krusin1 wrote:flyboy55 wrote:I don't like McCain's plan.
The problem in this country right now IS private health insurance.
We need a universal health insurance plan - everybody covered. Too expensive? No. That's health insurance company hype. Canadians are healthier than we are for a per capita cost that is less than what we pay.
If Canadians have it so good, how come so many of them come to the U.S. for their important medical procedures?
(BTW, for a first-hand view of "universal health care" check this out ...
http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110006785 )
Seriously FB, our government does almost NOTHING efficiently or very effectively, and that's been true for decades - regardless of which party is in charge.
Why would you want to put them in charge of something as important as health care?
First of all, your link is to a story having to do with the health care system in the U.K. which is significantly different from that in Canada.
The system in the U.K. is universal in the sense that everyone is covered, but it is a system where physicians are employees of the government (ie the National Health Service).
The system in Canada is universal (everyone covered) BUT physicians practice just like they do in the U.S. They are either in private practice (self employed) or work for a hospital, etc. The major difference between Canada and the U.S. is that in Canada, the system is
single payer and THAT single payer is the government, as opposed to the multitude of private health insurance companies/ HMO's which operate in the U.S.
Studies have demonstrated that among developed nations, Canadians have better health outcomes than Americans for less money. Also proven is the fact that ready access to health care reduces the need for more expensive medical interventions later, especially in the areas of prenatal and pediatric care.
With regard to both the U.K. and Canadian systems (or apparently anything other than the current broken American system) people can always dig up 'horror stories' about waiting lists and bad care, but one doesn't have to do any digging whatsoever to uncover 'horror stories' about health care right here in the U.S. Michael Moore's recent film
Sicko, which dealt with the broken U.S. health care system didn't even deal with the approx. 35 million Americans who have no coverage. The subjects in his film all had health insurance and were denied care for their serious illnesses through health insurance corporation slight of hand. The profit motive will make corporations do some very dark things.
It is a common feature of our thinking on social issues that we consider that our way of doing things is the best in the world. That is a narrow minded view which is frequently wrong.
We are held captive by powerful interests who want us to continue naively thinking that we live in" the best of all possible countries" (paraphrasing Voltaire's Pangloss) and who frighten us with the specter of ruin and chaos if we deviate from our other national religion,
so-called free market capitalism.
We're being taken for a ride.
I seriously do think that any politician who threatened the health insurance industry with oblivion would likely meet an untimely end.
On the subject of the joys free market capitalism, interesting to see the federal government involved in yet another multi billion dollar bailout of a chaotic financial industry (Savings and Loan bailout by Bush I ring any bells?) brought on yet again by lax oversight and greed. The rich get richer and the taxpayers foot the bill.
With regard to the government doing things efficiently and effectively (or not as the case may be) our military-industrial complex, largely funded by the government (ie you and me the taxpayers) apparently gets a free pass when these discussions come up. The transfer of wealth from taxpayers to large corporations through government payouts and contracts happens on a scale that dwarfs most other economic issues in this country but it is very rarely talked about.
The reason is clear. We are made to feel that, at the very least, it is unpatriotic to question those expenditures. Also taboo for debate is the question of whether or not efficiency and effectiveness are being achieved in these areas, as "Questioning the defense budget? You don't support the troops!"
If we are supposed to trust the government to run a military machine, which we are frequently reminded serves all Americans, why can't we trust the government to administer a universal health care plan (at a fraction of the Defense Department's budget) that would serve all Americans?
