Universal Health Care Plan?

[dgridley]

Many presidential candidates are making excellent use of the video sharing websites to make their issues known.

What do you think of the prospect of a universal health care plan in the US?

Many people such as myself fall between the cracks and either don't qualify for or can't afford quality health care or insurance.

Sen John Edwards discusses his Universal Health Care Proposal at the International Longshoremen’s Association in Charleston, SC Feb ,2007 as posted on veoh:

video: http://lookwhatdavefound.info/2007/05/27/john-edwards-universal-health-care-plan/

 

[-NC-]

Universal Health Care is standard in most civilised countries.

*awaits flames* :notme:

 

[slipondajimmy]

I think its a good idea, but I also thing that it could cause many issues.

 

[ApeXX]

First of all, the United States already has semi-universal healthcare. For example, it's illegal for hospitals to refuse treatment to someone in a life-threating situation. There are also daily free health clinics in most major cities.

 

[lpstong]

First of all, the United States already has semi-universal healthcare. For example, it's illegal for hospitals to refuse treatment to someone in a life-threating situation. There are also daily free health clinics in most major cities.

Although I consider myself conservative in certain issues. I do believe that the US needs to take a better stance in Health Insurance.

And can I say the part about most major cities have free clinics. That is a knee slapper. I live in Los Angeles. And I like Dave is stuck in between the cracks. And we did have around 5 - 7 free clinincs in the city vicinity. Now I do believe we are down to like 3 or 4. Closed to economic reasons.

Even with the clinics we do have. There is no guarantee we will see a doctor within 4 -8 hours. Sometimes it takes 12 hours or more. And we still need to pay a certain fee for items at the hospital.

There really is no such thing as a free lunch.

Even if I go to USC dental school for dental needs. I need to pay on a sliding scale. And it can cost of $25 to over $100 depending on what work needs to be done. $100 covers monthly bus fairs for all 3 of my family members. So either pay the dentist at a reduced cost and not be able to get to school and or work? $100 can also pay for 2 weeks of food if I go very cheap in most generic foods.

Hmmmm.....the balance of justice in this matter is apparent.

 

[slipondajimmy]

First of all, the United States already has semi-universal healthcare. For example, it's illegal for hospitals to refuse treatment to someone in a life-threating situation. There are also daily free health clinics in most major cities.

but you are forgetting that that same person will get billed by the hospital and the doctors. And also most of the free clinics, are volunteer run, and funded by grants and donations.

 

[CrazyTech]

Universal healthcare is common in many "civilized" countries but so are 10% unemployment rates in those exact same countries. But let's no go there.

I have been on both sides of the healthcare insurance arena. I spent about a year without anything due to some hard times that fell upon the family. It's not fun to say the very least. However, I am not in favor of a universal system and frankly never will be such.

1.) No state/federal government around here can run anything successfully. We cannot even run the programs we have now, much less something far wider sweeping. We have a system for our older Americans and they're still experiencing high costs. Lot of good that does now, eh?

2.) Taxes anyone? Guess who foots the bill for the healthcare system? The same people who need it in the first place. What good does that do? Now you just have an even larger lump sum due at the beginning quarter of the year. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

3.) I've waited 3-5 hours for some very serious issues both for myself and my family at the local hospital. Guess who gets in first - those that don't have insurance but have a runny nose. I've seen it firsthand. There's care out there. We even have to give care to illegals. That's not really an issue. There's also a free clinic. We're a town of 12,000 in the area for cryin' out loud, it must not be too bad.

The simple solutions that would help quite quickly is open up insurance on a national level. Right now, someone who wants healthcare at point A has to get only the healthcare available to him at Point A although Point B has a much cheaper rate. That stinks and national healthcare is not needed to fix that.

 

[iNod]

Ouch.. I never knew Canada and UK has 10% unemployment rate... Actually last time I checked UK was under US's unemployment rate.

Tax's interesting.. I agree tax's are needed.. But you guys spend what.. Half a trillion probably on wars.. I'm sure you can take 10 billion and put it towards health care.. What will that do? Probably nothing but for some people $10 is a meal..

Oh I can't stop laughing at number 1.. I think I will frame that.

- Steve

 

[Chicken]

Ouch.. I never knew Canada and UK has 10% unemployment rate... Actually last time I checked UK was under US's unemployment rate.

Tax's interesting.. I agree tax's are needed.. But you guys spend what.. Half a trillion probably on wars.. I'm sure you can take 10 billion and put it towards health care.. What will that do? Probably nothing but for some people $10 is a meal..

Oh I can't stop laughing at number 1.. I think I will frame that.

- Steve

Unemployment Rates:

Canada: 6.4% (2006 Est.)

UK: 2.9% (2006 Est.)

US: 4.8% (2006 Est.)

(I used google :p)

 

[ApeXX]

but you are forgetting that that same person will get billed by the hospital and the doctors.

I'm not sure if I know what you mean? In the situation of emergency medical care, I'm talking about someone with no money. That means a begger off the street has to be admitted and treated in a hospital for emergency conditions, even if it requires extensive medical care.

The people actually paying for it are you and me, the people that pay taxes.

Ouch.. I never knew Canada and UK has 10% unemployment rate... Actually last time I checked UK was under US's unemployment rate.

Tax's interesting.. I agree tax's are needed..

- Steve

Taxes are needed, however God forbid they ever reach as high as Canada's taxes are here in the US.

 

[CrazyTech]

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cach...ate&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Europe is a great place to visit — but don’t try to
find a job there. Unemployment averaged 8.8 percent
in Europe last year, compared to 6.1 percent in the
United States.

(2006)

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pl...REREL_YEAR_2005_MONTH_12/3-01122005-EN-AP.PDF

Love the headline..."stable" at 8.3%...

CIA World Factbook puts only the UK (at 2.9%) and Norway (3.5%) below the US in unemployment rate. That seems to be about the only few exceptions. Canada's unemployment rate is 6.1% and the US's 4.8%.

France - 8.7%
Belgium - 8.1%
Germany - 7.1%
Poland - 14.9%
Spain - 8.1%
Italy - 7%

Only Austria(4.9%), Sweden (5.6%) and the Netherlands(5.5%) seem to be close to the US. I see a trend, but hey.

Then, of course, you want to consider that the American population is roughly equal to that of all of Europe. So yeah, an 8.0%+ unemployment rate verses a 4.8% one.

Those 3-4% cannot afford transportation and food because of the taxes, but hey, they have healthcare when they get a cold!

 

[Chicken]

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cach...ate&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us&client=firefox-a

(2006)

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pl...REREL_YEAR_2005_MONTH_12/3-01122005-EN-AP.PDF

Love the headline..."stable" at 8.3%...

CIA World Factbook puts only the UK (at 2.9%) and Norway (3.5%) below the US in unemployment rate. That seems to be about the only few exceptions. Canada's unemployment rate is 6.1% and the US's 4.8%.

France - 8.7%
Belgium - 8.1%
Germany - 7.1%
Poland - 14.9%
Spain - 8.1%
Italy - 7%

Only Austria(4.9%), Sweden (5.6%) and the Netherlands(5.5%) seem to be close to the US. I see a trend, but hey.

Then, of course, you want to consider that the American population is roughly equal to that of all of Europe. So yeah, an 8.0%+ unemployment rate verses a 4.8% one.

Those 3-4% cannot afford transportation and food because of the taxes, but hey, they have healthcare when they get a cold!

I checked wikipedia on unemployment seems theirs quit a few lower then the US. (US was 56th)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_unemployment_rate