Universal Healthcare

[randhail]

I'd like to use this thread to talk about this major issue whether it be facts, questions, thoughts, etc. I'm by no means an expert on this, but would like to have a well informed opinion. As a future physician, any such plan would have a dramatic impact on my career.

I think most people agree that in theory, this sounds like a good idea. The current state of healthcare in this country is poor to very poor (perhap I'm being modest). You can blame almost everyone involved in the system so it's by no means an easy fix.

Do people think that major change can actually happen? I'm rather skeptical that anything truly major can get done because of the powerful lobbys that Healthcare and Big Pharma have - I don't see them doing anything that would cut into there bottom line.

What is the biggest issue in healthcare for you guys - access, cost, something else?

If universal healthcare was implemented, what system would people want? A government run program ala medicare for everyone? Would you want the option to buy supplemental coverage - sort of like a platinum membership that gets you more things than the basic coverage? Or should everyone have the same coverage no matter what? Would a completely privatized system be better?

As of right now, I don't really favor any government run program just because of the way government handles things - they don't have a good tract record on running things properly. I also think that it could create a very segregated system where people that can afford extra service will still get better care than everybody else, which sort of defeats the purpose of universal care. Although, everyone would still have some sort of access to basic care.

[Irvine511]

believe it or not, i think that Romney's plan in Massachusetts -- am i wrong? totally going on memory here -- wasn't a bad one.

you make health insurance similar to car insurance. it's illegal to be without it. with such pressure, employers will be hard pressed to make it available to their employees.

that seemed like an interesting idea.

[deep]

I think it may implode first

say in 5, 10 or 15 years.

Many have too much health insurance

and many have very little access to health care.


Car insurance?

does that pay for tire replacement, gasoline, oil changes, break jobs, paint and the like?

[CTU2fan]

I favor a gov't run plan a la medicare. No platinum plan either; everyone gets the same. If somebody wants to get something special they'd better have the money & will to go abroad to get it.

I agree the powerful drug & healthcare lobbies will never allow this to happen. I worry about the government's history of inefficency, but my thinnking is that with a plan that everyone is enrolled in you'd have incentive for those "in power" to do it right. Also hopefully some of the government waste would be offset by the elimination of the middle man (insurance companies).

But keep in mind, I'm (relatively) poor; if I were rich and had access to the best care in the current system I might feel differently. Probably not, but I might I suppose.

[Liesje]

I just hate being stuck in the middle. I had no health insurance as a student and the school required it, so if you didn't provide proof of insurance, they insured you. Except their insurance sucks monkey balls. Honestly, you're better off NOT having insurance because then you can walk right into the county hospitals. You either have to have really good insurance, or have no insurance and get the breaks.

I don't know enough about it and haven't thought it through enough to know what I think as far as specifics and how a universal system would be implemented.

[randhail]

Originally posted by deep
I think it may implode first

say in 5, 10 or 15 years.

Many have too much health insurance

and many have very little access to health care.


Car insurance?

does that pay for tire replacement, gasoline, oil changes, break jobs, paint and the like?

You would think the system would implode, but it's been hobbling along for awhile now and seems to be Rasputin like in it's ability to survive so I'm not so sure it will implode.

Would you favor a system that gave basic coverage but not catastrophic or the other way around? or would you cover everything?

[AEON]

Minimizing illegal immigration would certainly help the US healthcare system. The system is currently strained taking care of non-tax paying folks from Mexico. It's simply a matter of numbers.

[deep]

Originally posted by randhail



You would think the system would implode, but it's been hobbling along for awhile now and seems to be Rasputin like in it's ability to survive so I'm not so sure it will implode.

Would you favor a system that gave basic coverage but not catastrophic or the other way around? or would you cover everything?

I guess catastrophic only.

All the rest should be treated the same as other consumer items.

and prescription coverage should kick in only at extra ordinary cases

[BVS]

Originally posted by AEON
Minimizing illegal immigration would certainly help the US healthcare system. The system is currently strained taking care of non-tax paying folks from Mexico. It's simply a matter of numbers.

Actually that's a very miniscule problem in healthcare. We have more citizens without healthcare, and who aren't paying than illegals who are raising other's insurance costs. We have just WAY too many people who don't take care, or don't even bother to take care of themselves. This is America's biggest health issue.

