Government Health Insurance

In plain and simple language. The way just about every other developed nation does it. The current health care proposal is a step in the right direction, but a single-payer plan would be much better. (via a comment at J-Walk Blog)

Comments

[asijohns]

OK, I have passed on most of your liberal political 'stuff' for awhile now and just enjoyed the humorous aspects of your site. But I jsut can't do it any longer. You are so ABSOLUTELY WRONG about ObamaCare and government taking over health care that I just can ignore no longer. I will not be back to your site and will not refer anyone to it. You just do not want to understand that facts that with government controlled health care there will be rationing (as in all the other countries you think are so good) and the excellent health care we have enjoyed for so long will no longer exist. Post your ugly, left wing, liberal comments for your buddies as I won't be back to read them. Have a great day, bye.

[Miss Cellania]

Have I really been ugly?

[jw]

2 words: Apples. Oranges.
Here are just a few reasons why:
1. Firefighters, employed by local governments, don't have to worry about malpractice suits forcing them to purchase outrageously overpriced insurance.
2. Firefighters don't wait for a fire to rage out of control before attempting to put it out. In contrast, socialized healthcare would wait for a common cold to become pneumonia before it was deemed worthy of treatment, mild osteoporosis to become serious DJD, and so on...
3. It is undeniably (and obviously) true that in a free market society, health insurance companies would exist to make a profit. They are NOT physicians seeking to do no harm. However, to think that the govt wouldn't reap its fair share from taxes under the Obama plan is just plain naive.

I could go, but my newborn needs to go to his pediatrician's appointment - the pediatrician that WE selected and WE gladly pay insurance for.

[Kat]

I'm Canadian and contrary to popular belief I have gotten many colds and seen a doctor as quickly as I wanted to- for free. My mom had kidney stones and she saw a doc and got a CT right away.

I've got some ongoing health issues and I started out with a doctor I didn't really like...then I chose somebody new that I really love. I've made friends in the hospital with the same experiences- many of us find other docs and workers we work better with than our present ones and we transfer.

My health care isn't rationed either, I see my worker as often as I, (and he) think is necessary. I get what I need, when I need it. That's not a bad thing! That's GOOD! Wait lists aren't ridiculous either. If you can wait, you do. That doesn't mean that they're waiting for a cold to become pneumonia, it means that you have a modicum of patience. Really.

Lastly, I do pay for my health. I pay taxes like everyone else. I don't pay income tax because I'm a student with a miniscule income, but I pay sales tax and all that. The system isn't perfect. But to put it lightly, the US health care "system" gives me the heebie-jeebies. Seriously, it really freaks me out. I've done some research on it and I'm pretty damn sure that I'd be dead if I lived there.

[jw]

"...I'm pretty damn sure that I'd be dead if I lived there."
- hyperbole is an understatement.

[Gracie]

I, for one, will be sharing this post with as many people as I can. I wholeheartedly agree that this is the only hope we have to improve a really messed-up system. The threat that the government will stand in the way of me and my physician? Absurd--A corporate fat cat with a private jet ALREADY does.

Thanks for keeping the debate moving, Miss Cellania - although it's still really sad that the thoughtful, conscious folks are drowned out by such fear-mongering. We'd truly all be better off, instead of just a few rich guys.

[Bryan]

Our system just works here in Canada, I can't understand why anyone would be opposed to doing the same. The crazy lies that have been going in the media about our system would be funny if it wasn't so sad that many Americans are being fooled into believing them.

[IntyHastamine]

I think the first couple of commenters are missing one vital point: HAVING GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTHCARE WON'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE TOO.

I'm in the UK, and I have an incurable condition that means I have to have checkups and follow-ups pretty much every month. All of that is free. My surgery to control it and stop me from going blind was free, my neurologist, optometrist, hearing-specialist, endocrinologist and so on are all free. My GP is free, and I can see him guaranteed within 24 hours for any reason, even a cold or a splinter. I pay a small standard-rate fee for prescriptions.

Similarly, my dentist is free; my normal optician for my glasses/contacts was free until I was 19; mental health care is free, including counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists and mental-health nurses; GUM and sexual-health clinics and treatment are free; care during pregnancy, post-natal, infancy and care for the elderly including nursing homes are free. My dad, who is diabetic, gets all of his specialised care for free. My mum, who recently had a stroke gets her support and physiotherapy for free.

Of course, by 'free', I mean government-funded, which means tax-funded. But the tax is reasonable and as Britain also has a decent level of minimum-wage that you can live on without resorting to begging [oh, sorry, i mean 'tips'], and because you're taxed according to income, so if you can't afford it, you don't pay, it's really not that much of a hardship.

