Health Care: A Right or a Privilege?

by prophecor 401 Replies latest members politics

• 

  prophecor

  Is it up to us to feed the insurance companies and thier stockholders and investors so that we can continue to have health coverage, or should we rely on an alleged decripit system, such as exist in other countries for the help we need?

  For those not living in the US of A, what kind of health care exist in your country and how favorable or not do you view it?

  For those who do live in the United States, what do you feel are some solutions to the crisis of health care in America?

  Do you even think there is a crisis?
• 

  under74

  I do think there is a crisis. All of my siblings and myself work full time but only 2 out of the 5 of us have insurance. And my younger brother is uninsured and has diabetes. He's not able to keep his head above water without credit card charges for his $400 cost in insulin and blood testing costs--plus he has to see doctors to make sure he's doing okay. As for me, I'm able to go to planned parenthood to get check ups without it making me broke but if something happens I'm screwed financially.

  I think if we want to call this a great country and show it as rich, we should care for our people and not make them go broke in order to be healthy.
• 

  funkyderek

  Health care costs money. That much everyone seems to agree on. So who should pay for it? Those who use it or those who don't? To me the answer is obvious: the fairest system is one where people only pay for services they use (or otherwise wish to pay for). Of course, health care can be expensive and we don't always know if or when we might need it. Fortunately, a solution is available that should keep everyone happy: insurance. The concept of insurance is simple. Everybody who so wishes can contribute a small amount in case they get sick. Those who do get sick then have some or all of their medical costs paid. Everyone who wishes pays a small amount to avoid potentially having to pay a much larger amount in the future.

  Health insurance is such a good idea that many governments have made it mandatory. Unfortunately, as well as the obvious violation of property rights this entails, it leads many people to believe that they have a right, not only to emergency medical treatment (for which a case could at least be made), but to expensive ongoing treatments and even elective surgery. For example, fifty years ago, nobody had a right to get an aluminium hip fitted. It is absurd to think that simply because such a thing was invented, that such a right now exists.

  Governments are notoriously inefficient and wasteful (as they don't really have to balance the books) and government-run hospitals tend to suffer from chronic overcrowding and long waiting lists. The people who pay the most for the service are usually the ones who use it least, as those who can afford to usually avoid public hospitals (at least in countries where private healthcare is still available).
• 

  sammielee24

  Can be a touchy topic...when government leaders are oft quoted as saying "it is our responsbility to ensure the safety etc of our people" then I put health care in line with 'rights'. Most developed countries have universal health care paid for by taxes. The USA does not. When you read the stats and realize that in the USA one of the major reasons for bankruptcy is health care, you have to wonder. In Canada, when I was sick, I went to the doctor - no charge. I went to the hospital when I needed to - no charge. My mother spent months in and out of intensive care for a brain tumor/diabetes/infections and so on. She received excellent care and wasn't worried about getting a huge bill after she was discharged. Her doctor makes home visits to her and takes her calls in the office. My family in the USA worry constantly about what will happen if they get sick. They do not visit a doctor as often or as soon as they should - they put off physicals and other exams because they don't have the money. Most people can't afford the added cost of health care as they struggle to pay all their other bills. There are times that illnesses aren't found until it's too late or the cost of treating the illness is now greater than if it could have been checked earlier on and treated. I find it deplorable that people have to live on credit cards when they're sick and when you have 5 million people with no health care it's scary. There will always be people who abuse any system or find fault with the one you have, but if a 'social' type system of universal health care was so bad, then most other countries wouldn't have it. The question is instead, why does the US not have it? Apparently, stats show that in the US, the average cost of health care per person is greater than the average per person in pretty well all other countries that have universal health care. I've often found that those that can afford health care and never think about it, are the ones who can well afford the rates and services and they are quick to put down any attempt at change. Links between governments and drug companies and doctors are hard lined like the money in their pockets - money fuels a lot of things. Just my humble opinion though - sammieswife.
• 

  acadian

  Hello All,

  why should anyone provide for someone elses health, except your mother or father, and then you reach an age that you can take care of your own needs.

  Of course there's always those who will need our help, but I don't believe it's the governments responsiblity. it's ours

  Right or Privilege, neigther.

  I don't believe in taking care of people who don't take care of themselves, because of their lifestyles.

  I do believe in taking care of people who can't take care of themselves.

  Let's keep government out, unless you like paying more taxes.