[AEON]

Originally posted by BonoVoxSupastar


We have just WAY too many people who don't take care, or don't even bother to take care of themselves. This is America's biggest health issue.

BVS - I would have to do some research through the threads, but this may be the first time I actually agree with you

[BVS]

Probably so.

[Irvine511]

preventative care.

[Canadiens1131]

Two tiered healthcare would work best I think. We're headed for something like that in Canada in the next decade, I believe.

Socialized healthcare is great, but if people with the money want to pay for quick service at a private clinic and leave more room at public clinics for me, for instance, I have no problem with it.

Regardless of the drawbacks of socialized medicine (higher taxes, overcrowded hospitals, long wait times), there is still something comforting about being able to walk into a healthcare facility, show them my card, and get attention - regardless as to whether I'm employed or have a supplemental plan.

Healthcare is not a benefit, it's a basic human right.

[redkat]

Originally posted by Irvine511
believe it or not, i think that Romney's plan in Massachusetts -- am i wrong? totally going on memory here -- wasn't a bad one.

you make health insurance similar to car insurance. it's illegal to be without it. with such pressure, employers will be hard pressed to make it available to their employees.

that seemed like an interesting idea.

There is a similar bill in CA right now.

This site answers a lot of questions.

Q. Does SB 840 (Kuehl) cover undocumented immigrants?
A. Yes. It costs California less to insure undocumented immigrants than to exclude them. People without health insurance don't get preventive care and, consequently, use expensive emergency rooms and hospital care when they get sick. It is estimated that if every Californian got preventive care we could save $3.4 billion dollars a year. Most undocumented Californians are employed in essential jobs and our immigrants pay $80,000 more in taxes and fees over a lifetime than they will receive in local, state and federal benefits in their lifetimes. And it's good public health policy to insure the entire population. It helps control epidemics or outbreaks that could expose everyone to disease.

http://www.healthcareforall.org/faqs.html

I know an insurance broker for one having frantic meetings with blue cross who is against this plan.

[deep]

Originally posted by redkat




I know an insurance broker for one having frantic meetings with blue cross who is against this plan.

insurance companies goals are to eliminate or reduce risk, deny claims, and cancel coverage to customers that require payouts

their objective is too collect as much premium money as possible and pay out the least amount to make the most profit.

[anitram]

Originally posted by Canadiens1160
Socialized healthcare is great, but if people with the money want to pay for quick service at a private clinic and leave more room at public clinics for me, for instance, I have no problem with it.

Don't you think that this would simply lead to overcrowding because how many doctors in their right mind would work in an inner city ER for half the money when they can work in a posh clinic out in the suburbs, half the hours at twice the pay? You may not mind "more room" at public clinics, but I just don't see how that would be the reasonable end result.

[deep]

Originally posted by Canadiens1160


Healthcare is not a benefit, it's a basic human right.

what about food and shelter?

[ntalwar]

Originally posted by anitram

Don't you think that this would simply lead to overcrowding because how many doctors in their right mind would work in an inner city ER for half the money when they can work in a posh clinic out in the suburbs, half the hours at twice the pay? You may not mind "more room" at public clinics, but I just don't see how that would be the reasonable end result.

Even in the US, we are seeing an increasing number of "boutique doctors" that charge a few thousand dollars a year to patients in their practices. In return, they spend more time with patients than regular doctors. It'll be interesting to see how many doctors follow that trend.

[randhail]

Originally posted by ntalwar


Even in the US, we are seeing an increasing number of "boutique doctors" that charge a few thousand dollars a year to patients in their practices. In return, they spend more time with patients than regular doctors. It'll be interesting to see how many doctors follow that trend.

The biggest appeal of this is not having to deal with hassle of insurance companies - physicians can actually practice medicine without the insurance companies questioning there moves. It greatly improves the physician patient relationship, but raises some questions about it being fair. The current climate of healthcare has created this business opportunity and I find no fault in physicians going this route. It's also why so many med students opt to specialize rather than doing primary care.

[onebloodonelife]

I don't know a lot about the universal healthcare issue, but I really should because I have a chronic disease. I have great insurance right now through my mom, who's a teacher, but once I get out of school, I'll likely have to get COBRA insurance because my prescription costs are astronomical.

I think that in theory, universal healthcare is a good idea, but I don't trust the U.S. government to implement it correctly.