Universal health care in America ( Archived) (19)

May 21, 2008 1:51 AM CST Universal health care in America
Portiea
PortieaPortieaKonstanz, Baden-Wuerttemberg Germany93 Threads 11 Polls 4,000 Posts
Is it possible, workable?
It works ok here, in Germany, as far as I know. However, Germany is about the side of one US state. Americans have resisted the idea of universal health care for a long time. Some have told me it is not workable because America is too big and too complex of a society. Many Canadians and Brits say their health care systems are not working.

Universal health care has been a big topic in the campaign for president; it seems likely whoever is elected, some type of program will be proposed. What are your ideas and thoughts on this topic? Canadians, Brits and others, please add your experience and ideas too.
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May 21, 2008 2:34 AM CST Universal health care in America
munch
munchmunchT town, Oklahoma USA1 Threads 207 Posts
No thanks, I like making my own choices.
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May 21, 2008 2:39 AM CST Universal health care in America
dcj22
dcj22dcj22Somewhere, Tennessee USA102 Threads 3 Polls 11,581 Posts
I would love to see a universal health care in America.
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May 21, 2008 2:53 AM CST Universal health care in America
trish123
trish123trish123Macclesfield, Cheshire, England UK177 Threads 4 Polls 13,724 Posts
Portiea: Is it possible, workable?
It works ok here, in Germany, as far as I know. However, Germany is about the side of one US state. Americans have resisted the idea of universal health care for a long time. Some have told me it is not workable because America is too big and too complex of a society. Many Canadians and Brits say their health care systems are not working.

Universal health care has been a big topic in the campaign for president; it seems likely whoever is elected, some type of program will be proposed. What are your ideas and thoughts on this topic? Canadians, Brits and others, please add your experience and ideas too.


I hear a lot of complaints about the British Health Care System but at the end of the day it has to be better than none. OK, they get it wrong sometimes but I think theres unlikely to be a family in the country who havent been saved immense pain by it being there.

As for it not working in America, well, I dont know that one but I do know that 'where theres a will, theres a way'. If we listened to all the naysayers throughout history, humanity would still be living in caves - we have to believe in progress for it to start happening thumbs up

I sincerely hope some kind of good care system comes for America from all this talking. Realistically speaking, to the outside world, a country that can spend so much on the world stage yet has no provision for the health of its own people is a somewhat bizarre situation dunno
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May 21, 2008 3:58 AM CST Universal health care in America
oslojente
oslojenteoslojenteOlso, Oslo Norway23 Threads 2 Polls 1,532 Posts
trish123: I hear a lot of complaints about the British Health Care System but at the end of the day it has to be better than none. OK, they get it wrong sometimes but I think theres unlikely to be a family in the country who havent been saved immense pain by it being there.

As for it not working in America, well, I dont know that one but I do know that 'where theres a will, theres a way'. If we listened to all the naysayers throughout history, humanity would still be living in caves - we have to believe in progress for it to start happening

I sincerely hope some kind of good care system comes for America from all this talking. Realistically speaking, to the outside world, a country that can spend so much on the world stage yet has no provision for the health of its own people is a somewhat bizarre situation



thumbs up


Seems to be working pretty good here as well...
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May 21, 2008 4:58 AM CST Universal health care in America
Portiea
PortieaPortieaKonstanz, Baden-Wuerttemberg Germany93 Threads 11 Polls 4,000 Posts
oslojente: Seems to be working pretty good here as well...
problem is, can we compare Norway or Germany or even GB to America??
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May 21, 2008 5:03 AM CST Universal health care in America
StressFree
StressFreeStressFreesmall city, Kalmar Sweden176 Threads 16 Polls 8,986 Posts
I think it's very possible for universal healthcare to work in Amercia. The only problem is that many Americans think universal healthcare is a bad word. The logistics of it would not be that complicated if you break it down by state and county. Very workable. If the upper middle class and up can be persuaded that it is workable, then i can see it happening. It would mean higher taxes, and it would be well worth it to pay for that.

