Make it so 123 million people won’t lose their current healthcare and doctors (if they like them). Make it so premiums and deductibles don’t double or triple. Then we might have something.
You are comparing apples with oranges. The reason auto liability insurance is cheaper is that many accidents do not cause injury and accident-avoidance is now easier (due to onerous job-killing safety regulations). On the health care side, however, the US has the highest rate of bankruptcies for health-related reasons in the world. Something to be proud of.
As a doctor, I fully agree that costs should come down. Perhaps the quarter million in build-out costs and minimum equipment I invested to open my practice should have cost me less, but I had little control over that. Regardless, I can tell you this: I get less money per exam from insurance today than I did when I got out of school in 1979 and people paid me directly. So, part of the problem has been solved: doctors and hospitals have had our pay cut constantly since then, especially indexed to the value of the dollar. If you want to find out why health care costs so much, I’ll tell you that part of it is equipment that is now mandated for standard of care, and the other part is the amount of dollars insurance companies feel the need to keep for themselves.
Although I can appreciate your positions, they are not based on the real world of health care. I am not finding fault with you personally; there are many entities who have a vested interest in misinforming the public, so that their unhappiness will be directed anywhere but the true source. It’s hard to know what to do when the “facts” that are presented cannot be trusted.
Once in east Texas I was trying to wire some flowers to my spouse, then in Canada. The young lady behind the counter had no idea where Canada was; seriously.
There is no point in talking about “like other countries have” to most Americans, as the majority of Americans have sadly not been outside their own counties. Besides that, they have drunk the kool-aid that other countries, if there are any and wherever they may be, are “soshalist”. Ironically, such people are constantly screaming “Freedom”, while they have no idea how their health care system robs them of the freedom they pretend to defend.
Until the “Debt Frees” and “ConservaGovs” of America can shed their ignorance, it will continue to be impossible to have a reasonable and universal health care system in the United States, or even a reasonable discussion.
The reference in the cartoon is that of George Wallace ‘blocking the schoolhouse door’ at the University of Alabama in June 1963. Wallace was a lifelong Democrat and avowed racist. His late-in-life apology for his actions as governor during the segregation era was wholly insincere but managed to fool some people. It is truly sad how so many historians whitewash his life and rarely ever mention that he was a Democrat until the day he died.
" (that free care at emergency rooms doesn’t seem to work all that well for them)"
You don’t get ‘care’ in the ER, you get a cheap patch. Go into the ER with a five year untreated cancer case which has devolved into excruciating pain, unless you know what the problem is, they’ll send you home with Tylenol and orders to find a doctor. If you already know what the problem is, you might get slightly stronger pain meds, but you won’t be treated for the cancer, or any other serious condition.
If you are in the throes of a heart attack or stroke, they may save your life – but after that, good luck.
The ER is a trauma center. It isn’t a medical center or clinic or any other facility designed to deliver health care.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me to label it a eugenics program. If it’s all the same to you though, I’d rather not look at the result. The medication makes me nauseous anyway, more is no improvement.
“Clearly the government shouldn’t be providing free police and fire protection, because if it did then we might as well be giving everyone free solid gold limousines.”
Uh … I don’t know where you are living, but my fire/police services are fully paid for out of our tax rates. That is, not free.
A guy gave me some boot laces a couple of weeks ago – free. He was looking for return business, though; he had nothing to do with the government.
There is no free stuff. Not from any part of the government, at least, in my memory and experience. That would include Obama’s administration.
I think I know what my problem is. I think I don’t have nearly a good enough imagination to generate these fantasies.
“It is truly sad how so many historians whitewash his life and rarely ever mention that he was a Democrat until the day he died.”
What is sadder is that your concern is with his political label. What difference does his political label make? What he was was a RACIST.
No particular party has any monopoly on racism. They may express their racism a little differently, but the problem isn’t one party or another, the problem is racism and bigotry.
Don Winchester Premium Member over 10 years ago
Make it so 123 million people won’t lose their current healthcare and doctors (if they like them). Make it so premiums and deductibles don’t double or triple. Then we might have something.
ConserveGov over 10 years ago
Ya! We should also have free houses, cars and unicorns too.
Doughfoot over 10 years ago
The numbers I gave refer to adults only, not their dependent children. Just like to be clear.
avarner over 10 years ago
We need socialism here. Then everything would be free for everyone.
Won’t that be wonderful?
