We have a new president, and like it or not, we need to stand together as a nation. I do believe that. But I have to rant for a minute about a political subject that has been driving me nuts. (Short drive, as my dad would say)
I truly am sick of Americans clamoring for national health care without reflecting on what that really means.
Have you ever lived in a country with free health care? I have, and I would NEVER want to be hospitalized in that environment... One might as well go to a witch doctor.
Do they think if it's all free, the standard of care is going to stay as high as it is? Do they even understand how it's going to be paid for? Our public education is paid for by taxes, and is "free", and I constantly hear about how the standards aren't good enough, our children are failing, classes are overcrowded, etc. How can you think that public health care would be any different?
Yes, we have people dying because they can't get care, but we have a HIGHER OVERALL SURVIVAL rate because of the QUALITY of our care.
Here's what I'd like to see: The addition of net new health care centers that are tax-funded and available to those without insurance. I'd like to see our current system survive, so that I can continue to get care that doesn't involve not enough medicine, not enough people, rooms with 16 beds in them, and hand-me-down x-rays that will give me cancer because the clinic can't afford lead shielding.
Don't drag my health down with you.
Carol
3 years ago
8 comments:
Well, the problem with funding health care centers for the uninsured is that people will drop the insurance they're paying for to go there for free. So you'd have to find a way to counter that.
OK son, you are thinking, but I may have a better health care solution. If we could change the laws so that it isn't so expensive to be a physician, maybe physicians would lower their prices and maybe we would have more physicians all together. Medical schools have lowered the amount of students they allow in to med school because they can't find enough people to teach on the level needed to educate them (much like a nursing shortage because they can't get enough instructors for nursing school).
With the high "overhead" cost of being a physician these days, it isn't what a lot of people choose to do. Malpractice insurance is ridiculously expensive! Office staff is also expensive, office space is smaller and costs more. With the objectives to be safer and use "one use only" materials rather than "reusable,re cleanable" items, we have added an incredible price tag to our health care system. National patient safety standards are needed - but require a much higher cost to everyone in order to meet the criteria set for us by national accreditation organizations.
New physicians want to work "school teacher" hours - 8 to 4, Monday through Friday, and take 3 months off to travel and spend time with family. Housecalls are virtually a thing of the past. Work ethics have changed along with all the "improvements" in health care.
The insurance companies drive prices and reimbursement from Medicare doesn't cover the cost of most things anyone under 65 with half decent insurance can get - an example of what government control of health care might do.
I could go on and on - but the first thing we need to do is quit letting litigation drive our costs. Stop making generations rich from mistakes. Have specific people (possibly voted in) be the judges of what is "frivolous" or not frivolous when it comes to law suits (in other words people who use common sense!)
Just my opinion - mom
AMEN Jer! Poor people can be so annoying.
BTW, I'm not against helping the less fortunate, I just don't think that making my situation dramatically worse to improve their situation very slightly is the answer.
Jumping to say I'm attacking the poor is a cheap shot. It's just like when people couldn't say they were against Obama (for his policies) without being attacked as "racist". You're pushing your view by attacking me on a level that has nothing to do with the issue.
I KNEW it. You totally hate black people. Busted.
Jim, I am poor yet I still pay for my little families insurance. If I can do it so can others. There are many programs to help less fortunate people (especially children) with getting insurance. I blame stupid people and also lazy. Ali and I are poor but not stupid (and she isn't lazy), and therefore picked an insurance plan that costs us nothing in premiums, but has a high deductable. If stupid people would educate themselves about their options or goverment funded programs we would here much less about all of this....
I will repeat I blame stupid people.
Jon
^^I meant to say "lazy people" but I was to lazy to finish that sentance.....
onlong the lines of lazy people. They don't take the time to find out what the HOSPITALS offer in helping out people with medical bills. I filled out some papers and gave them my tax statement and TA DA, they didn't charge me as much!
unfortunately, when you can get someone like dad's brother (initials BJ) on disability, it shows that Jon is sooooo right -mom
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