US Government Healthcare

1. 82

   Whitney05posted 9 years ago

   Did you see where the government made some deal with the president for his plan. I haven't heard the details, but saw it while on lunch... Not thrilled. I like 76% of the country have no problem with my healthcare policies.
   
   *Stat came from some CNN poll

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2. 0

   mtsi1098posted 9 years ago

   I agree with you. I know that health care is and can be expensive but I don't want to be told where I can go, who I can see and When I am allowed to go, when it comes to my personal health. I want the American Freedom to manage my personal health and i believe as a hard working American citizen I am entitled to that right.
   
   Why don't we worry about giving aid or government relief to those who don't have health care insurance.

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   1. 59

      curiozitiesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      A lot of people hate Ann Coulter but I read something from her recently that I thought was a brilliant idea.  Why don't we just give the poor "health care stamps" like we give them food stamps?  Then the free market can work its magic, just as it does in the food industry, and the less fortunate will still have health care.  I'd rather handle it that way or in some similar fashion. 
      
      Maybe we can do a hybrid--the government guarantees catastrophic care for the poor, just like now, where no hospital can turn down an emergency patient.  Then give the poor health care stamps so they can do preventative care--going to the doctor for annual check-ups, minor illnesses, etc.

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      1. 80

         lrohnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I believe you're thinking in the right direction, but I don't think this problem is limited to the poor. It's a huge issue in Middle America as well. If you're not upper income OR working for a company that provides/subsidizes health insurance, you're screwed. And if you or a member of your family has health issues, like my diabetic daughter, then the going just gets tougher.

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3. 59

   curiozitiesposted 9 years ago

   I live in Florida, home to some of the biggest Medicare scams.  Seems almost every week we have a news story down here about some fake clinic or bogus doctor getting busted for Medicare fraud.  Then there was the VA story where a bunch of veterans got diseases because colonoscopy equipment wasn't properly sanitized between patients. 
   
   These clowns can't get medical programs straight that they've been running for decades, and now suddenly we're supposed to trust them with our healthcare when they themselves (meaning CONgress and the President) refuse to be on the same snake oil quackery they expect the rest of US to be on???????
   
   I've been ill the last few weeks--nothing life-threatening--and I've been able to see several of my doctors almost literally at the drop of a hat with no more than a 10-15 minute wait in their respective waiting rooms.  I have a couple of quibbles with my insurance company but overall, if I need to see a specialist, or I need a special test or medication, I get it, with a modest co-pay.  Same thing for my wife and baby, who are both on my health care plan.  I like my health care just the way it is, thank you very much.

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4. 0

   mtsi1098posted 9 years ago

   Health Care Stamps for the poor - what a GREAT idea !!1

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   1. 59

      curiozitiesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Cover them for some major emergency--like we do now anyway--but give them vouchers so they can go in for routine stuff, BEFORE it can become an emergency.  We'll probably reduce the amount of unpaid emergency room visits, which means lower costs for everybody, and as an added benefit the poor will hopefully be healthier which is the humane thing to do anyway.  It sounds like a win-win to me.

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5. 67

   ledefensetechposted 9 years ago

   The problem with healthcare is a problem of supply.  Most people are unaware that in 1900 we had about 500,000 doctors in this country.  Today we have about 600,000, yet our population has tripled and we have many more specialties that need to be filled than we did in 1900.  In order to just keep up with the supply of doctors in 1900 we need about three times as many doctors as we do now, more when you consider the sheer number of specialties that doctors can choose from anymore.
   
   Don't expect to see that though because a side effect of increasing the supply of something is lowering the price of that thing.  That means doctors would make less and they'd have to cut costs in order to be competitive.  That response makes too much sense, so it'll never happen.

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