I Play One On TV over 10 years ago
You are comparing apples with oranges. The reason auto liability insurance is cheaper is that many accidents do not cause injury and accident-avoidance is now easier (due to onerous job-killing safety regulations). On the health care side, however, the US has the highest rate of bankruptcies for health-related reasons in the world. Something to be proud of.
As a doctor, I fully agree that costs should come down. Perhaps the quarter million in build-out costs and minimum equipment I invested to open my practice should have cost me less, but I had little control over that. Regardless, I can tell you this: I get less money per exam from insurance today than I did when I got out of school in 1979 and people paid me directly. So, part of the problem has been solved: doctors and hospitals have had our pay cut constantly since then, especially indexed to the value of the dollar. If you want to find out why health care costs so much, I’ll tell you that part of it is equipment that is now mandated for standard of care, and the other part is the amount of dollars insurance companies feel the need to keep for themselves.
Although I can appreciate your positions, they are not based on the real world of health care. I am not finding fault with you personally; there are many entities who have a vested interest in misinforming the public, so that their unhappiness will be directed anywhere but the true source. It’s hard to know what to do when the “facts” that are presented cannot be trusted.
ScullyUFO over 10 years ago
Once in east Texas I was trying to wire some flowers to my spouse, then in Canada. The young lady behind the counter had no idea where Canada was; seriously.
There is no point in talking about “like other countries have” to most Americans, as the majority of Americans have sadly not been outside their own counties. Besides that, they have drunk the kool-aid that other countries, if there are any and wherever they may be, are “soshalist”. Ironically, such people are constantly screaming “Freedom”, while they have no idea how their health care system robs them of the freedom they pretend to defend.
Until the “Debt Frees” and “ConservaGovs” of America can shed their ignorance, it will continue to be impossible to have a reasonable and universal health care system in the United States, or even a reasonable discussion.
WestNYC Premium Member over 10 years ago
The reference in the cartoon is that of George Wallace ‘blocking the schoolhouse door’ at the University of Alabama in June 1963. Wallace was a lifelong Democrat and avowed racist. His late-in-life apology for his actions as governor during the segregation era was wholly insincere but managed to fool some people. It is truly sad how so many historians whitewash his life and rarely ever mention that he was a Democrat until the day he died.
Enoki over 10 years ago
It’s better than whatever Obamacare is…
Hawthorne over 10 years ago
" (that free care at emergency rooms doesn’t seem to work all that well for them)"
You don’t get ‘care’ in the ER, you get a cheap patch. Go into the ER with a five year untreated cancer case which has devolved into excruciating pain, unless you know what the problem is, they’ll send you home with Tylenol and orders to find a doctor. If you already know what the problem is, you might get slightly stronger pain meds, but you won’t be treated for the cancer, or any other serious condition.
If you are in the throes of a heart attack or stroke, they may save your life – but after that, good luck.
The ER is a trauma center. It isn’t a medical center or clinic or any other facility designed to deliver health care.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me to label it a eugenics program. If it’s all the same to you though, I’d rather not look at the result. The medication makes me nauseous anyway, more is no improvement.
Hawthorne over 10 years ago
“Clearly the government shouldn’t be providing free police and fire protection, because if it did then we might as well be giving everyone free solid gold limousines.”
Uh … I don’t know where you are living, but my fire/police services are fully paid for out of our tax rates. That is, not free.
A guy gave me some boot laces a couple of weeks ago – free. He was looking for return business, though; he had nothing to do with the government.
There is no free stuff. Not from any part of the government, at least, in my memory and experience. That would include Obama’s administration.
I think I know what my problem is. I think I don’t have nearly a good enough imagination to generate these fantasies.
Reality just keeps getting in my way … tch.
Hawthorne over 10 years ago
““Americans IS ungoing”Haha. Yep, we isn’t going. :)”
Wow! You caught a fingercheck! Well done!
Unfortunately it doesn’t invalidate the comment.
Hawthorne over 10 years ago
@JmcaRice
“It is truly sad how so many historians whitewash his life and rarely ever mention that he was a Democrat until the day he died.”
What is sadder is that your concern is with his political label. What difference does his political label make? What he was was a RACIST.
No particular party has any monopoly on racism. They may express their racism a little differently, but the problem isn’t one party or another, the problem is racism and bigotry.
I Play One On TV over 10 years ago
“There are Libertarians who would relish the idea of cheapness over safety. They would rather take the risk. "
They’re easy to spot. They’re the ones who grumble the loudest because the plane needs mechanical repair before it flies again.
Doughfoot over 10 years ago
Oh, Tigger. You are so silly. I can see why Pooh and Piglet get so exasperated with you.