Now. Important point again: IF I CHOOSE TO, I CAN TAKE OUT PRIVATE HEALTH CARE INSURANCE. And many people do, if they can afford it and want it. They have this option. And they undeniably do receive more immediate care in more luxurious environments - private hospitals seem more like hotels! But then, they're paying extra.


It seems to me that Americans would rather have a tiny bit more money in their pocket and happily watch their neighbours dying in pain and poverty all around them, then give a little bit to the common good. The American dream seems to be "grab all the money you can and shit on everyone else". "If someone gets leukaemia, well that's their problem, and why should I give $10 a year to stop them dying?"

Even Neanderthals took care of their sick. How can any country where people can feasibly die of a splinter, because they can't afford to get it looked at before it turns into septicaemia, call itself developed, or even civilised?


There are a lot of things wrong with our system, it's definitely not perfect by a long shot. But at least we TRY to keep our nation alive and healthy. At least we have enough compassion in us to want to help our suffering neighbours. And at least we're not a nation of selfish c*nts, who would choose a little bit of money in the piggybank over saving lives.

[Miss Cellania]

IntyHastamine, Kat, Bryan, always glad to have the views of those who have been there, done that.

[concernedcitizen]

i getting this off of amyoops to send you....i think it will about sum up how i feel about obamacare

Obama Health care realities

The phone rings and the lady of the house answers.
"Hello?"
"May I speak to Mrs. Sanders please."
"Speaking."
"Mrs. Sanders, this is Dr. Jones at St. Agnes Laboratory. When your
husband's doctor sent his biopsy to the lab last week, a biopsy from
another Mr. Sanders arrived as well. We are now uncertain which one
belongs to your husband. Frankly, either way the results are not too
good."
"What do you mean?" Mrs. Sanders asks nervously.
"Well, one of the specimens tested positive for Alzheimer's and the other
one *
* tested positive for HIV. We can't tell which is which."
"That's dreadful! Can you do the test again?" questioned Mrs. Sanders.
"Normally we can, but the new health care system will only pay for these *
*expensive tests just one time."
''Well, what am I supposed to do now? "
"The folks at Obama health care recommend that you drop your husband off
somewhere in the middle of town. If he finds his way home, don't sleep with
him

The way I understand this is:(not a guarantee of what is going to happen)
They are going to shut down all these small companies that cannot to afford to provide insurance for their employees. Therefore laying off more people. And That's just what we need in this ecomony. If someone gets diagnosed with an illness, it will go before a review board, and the government will decide if you are worthy of treatment, surgery, etc. Why should we allow the government to decide....look at the ecomony now and just imagine what it will be like if this passes.

[Bryan]

intyhistamine,

You make some very good points that I think most Americans are confused about with regards to public vs private insurance. Here in Canada, most people also have private insurance as well. It not only covers extra non-essential things, but it also allows for upgraded service for certain things.

The best part is, because the majority of serious situations are already covered by the govt insurance, that private insurance is very inexpensive. They just don't have to pay out for very much, so they can charge much smaller premiums.

Miss Cellania,

Thanks. It's tough to remain civil about it sometimes! I always wonder why people think that just because their experience hasn't come up with optimum results that it should mean no one else can either. Previous govt corps were set up and run by other people. This is a chance to set up a new system from the ground up, with the benefit of seeing how so many other countries are doing it. You can make sure to include the parts that are working best, and don't include the parts that aren't working. Opposition to an opportunity like that is ignorant at best.

[Mr. K.]

I'm a spanish citizen and as the rest of Europe we have a public health system. It's so sad to see how in U.S.A. people have been so so so brainwashed to see a public health system as a wrong thing. Why a rich person has to have a better treatment than a poor one? Can anybody explain me this? Can anybody tell me why you have to pay to have a surgery that if it's not done you can die? And what about organ trasplants? Do you have to pay for them in U.S.A. too?

[ageekymom]

Well Done!
People who are afraid of "rationing" need to stop drinking the Kool-aid that the big health insurance companies are selling them!

[WordyGrrl]

Absolutely we MUST get a public health system going in this country. Those who think it's better to pay their insurance companies (who are always rationing care by denyting claims), are definitely drinking the Kool-Aid that the insurance lobbies are handing out by the gallon. They're the only ones who are going to be losing out if we get a working public health system in the US.

The financial burden of having to provide insurance will be eliminated for small businesses. Doctors will be able to actually practice medicine without having to perform only the procedures that the insurance company will pay for. And the surprise illness (or heart attack) will not render you homeless and in such debt that you'll never be able to pay it off.

[David]

I'm amazed that seemingly articulate people (which would suggest intelligence and/or education) insist on arguing things that plainly aren't true. A public option would not deprive individuals from continuing their private insurance or continuing to choose their own doctors. This is why it is called an "option".

Thanks for sharing the video.

[T-Rex]

Down with the liberal politics and up with the funny. Please? OK? Thanks! Let's stick to what we're good at.