care is a basic right for a person based on something like freedom of speech, or do you think its a basic right for the government to provide a basic service to us like the post office?

Both, I guess.

So in the UK how do you guys take it for granted? My main fear of a Public Option here would be people going to the doctors for every stupid little thing that happens to them. I'm taking that you guys must have long lines at doctors?

Yes, that can be one of the drawbacks.

Also NHS= National Honor Society, National Highway System or National Health System? I'm thinking its the latter. Even though the second one could do it.

NHS = National Health Service.

Like Squall said, it's not perfect, but it's nice having it there. The main problem is their tendency to waste huge amounts of money, such as hiring so many "management consultants" instead of nurses or doctors, and wasting taxpayer's money on ridiculous homeopathy treatments (why they even take such pseudoscience seriously, I have no idea). But these are problems are mainly down to those running the NHS, rather than the system itself.

 

[KevinL]

Our government cant even run medicare, medicaid, and social security correctly, so what makes people think they can run our health care correctly? We also complain a great deal about government run motor vehicle departments, schools, police and fire departments, etc. Why do people think we wont be complaining about gov't run hospitals?

Sure, some countries are doing nationalized health care correctly, but others also have 50% or more tax rates to cover the cost. I'm already giving 25% of my money to the gov't and I will not enjoy having to give 50% just so hypochondriacs and people without jobs can see a doctor for free. Remember, if you think health care is expensive now, wait until its free.

And we already have free health care. Just go to any emergency room and they are required to treat you, even if you cant pay. Just ask the illegal immigrants, who use this system all the time.

 

[PrinceLink]

Our government cant even run medicare, medicaid, and social security correctly, so what makes people think they can run our health care correctly? We also complain a great deal about government run motor vehicle departments, schools, police and fire departments, etc. Why do people think we wont be complaining about gov't run hospitals?

Sure, some countries are doing nationalized health care correctly, but others also have 50% or more tax rates to cover the cost. I'm already giving 25% of my money to the gov't and I will not enjoy having to give 50% just so hypochondriacs and people without jobs can see a doctor for free. Remember, if you think health care is expensive now, wait until its free.

And we already have free health care. Just go to any emergency room and they are required to treat you, even if you cant pay. Just ask the illegal immigrants, who use this system all the time.

I'm sorry just because there are just a few problems in current programs doesn't make them bad. Of course people are gonna have complaints and there are always gonna be complainers about everything. But I think that our goverment does a fabulous job with most services they provide.

Medacaid and Medacare are run badly right now that's why be want to FIX it. That's the whole purpose of a reform.

But I am going to give you that social security is stupid. Our government defiantly fails with that.

I mean your criticizing schools, police and fire departments. Think about it. These are run so well in this country. I mean how can you complain about the FIRE DEPARTMENT. I can understand crazy people complaining about schools and the police but the FIRE DEPARTMENT. Really?

Also you have to think about products that account for tax. So even in a taxless world the prices of the products would increase. It's odd to think about but we learned it in economics. The salaries, product prices and everything pretty much is based with taxes in mind. Actually I don't know how that involves this conversation but I had to say it.

Ya I know the emergency room do have to serve you but a month later when you get mailed a bill for the services you got there some people would rather have seen a witchdoctor.

 

[KevinL]

What has your government done for you lately? The people in D.C. and state government are more concerned with keeping themselves in office rather than serving the people who elected them.

Such as this health care reform bill. Many many people have said gov't run health care is a bad thing but because the democrats came up with it, and we have a democrat run congress and president, we'll probably get it shoved down our throats anyway.

I mention the fire dept only because it seems every election there is another bill that scare tactics are used, saying that if we dont pass that bill to raise taxes, the gov't will be forced to cut back on police and fire services. You hardly ever see a bill that cuts back on congress's paychecks and special perks.

Speaking of congress's special perks, if the health care proposal they are voting on is so good for the rest of us, why does congress have its own special health care only for them?

And schools are nothing more than liberal-run camps where they teach our kids to be good little citizens that dont question authority (unless its a Republican president).

The bottom line is, I would much rather see congress working on fixing our existing Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, rather than creating yet another gov't office that will just suck up our tax money thru inefficiencies like the rest of them do.

 

[PrinceLink]

What has your government done for you lately? The people in D.C. and state government are more concerned with keeping themselves in office rather than serving the people who elected them.

Lately, nothing really. But that's just that's thinking in the present and ignoring what they do everyday. They pretty much keep the country running and protect it's citizens.

And yes i will say most people in D.C. are selfish in there purpose there but a few will do they right thing. And yes I'm aware i'm about to get bashed for saying a few out of the many.

Such as this health care reform bill. Many many people have said gov't run health care is a bad thing but because the democrats came up with it, and we have a democrat run congress and president, we'll probably get it shoved down our throats anyway.

Actually over 70% of American's want a Public Option. They just disagree on how it should be dealt with. And right now it seems to me that democrats lack the spine to do anything. I mean with such a high majority you think that sht would get done around here.

I mention the fire dept only because it seems every election there is another bill that scare tactics are used, saying that if we dont pass that bill to raise taxes, the gov't will be forced to cut back on police and fire services. You hardly ever see a bill that cuts back on congress's paychecks and special perks.

I'm liking you mate. But you seem a little paranoid even though what you speak is true.

Speaking of congress's special perks, if the health care proposal they are voting on is so good for the rest of us, why does congress have its own special health care only for them?

Why does people at Well's Fargo bank have there own special health care that i don't get at my job? Right now if a business wants to supply you with health care they can. So congress did what everyone else was doing.

And schools are nothing more than liberal-run camps where they teach our kids to be good little citizens that dont question authority (unless its a Republican president).

Your freaking kidding me right. Come to where I live. We have soooooo much conservative values secretly pushed down our throats by our republican teachers its crazy. One of my science teachers practically teaches creationism along with evolution.

Also the fact that you think they are liberal-run camps makes me wonder.

The bottom line is, I would much rather see congress working on fixing our existing Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, rather than creating yet another gov't office that will just suck up our tax money thru inefficiencies like the rest of them do.

Well if you want to seem them fixing Medicare and Medicaid you might want them to reform it totally. If we do reform it then there is no need to fix the old stuff, we can just throw it away and have bright new shiny stuff. Also I doubt that social security will be fixed any time soon. I'm just hoping it will be better in 40 years when I'm ready to retire