Food for thought, free market health vs UHC, which is better?
The more people who are on government health care the more expensive it becomes, how ever, there is one field that shows the opposite--plastic surgery! Insurance doesn't pay for it but the field has grown and the costs have come down.
Politics - 12 Answers
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1 :
The more people who are on government health care the LESS expensive it becomes on a per-capita basis. One dollar that we spend on UHC is $1.75 that we don't have to spend on for-profit care. Mass buy-in means mass organization and the scale benefits that come with it.
2 :
We are already $10 trillion in the hole, and you want to give the government control over 1/7th of the nation's economy?
3 :
interesting point. and free market is way better. there are too many restrictions in medicine today as it is. that is what creates the high prices.
4 :
Considering the rest of the world pays less and gets more shows UHC works very well. The bargain place for dentistry is Mexico, plastic surgery is Brazil, other elective surgery Thailand (?). I had a house call while in France that cost me $20 US! You idea seems flawed to me. When I was working it cost me $750 per month for health insurance, when I retired I had to pay $1250. I went 3 years without any health insurance and luckily I didn't get sick or injured! Now that I have Social Security it is costing me $22 a month. Now that Obama is in office the crazy prescription drug deal will go away and we will have good reliable health insurance.
5 :
You provided no evidence that government health care is more expensive. In fact, the evidence shows that countries with national health care spend less than countries that don't have national health care. That's why this issue is on the table in the first place. And, it's pretty easy to see why. If you have the government negotiating with drug companies to buy a billion pills, they'll get a better price than each individual pharmacy or hospital doing its own negotiation. If you have the government standardizing paperwork and policies, there will be huge reductions in administrative overhead. As far as plastic surgery goes, its initial high price was because it was highly specialized. Now that there are more experts and more people going for plastic surgery, the price has dropped. If the US has national health care, the prices of many things will drop as well, especially given that the national health care proposals aim to take advantage of market forces. We're not going for a socialist national health care plan.
6 :
Government is all about power and corruption. That's why it needs to be kept as small as possible. How can such an organization properly run a healthcare system efficiently without it being infested with corruption? Availability of healthcare in the US is excellent and likely better than most of the world. That's why so many people come to the US for medical work. The problem is that people here don't properly fit medical expenses into their budget and just expect someone else to provide it for them. Part of freedom and independence is responsibility.
7 :
I have to disagree with Adam. Hillary Clinton as "First Lady" tried to reform health care and failed miserably, costing thousands (like my father) their lives. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG are all prime examples of what happens when you try and provide on a massive scale for those who would not otherwise qualify. The Dem.s wanted to make housing "More Affordable" and forced the lenders to make bad loans. Looking at the quality of construction of new homes VS the old ones (they use a particle board ply wood known as OMB instead of REAL wood, it has to be wrapped in plastic and God help you if it gets wet. The same holds true with health care. Prior to retirement, I worked with the English military on a few occasions, the workmanship and quality that went into their health was horrific at best. The government has to purchase from the least expensive supplier, lest we end up with the $350 toilet seat and $600 hammer. Is that REALLY what you want? The answer for health care reform is to be found in education reform. Those who do well in school and go on to higher education can afford good health care. Those that don't, get minimum wage jobs. The answer then is simple. Get an education, get a good job and then take care of yourself. Don't look to suckle to Momma Big Government's teat for the rest of your life. At some point everyone has to grow up and face the consequences of their decisions and actions.
8 :
The facts show you are wrong. The US pays more per capita for health care than any other nation on earth--including those with socialized medicine. That is a fact--and the rhetoric of the right wing will not change it. Also, the notion that you have "either" free market health care "or" universal health care is a lie. Universal health care maeans everyone has access--no that it is socialized medicine. We used to have universal health care in America--before the right wing got into power and raped the system and made it "privatized." We don't need any more of their bs. We need to reform the system--private where possible, public where needed. And if the extremists don't like it, tough.
9 :
Free market, with a qualifier. Limit the damn tort lawyer judgements with respect to medical malpractice. That drives good doctors out of business.
10 :
Having worked in several federal & state govt agencies, I can tell you from personal experience govt CANNOT do anything well. It should do a few things, as per the Constitution...secure borders, trade agreements, make sure our food is safe & we don't get infectious diseases brought in by immigrants, illegal or otherwise...yet the govt cant even do what they're supposed do. Anyone who thinks federal run health care will work is simply wrong...probably delusional.
11 :
I have to agree with Nikki. The federal government only screws things up.
12 :
With an open border it means higher taxes for us and free health care (such as it will be = Work Comp/ Third World, Witchdoctor, take it or leave it, no specialists, general practitioner, preventative only, aspirin light duty, hocus-pocus) MASH unit. for the world. Now wont it? First things first. Ever been in the Work Comp system? The best description is ... Cheap & dirty, hurry up, could care less. It will end up free for all for illegals, and you'll still have to buy your own if you want decent, caring, professional, specialized or cosmetic (dental, heart, cancer, prosthesis, rehabilitation, physical therapy), services. All over & above the extra cost of this everyone fantasy. Vouchers. Say 2 grand (flexible) a year per citizen on a card with "Thumb-Print". Added to every January 1st, accumulative, and spendable on anything/anywhere/anyone (health-care). Free market with subsidies (everyone else is getting our money, why not us). This will keep the hypochondriacs, drug users, gang-bangers, and "risky" behavior individuals from using up and burning down a system that will not reach everyone who pays for it. This will. It will "cut" (surgically remove) the Insurance Companies right out of the loop. Wow, what a savings there, just nix the paper pushing, non producing middle men. No more somewhere between unnecessary and useless jobs. Which is why it wont happen. All their campaign contributers wont have an endless Sea of money, to buy government with. The laws, the bailouts, the bonuses ... all gone. Nothing but economical Health for a Nation. Can't have that now can we?
13 :
I don't want to have to wait for government authorization to get a CT scan or an MRI. I don't want to pay 50-60% income taxes
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