Socialized Health Care, what do you think?
Question:
NO WAY! I just read an article a couple of weeks ago talking about how it's great for the everday stuff, but the authors uncle lives in Canada and was put on a NINE month waiting list for an EMERGENCY heart surgery. Guess what his uncle did?. drove to the US to have the surgery the same day he was diagnosed. Now, if we in the US get it. where will we go?
Not to mention, that I doubt you will get the same level of care as you do now. I mean people alwasy fuss about the cost of their medical expenses and how their dr. just charges too much, or that doctors make too much money. let me say this, if I had to go to school for 8 years, plus at LEAST 3 years of training = 11 years from college on AT LEAST before I saw a real paycheck... your dang right that I would be wanting to make the big bucks. You would too.
And the thing is most doctors are doctors because they want to HELP their patients, most do not go into it for the money. Socialization will just take all that away when we have the government dictating how we are medically treated.
I know there are serious problems with socialized health care, but people who dwell on that excessively are ignoring the elephant in the bathtub. People like me can't afford any insurance at all as things stand. If other countries have problems, we don't have to imitate them.
I was once issued an insurance card by mistake and I used it when I went in for a hernia operation. I was treated like visiting royalty. Another time I went to the emergency room with no insurance, and they didn't realize I had $1,000 in my pocket. There were three people there, the doctor, his assistant and a clerk. The doctor and his assistant screamed at me to get out. They told me to go to a different place, but they didn't know where it was. Another time I was told to go to the Free Clinic. The Free Clinic doesn't do much for sick people. It simply provides greedy doctors with an excuse.
The word greed is seldom used in this context. It's usually reserved for people who lose money in the stock market.
I grew up in Germany. I have lived in the US since 20 years now, so I do know a lot has changed since; however, when I was a kid and teenager, I know, we never, ever had to worry about going to the doctor or dentist. It was always paid for (now they also have co payments). Even when I was finished with school, I was still covered under my parents insurance.
I do believe, a lot of people abuse the system, e.g. when someone gets sick, the doctors often will 'write them sick' for a week, and if people just go back a week later, saying, 'I'm still not feeling well, they often end up staying home for a full other week, on full pay...then again, I find it much better, to be able to stay home for a few days and recover fully, then bringing the colds into work because we are afraid of losing our job or pay.
I believe, everyone should have health insurance; there could be restrictions, e.g. for dentists, if you don't go to yearly check-ups, then you'd have to pay more, same for yearly pap smears, mammogramms, physicals, whatever. If everyone where to be checked while healthy (covered 100% by insurance), we could avoid costly procedures, plus, it just would be fair to everyone. Off course, most of this care would be more of an HMO type of deal; however, people who prefer different docs and can afford it, could.
I'll leave the economic/political/moral dimensions of the benefits/drawbacks of socialized healthcare aside for now but I'd like to add a philosophical comment if I may.
What is the obligation of society to provide for the healthcare of someone that chooses to smoke, chooses to eat an unhealthy diet, chooses to not exercise and does all of the above with full understanding of the negative health consequences they entail?
If society has an obligation to provide for everyone's healthcare, what is the responsibility of each individual and does society's obligation endure if a person disregards their own personal responsibility?
Any thoughts?
I think its a good idea! We do have socialized health care now, its called welfare. You just have to be unemployed or just broke to take advantage of it!! Not fair. what about the hard working middle class???
My co worker has insurance and was diagnosed with cancer and had to file for bankruptcy after she exceeded her coverage max. that's ridiculous. she is more worried about her finances due to Dr/hospital bills then the cancer taking her life.
Socialized Health Care = Government FORCE over its citizens.
All the warm, fuzzy, feel-good sounding words will not change the fact that Government FORCE is required to implement it.
Government FORCE is not freedom.
.
More Questions & Answers...