Sweden's universal healthcare works fantastic. Quality is by no means diminished. Yeah, it's a small country, but like I said, it can work in America with the right attitude and approach....and the approach would have to be innovative on many levels.
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May 21, 2008 5:16 AM CST Universal health care in America
Indyfella
IndyfellaIndyfellaindianapolis, Indiana USA152 Threads 8 Polls 18,150 Posts
Usually, when government gets involved in a problem, it only gets worse. (at least in the US)

For instance, ethanol for fuel and soaring food prices. Another government project that didn't go as planned.

JMO
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May 21, 2008 5:17 AM CST Universal health care in America
RobbieM
RobbieMRobbieMHertford, Hertfordshire, England UK115 Threads 6 Polls 4,553 Posts
The problem in the UK is different trusts and even doctors surgeries control/don't control their budgets effectively and we basically get a lottery of a post code health care system.

Drug companies need a lot of money to do their research and need a material return as their not in it to save humanity, but where this cost is basically ransomed to the NHS for instance this isnt right in my opinion.

Some people actually use and waste doctors times for something to do, for attention seeking, rather than get a hobby or make a friend they compulsively fill up doctors waiting rooms wasting resources and blocking hospital beds.

I know one person who actually faked stomach pains to get attention to the point of me taking her to hospital, even to the point of her lying to the doctors and her being operated upon and having her intestines pulled about and inspected.

What the cost was for that and the waste of time when someone who really needed the bed made me annoyed and needless to say i didn't want a bunny boiler like that in my life.

Then again this stupid woman was also convicted twice of drink driving, once after crashing her car while pissed out of her head and driving across a junction and stopping sharply because of a tree.The funny part was she puked all over the policemans shoes who got her out of the car.Even funnier was she thought the police would forget about it.

The best part is she crashed virtually outside her place of work, and she was so popular that someone couldn't help themselves and torched her car.She was so stupid she bought another car before her prosecution and banning from driving!!

It's a shame people who cause accidents such as the above are not forced to pay for the rescue services and all medical costs associated with their actions.doh
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May 21, 2008 5:58 AM CST Universal health care in America
Scottishlass
ScottishlassScottishlassKnoxville, Tennessee USA491 Threads 23 Polls 3,324 Posts
being an unemployed senior citizen, i would love to have SOME kind of health care. at present i do not qualify for medicare (to young @ 60 yrs of age, gotta be 65 yrs) & the local system that allowed me to get my cataract surgery has been overhauled & i no longer have that benefit. in order for me to qualify for that i would have to be homeless & have no relatives that could help me.

in order for the universal health care system to work the GREEDY doctors would have to agree to it & i don't think very many of them would go along with it.
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May 21, 2008 6:07 AM CST Universal health care in America
Portiea
PortieaPortieaKonstanz, Baden-Wuerttemberg Germany93 Threads 11 Polls 4,000 Posts
Scottishlass: being an unemployed senior citizen, i would love to have SOME kind of health care. at present i do not qualify for medicare (to young @ 60 yrs of age, gotta be 65 yrs) & the local system that allowed me to get my cataract surgery has been overhauled & i no longer have that benefit. in order for me to qualify for that i would have to be homeless & have no relatives that could help me.

in order for the universal health care system to work the GREEDY doctors would have to agree to it & i don't think very many of them would go along with it.


So, from now until you reach the age of 65, what do you do for healthcare?
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May 21, 2008 7:47 AM CST Universal health care in America
voldoll
voldollvoldollover the rainbow, Tennessee USA3 Threads 77 Posts
Portiea: So, from now until you reach the age of 65, what do you do for healthcare?



Most people around here use the emergency rooms, which cause a very long wait to be seen. I have watched a large number of people come into the ER with colds and flu because they don't have a doctor or insurance. The hospitals can't turn them away so they have to treat them for free. Sure, the hospitals send out bills to these patients but if they don't have jobs or an income, the hospitals have to either pass the costs along to paying patents in the form of higher fees or write it off.


moping blues
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May 21, 2008 7:54 AM CST Universal health care in America
joanie04984
joanie04984joanie04984North Woods, Maine USA4 Threads 344 Posts
Scottishlass: being an unemployed senior citizen, i would love to have SOME kind of health care. at present i do not qualify for medicare (to young @ 60 yrs of age, gotta be 65 yrs) & the local system that allowed me to get my cataract surgery has been overhauled & i no longer have that benefit. in order for me to qualify for that i would have to be homeless & have no relatives that could help me.

in order for the universal health care system to work the GREEDY doctors would have to agree to it & i don't think very many of them would go along with it.