  Acadian
• 

  JH

  The JW's would simply say that in the new sytem no one will be sick...

  End of discussion
• 

  metatron

  I wish I had Bill Gates money so I could start a foundation for unprofitable therapies. I think we could have cancer cured

  in a decade. Chris Rock is right, drug companies exist to "treat" disease, not cure it. This past week, a doctor created a public

  controversy when he asserted that an HIV vaccine was unlikely because there was no money to be made in it.

  metatron
• 

  LDH

  The secret to the insurance game is, to belong to a non-profit pool. Health insurance companies operate as 'for-profit' and believe me, two of the top 10 highest paid executives in Orange county are Insurance executives. The profit margin is there.

  The question exists whether the profit margin itself is fair. Traditional insurance carriers return approx 65% of premium dollar in the form of benefits paid. approx 20% is considered administrative. This pays all salaries as well as commissions and administrative costs. The rest is pure profit. However, surprisingly insurance companies don't make their money off of this profit margin. It's when they INVEST it that the $$$$ really starts rolling in.

  There is an alternative, however not available to very many. It is considered a non-profit trust. This eliminates the 15-20% profit margin, while still paying out benefits and administrative costs at approx 80% of the dollar.

  You might check with your DOI (Department of Insurance) for the state you live in, and ask about MEWA (Multiple Employer Welfare Associations) and whether they are licensed and certified for your state. Each MEWA exists for the sole purpose of serving its constituents. Namely, if there is a MEWA for Commercial Fisheries in your state, and you are a Commercial Fisherman, you can join them. However check their financials and make sure they are in good shape.

  This is one solution. There are many others, such as Healthy Families here in California that was paid for by the Tobacco Tax Initiative.

  I don't feel sorry for anyone who can't get up off their patookis and work for these things. I am at work sick today. If I can do it so can others.

  I had to deal with an irate broker a couple of years ago who sold an employer a policy in the small group market (2-50) that he believed had coverage for infertility, which it did not. The coverage was for diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause. I explained in Small Group the risk pool is not large enough to pay for 'elective' procedures because the carrier (Insurance Company) runs the risk of being adversely selected against.

  I recommended she go to work for Save Mart or Microsoft or some employer that has thousands of employees across which to spread the risk of 1 or 2 elective procedures. He was pissed.

  Basic fall back health care is already provided in this country in the form of MediCal etc. If you want more, go get a job.

  Lisa

  Licensed Class
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  If you want more, go get a job.

  I have a job. I don't have insurance. I work sick if I possibly can. A few weeks ago, I had strep throat. I was not allowed in to work. I also could not afford to go to the doctor. So I endured a month of being ill and working through most of it. The uninsured in this country generally do work. The very poor get health coverage in many states. The wealthy obviously have it. Some who work are very lucky and their employers provide it. Then there are employers like mine who require that you work a certain number of hours each year. They also work diligently to make sure only a handful ever can make that hour quota. So I am forced to work two jobs. And at times three jobs. I still don't health coverage.

  It would be more than nice if all it took was to work in the USA and you got health insurance. Unfortunately, in the case of thousands upon thousands, this just simply isn't true.

  Then of course there are companies who do provide health care coverage, yet it's so expensive, sometimes people have to choose between eating, having electricity and gas and health insurance premiums. I know a girl who had to cancel dependent coverage because the premiums went up. She can afford her own coverage because it is discounted due to her being an employee, but for her dependents, two precious little girls she has to pay full price.
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  Super_Becka

  I think health care is a right, not a privilege. Who's to say who deserves medical care and who doesn't?? If a person can't afford it, does that mean that they don't deserve the same access to medical treatment that a wealthy person has??

  I live in Canada and we have universal healthcare - that means that it doesn't cost anything to go to a doctor or the emergency room. I've had three ear surgeries in the past 5 years and they haven't cost me anything. Good thing, too, I'm a university student and I'm damn near broke, and my parents are recently divorced, so money is tight around here.

  Everyone deserves access to proper healthcare. Sure, here in Canada, there are long waitlists for certain procedures, but at least everyone has access to them. I'd rather wait for something than know that my country would rather see me dead than pay for some medical expenses.

  Think - how would you feel if your child needed medical treatment to live and you couldn't afford it, so your child was going to die because healthcare was too expensive?? Maybe you've never been in that situation and I hope you never are, but many people are or have been, so when you knock public, universal healthcare, think about situations like that first.

  -Becka :)