Universal Healthcare in America

[Jabonicus]

Quite simply, this is a thread to discuss the pros and cons of implementing some form of Universal Health Care in The United States of America.

Currently, the medical systems of America rely heavily on how much money you have. I hold numerous mental disabilities that prevent me from living my life as a normal citizen, and more often than not, I pay time and money to simply work towards being a functional member of society. I personally don't believe I should have to spend thousands of dollars for a single treatment towards me being a healthy person, when practically every other modern country gives support to its citizens.

 

[Outlander]

Our system is ridiculous.

 

[Lord Potatoe]

Personally, I think we should remove restrictions and regulations for medical insurance companies so they can operate nationwide and not just in their state, opening the market to competition, which would drive prices down.

 

[Logan]

The health care system in America is a for profit business. Unless you can change that it will never get any better.

 

[Jabonicus]

Personally, I think we should remove restrictions and regulations for medical insurance companies so they can operate nationwide and not just in their state, opening the market to competition, which would drive prices down.

I still don't see why I should have to pay extensive medical costs to be a somewhat normal functioning member of society, that still has relapses that prevent normal life.

 

[Lord Potatoe]

Technically, you'd still be paying for healthcare, even if it's from the government. Except, it's just once a year and called taxes.

 

[Jabonicus]

Technically, you'd still be paying for healthcare, even if it's from the government. Except, it's just once a year and called taxes.

I believe that's more fair, regardless. I'd trust a system in place to support citizens more than a company out for profit.

 

[Lord Potatoe]

Yes, but a for-profit company would be more inclined to innovate and make medicine better if it means they make more money. Look at anything done in the private sector and you'll see they have much more innovation than their public sector/government counterparts (aside from the space program).

 

[Gamov]

I still don't see why I should have to pay extensive medical costs to be a somewhat normal functioning member of society, that still has relapses that prevent normal life.

I don't wish to sound like some kind of tin foil wearing conspiracy nut here, but the healthcare industry benefits by a far greater margin by investing in treatments rather than cures.

You aren't making them money if you aren't ill. Thus, it behooves them to yank you around and treat you for as long as humanly possible.

In a way, the healthcare industry shares its moral compass with any random drug dealer on the streets of (name a city).

 

[The Captain]

Yes, but a for-profit company would be more inclined to innovate and make medicine better if it means they make more money. Look at anything done in the private sector and you'll see they have much more innovation than their public sector/government counter parts.

Yeah, but a company is interested in profit, not the well being of the consumer. A for-profit business would more than likely cut corners, lie, and lobby the government just to make a bigger profit.

Kind of like now, actually.

 

[TWD26]

I feel healthcare should be a states/local rights decision and not one to be made by the federal government. I do sympathize with your conditions and many like yours and feel that assistance should be provided for you by the government. But, for the rest of us, I concur with Caleb's first post. I do support regulation on pharmaceutical companies though, price increases are shameless exploitation.

 

[Mr.BossMan]

Competition is key to everything hence why Capitalism is so great.

We totally disband ObamaCare thus opening up the door for competition. Once that happens the market will do the rest of the work.

We keep Medicare and maybe even expand it some to help our eldest citizens and disabled. Additionally we do the same for Medicaid to help those unfortunate enough to help themselves. It would be nice if Medicaid could be expanded.

However I feel like the Federal government should not be involved in healthcare like it's currently doing aside from Medicare and Medicaid.

 

[Lord Potatoe]

True, but let me give you a scenario. Would you rather have a for-profit company that innovates and makes something better, but sometimes does things untrustworthy do make a profit, or would have a government organization that rarely innovates and takes much longer to make something better, but you're sure you can mostly trust it?

 

[The Captain]

True, but let me give you a scenario. Would you rather have a for-profit company that innovates and makes something better, but sometimes does things untrustworthy do make a profit, or would have a government organization that rarely innovates and takes much longer to make something better, but you're sure you can mostly trust it?

There is one more advantage to universal healthcare, you don't have to be swimming in cash to be treated, and cases are taken on priority, not money

 

[TWD26]

Department of Health reported in 2006 that at any given time, nearly 900,000 Britons are waiting for admission to National Health Service hospitals, and shortages force the cancellation of more than 50,000 operations each year. In Sweden, the wait for heart surgery can be as long as 25 weeks, and the average wait for hip replacement surgery is more than a year. Many of these individuals suffer chronic pain, and judging by the numbers, some will probably die awaiting treatment. In a 2005 ruling of the Canadian Supreme Court, Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin wrote that "access to a waiting list is not access to healthcare." --Cannon and Tanner 2007

 

[Nor'baal]

The German health care systems pretty good, a balance of both public and private healthcare.

Basically, you pay insurance if you can and are working, if you're not working, the government pays for you.

 

[FinnSimmons]

The problem with the German healthcare system is too many different inshurance companies. Money is being wasted. Big time.

 

[Nor'baal]

Of course, no systems perfect - however, money wasted is better than lives wasted.

Unless it's at my expense damnit GET BACK TO WORK JIMMY!

 

[Green Ranger]

I don't wish to sound like some kind of tin foil wearing conspiracy nut here, but the healthcare industry benefits by a far greater margin by investing in treatments rather than cures.

You aren't making them money if you aren't ill. Thus, it behooves them to yank you around and treat you for as long as humanly possible.

In a way, the healthcare industry shares its moral compass with any random drug dealer on the streets of (name a city).

Not that I really agree with this point of view, but if that's the direction you want to take then public healthcare's the way to go, because you're an expense to the government rather than an investment to the private sector.



But generally speaking, this whole discussion around public vs private healthcare is basically 'how much do you value the life of a poor person' to me, because funnily enough, those are the people who suffer the most in a heavily privatised system. As someone who lived below the poverty line for a fairly considerable length of time at one point, I consider myself damn fortunate that I live in a country with such a robust publicly funded and universal healthcare system.

 

[FinnSimmons]

The perfect situation for economists would be if sick people are not cured but still treated so they can continue working or 'function'. And if we can mannage to get everyone on some sort of meds well that's just perfect. You might not be able to easily increase your market share, so lets increase the size of the market. That increases your revenue stream and leads to more profit.

That is also why side effects are actually a good thing. You can sell complementary medication to counteract them. Win.