I don't have health insurance either.

I don't have a "real" job where I might get benefits. My job is to stay home and care for my handicapped son.

I make too much money to qualify for MaineCare.

If I paid for independent health insurance, I couldn't pay the rest of my bills grin

The emergency room is my only option.
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May 21, 2008 7:55 AM CST Universal health care in America
Scottishlass
ScottishlassScottishlassKnoxville, Tennessee USA491 Threads 23 Polls 3,324 Posts
Portiea: So, from now until you reach the age of 65, what do you do for healthcare?
try to stay healthy by eating right, excersising, & taking some vitamins & supplements. if become ill i guess i'm s.o.l. if it was a serious illness then i guess i would HAVE to go to the emergency room. then i would have the stress of worrying about how to pay the bill & putting up with the collection agencies.
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May 21, 2008 8:41 AM CST Universal health care in America
Portiea
PortieaPortieaKonstanz, Baden-Wuerttemberg Germany93 Threads 11 Polls 4,000 Posts
Scottishlass: try to stay healthy by eating right, excersising, & taking some vitamins & supplements. if become ill i guess i'm s.o.l. if it was a serious illness then i guess i would HAVE to go to the emergency room. then i would have the stress of worrying about how to pay the bill & putting up with the collection agencies.


Don't some states have programs that provide health care for people w/o insurance. I was living in Washington and I think they had a low cost health care program for low income people. Or maybe it was for anybody who wanted to pay it's low premiums. Didn't cover all that well, probably, but better than nothing. Do you just have to be totally broke to get any coverage from the government?
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May 21, 2008 8:54 AM CST Universal health care in America
fireliter
fireliterfireliterAllen Park, Michigan USA502 Threads 14 Polls 5,902 Posts
universal healthcare is imminent....why in my area alone there are 15 vocational profitable education agencies teaching healthcare programs alone from home health , pharmacy tech to other specialized patient care, and numerous clasifications of medical assistants.

before universal healthcare is enacted the market must be flooded with trained personnel.

That is using the word universal to mean "affordable". no matter who gets elected for president or which party they are from, universal healthcare will arrive to the states just maybe not in 4 or 8 years.
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May 21, 2008 9:00 AM CST Universal health care in America
ANurse4U
ANurse4UANurse4UMemphis, Tennessee USA14 Threads 525 Posts
Indyfella: Usually, when government gets involved in a problem, it only gets worse. (at least in the US)

For instance, ethanol for fuel and soaring food prices. Another government project that didn't go as planned.

JMO



I agree with you. I DO NOT want the government involved in my health care choices. I like my freedom of choice!professor
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May 21, 2008 9:00 AM CST Universal health care in America
PeachesandRay
PeachesandRayPeachesandRayConcord, North Carolina USA72 Threads 1 Polls 1,358 Posts
Something has to be done about healthcare.

Myself, no health insurance company will touch me due to my history of heart disease. The only way I can get health insurance is by getting hired as an employee somewhere.

At the moment I have health insurance thru Shelia's work health plan which costs $500 a month. Insurance for her is free as she is a state employee.




Earl
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May 21, 2008 9:31 AM CST Universal health care in America
Portiea
PortieaPortieaKonstanz, Baden-Wuerttemberg Germany93 Threads 11 Polls 4,000 Posts
PeachesandRay: Something has to be done about healthcare.

Myself, no health insurance company will touch me due to my history of heart disease. The only way I can get health insurance is by getting hired as an employee somewhere.

At the moment I have health insurance thru Shelia's work health plan which costs $500 a month. Insurance for her is free as she is a state employee.

Earl


It seems to me universal health care is really needed and that is why it is such a hot topic in the campaign. But there are many who are against it. If it came to a vote, do you think the people of the US would approve such a system?
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