Is universial heathcare the answer?

[Brandon]

I mainly wanted to start a thread to debate the pros and cons of universial healthcare and how it can or cannot benefit society.

So what do you think about it?

 

[vicki2]

CAn you define 'universal' for me? I ask because as an American living in the U.K., I've got definite opinions regarding the health care system here, but don't want to weigh in unless that's what you're talking about..

 

[Brandon]

As in the government paying for healthcare within the country. Examples would be the U.K with the NHS and Canadian's healthcare system (I don't know the name of it).

 

[kokotai]

I think that there are problems no matter what the system is. I for one wouldn't mind paying extra taxes in order to not have to worry about health care.

 

[Brandon]

My only concern is that without people behind the scenes trying to make a buck, you will most likely get mediocre service.

Look at any private industry and compare it's creativity and ingenuity to that of a government program.

Computers and cell phones change, adapt and become better every 12-18 months. Public education hasn't changed its way of thinking for over 80 years. Same old chalkboards (or whiteboards- big improvement), 30 kids, same hours, same everything (except for favorable political correctness).

 

[vicki2]

It's interesting for me, as an American, to watch the NHS situation in Britian, and boy are they having problems. Yes, it's free, but ...the situations in hospitals is terrible and each week there are all sorts of news releases about staff infections, etc. due to uncleanliness, lack of doctors, lengthy waits for serious surgeries.

It's a double edged sword to me, and a universal plan doesn't seem to work out in the long run. So what that's it's free if you die from not being treated in time.

I would agree that the insurance companies in the U.S. do have a lot to answer for in hiking prices beyond someone without insurance ever being able to pay. I think there need to be strong constraits on those companies first.

 

[OneofaKind]

I think the idea is good in theory, but a key question as demonstrated by the NHS, is what you classify as health care.

Specifically as some people would argue that they should be entitled to plastic surgery under the NHS

 

[capitalist_junkie]

My problem is, I've noticed that every time the government puts their hands in something, it gets screwed up. I seriously doubt that the government could deliver quality healthcare to the public. Also, when it comes to my personal health care, I like having choices. I like being able to choose what doctors to visit, and have many treatment opportunities available. I fear that such options would be taken away if healthcare was universalized.

While I wish everyone could have affordable and easy access to healthcare, I don't think we can look to the government to give that to us. I think the best solution is to either overhaul or completely throw out the insurance system, because that's what screws people over.

 

[kokotai]

My problem is, I've noticed that every time the government puts their hands in something, it gets screwed up. I seriously doubt that the government could deliver quality healthcare to the public. Also, when it comes to my personal health care, I like having choices. I like being able to choose what doctors to visit, and have many treatment opportunities available. I fear that such options would be taken away if healthcare was universalized.

While I wish everyone could have affordable and easy access to healthcare, I don't think we can look to the government to give that to us. I think the best solution is to either overhaul or completely throw out the insurance system, because that's what screws people over.

I guess that this is sadly true. I would at least like to see the health care some what regulated so that it is affordable for every one. At this point it is amazing how many people go without.

 

[Paula62]

I take exception to the view that government can't run anything. We have power available in every part of the country on a continuous basis. We have clean, safe water available in every part of the country. We have proper sewage treatment in most areas, and strong regulations in septic areas. Soem other industries that are not fully government run but are highly regulated, to our benefit, are the postal system, the phone system, radio wave communication.

I know that you can come up with complaints or examples of abuse in these areas, but so can you come up with hellaciously outrageous examples of the same problems in private industry.

Now, on health care, I would like to see a two tier system. I'd universal for primary care, so that everyone can go to the doctor to monitor their health and get acute care treatment, because both of those things would prevent many, many severe medical conditions from ever occurring. Then I'd like to see some hybrid Universal/insurance system for treatment of medical issues beyond the primary care system.

 

[vicki2]

A two tier system does make sense, but where do insurance companies fit into all of it? My real problem is with them and the way they're allowed to run wild and make their own rules ..or so it seems.

 

[OneofaKind]

My problem is, I've noticed that every time the government puts their hands in something, it gets screwed up. I seriously doubt that the government could deliver quality healthcare to the public. Also, when it comes to my personal health care, I like having choices. I like being able to choose what doctors to visit, and have many treatment opportunities available. I fear that such options would be taken away if healthcare was universalized.

Granted governments don'ts necessarily have a good track record but you can't handly this privately in a way that no one is left out.

Maybe its time that we push for more effective governments.

 

[capitalist_junkie]

I like the sound of that.

Although I really think that insurance does need to be taken care of before we do anything else with health care. If you don't have health insurance in the state of Ohio, and you go to the emergency room, your bills are going to be twice as high as someone with insurance. So you can't afford it anyway. How is THAT fair? I feel that the insurance aspect is really where people are getting screwed over and being left out.

(And in terms of my views on government and their bad track record . . . The private sector may screw up, but consider something like Haliburton, in which the private and the public sector were screwing up together. Which is what would happen if the government regulated health care, I'm sure.)

 

[Paula62]

. If you don't have health insurance in the state of Ohio, and you go to the emergency room, your bills are going to be twice as high as someone with insurance. So you can't afford it anyway. How is THAT fair? I feel that the insurance aspect is really where people are getting screwed over and being left out.

Don't know the situation you're talking about, but medical providers actually do a form of socialized medicine. Most have different "prices" depending on whether you have insurance, medicaid/medicare or are paying out of pocket. The highest price goes to private insurance. I buy a lot of durable medical equipment, where you can't always tell exactly what will be covered until you submit it. When the insurance company doesn't pay for something, I usually get an immediate "discount" from the provider.

 

[sushimonster]

I take exception to the view that government can't run anything. We have power available in every part of the country on a continuous basis. We have clean, safe water available in every part of the country. We have proper sewage treatment in most areas, and strong regulations in septic areas. Soem other industries that are not fully government run but are highly regulated, to our benefit, are the postal system, the phone system, radio wave communication.

I know that you can come up with complaints or examples of abuse in these areas, but so can you come up with hellaciously outrageous examples of the same problems in private industry.

Now, on health care, I would like to see a two tier system. I'd universal for primary care, so that everyone can go to the doctor to monitor their health and get acute care treatment, because both of those things would prevent many, many severe medical conditions from ever occurring. Then I'd like to see some hybrid Universal/insurance system for treatment of medical issues beyond the primary care system.

Just to let you know the USPS is fully funded by the government, they only allow FEDEX and UPS to deliver packages but they can't compete with the USPS with letter delivery.

The US has a two tier system in place. It is called medicare. Poorer families get crappy services and the government pays most (if not all) of the bills.