Obamacare was specifically constructed back in the days when it was assumed that Republicans would be willing to work for the best interest of the populacbe.
To make it more palatable, it was essentially Romneycare. Republicans like Romneycare. Also, it had an individual mandate. Republicans liked the individual mandate, when it was invented at the Heritage Institute, when it met the definition of “individual responsibility”, and when it was the cornerstone of Medicare Part D.
But, Republicans have no desire to work for anything but more power at this time, so they are intent on making our lives as miserable as possible to blame it on Democrats and win the next election.
And it appears that Republicans can only recognize a bad idea when a Democrat proposes it.
Obamacare was a bad idea in the first place; you can’t make a bad idea better by trying to gain support from the people who came up with the bad ideas.
This doctor says universal health care is the best, the only, and the final alternative. Medicare and Medicaid treat me much, much better than does private insurance, and this extends to the “independent contractors” (insurance companies) who subcontract Medicare and Medicaid.
Isn’t it past time we offer better ideas instead of just complaining about bad ones? What a silly concept THAT is.
- The U.S. is the only country in the civilized world that treats health care as a for-profit business opportunity.- Other countries offer universal health care to all it’s citizens.- Other countries have better health care outcomes on most measurements. - Affordable health care delivery to the masses in the U.S. is mediocre by global standards. (The U.S. is high in medical innovation.)- Other countries keep costs down to a manageable level in one of two ways:1. Single payer national health care2. Not for profit insurance and close control of costs..Are you results oriented, or do you want to defend a political ideology?
A pill that costs a pharmaceutical company 3 cents, counting development, production, and shipping, not maybe counting TV advertising, costs the patient $5. That goes for many patented prescription meds. VA negotiates, and pays very little for the meds (though use, usually “generic” equivalents). They also got me my latest set of hearing aids (always bought my own before), and paid only a fraction what my audiologist has to pay as his cost for the same devices. Yes, “government” CAN get things cheaper, but the REPUBLICANS prohibited Medicare from negotiating drug prices, and the taxpayer gets nailed again for those “high costs of Medicare”.
A single payer, and regulated program, could save many billions a year in health care. A sounder, regulated “insurance” industry, with more sensible controls on “malpractice” suits, like having reviews by medical experts of cases, and removing the “profit margin” for lawyers (they typically take 70% plus of all settlements) would cheapen things a lot.
yes, we can learn from several other countries on how to run a PRIVATE practice medical industry, with government handling the “single payer” option.
“…….Not so in Great Britian where Socialised Medicance is now engaged in killing people in very painfuly ways just to save a little money……”.Don’t just make it up. The life expectancy in GB is higher than in the U.S.
“……Medicare is the reason we are so deeply in debt……”.Balderdash! And government sponsored Medicare operates for about 1/6 th the administrative costs of the mainstream insurance based health care system.
“…….Please note that NO REPUBLICAN was allowed to have ANY imput on Obamacare it is wholly a constrution of Pelosi and Reid….”.Balderdash! Don’t just make it up.
“……results, which is why we stay away from socialized medicane. Look how well it worked for Chavez…….”.People die from cancer, although Chavez is still alive. Chavez is being treated in Cuba where the life expectancy is only half a year less than in the U.S., despite being considerably poorer.
not only is life expectancy higher in the UK but infant mortality is lower.
wanna compare how many people or percentage of people are not covered by health insurance? or cost per person? usa loses again.but we wouldn’t want facts to get in the way of RWNJ claims.
BTW; my “redneck” friend from Arkansas went to Mexico to get his, successful, treatment for prostate cancer, that he couldn’t get in the US, and btw, his doctor is American, but can’t do the procedure here, and it is not “government interference”. Also many, many, Americans go to Canada to get their medications, the same ones they can get in the US, at 10-200 times the price available in Canada. Many Americans also go to Mexico, or other nations for treatment, due to either availability, or the extremely high cost in the US as compared to abroad. No, Americans do NOT all have access to the “best medical care”, and many Americans can’t afford it here either.
As far as I’m concerned, Ramirez is right on, again and as always. Keep the damned government out of our lives. Medicare sucks. The PPACA will also suck. Why are there so many fools in this country happy to turn over control of themselves to an entity that cannot run even the simplest of programs without mucking them up?
The USA spends 18 percent of its GDP on medical stuff compared to around 10and1/2% for the rest of the G8. It has the lowest average life expectancy and the highest infant mortality rate in the OECD. Live expectancy is about the same as Bosnia, infant mortality about the same as Slovenia, 33rd in the world. If you are a member of the one percent the numbers are among the best in the world. The American population has been screwed by its greedhead medical industry for generations and the numbers show it.
Odon Premium Member about 11 years ago
Lower costs, improve outcomes. Drop Obama/RomneyCare adopt universal healthcare.
stej_dot_com about 11 years ago
@omQ_R you may have a point; however your information makes Mr Ramirez’ selection of the staff of Caduceus even more approprate.
I Play One On TV about 11 years ago
Obamacare was specifically constructed back in the days when it was assumed that Republicans would be willing to work for the best interest of the populacbe.
To make it more palatable, it was essentially Romneycare. Republicans like Romneycare. Also, it had an individual mandate. Republicans liked the individual mandate, when it was invented at the Heritage Institute, when it met the definition of “individual responsibility”, and when it was the cornerstone of Medicare Part D.
But, Republicans have no desire to work for anything but more power at this time, so they are intent on making our lives as miserable as possible to blame it on Democrats and win the next election.
And it appears that Republicans can only recognize a bad idea when a Democrat proposes it.
Obamacare was a bad idea in the first place; you can’t make a bad idea better by trying to gain support from the people who came up with the bad ideas.
This doctor says universal health care is the best, the only, and the final alternative. Medicare and Medicaid treat me much, much better than does private insurance, and this extends to the “independent contractors” (insurance companies) who subcontract Medicare and Medicaid.
Isn’t it past time we offer better ideas instead of just complaining about bad ones? What a silly concept THAT is.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
- The U.S. is the only country in the civilized world that treats health care as a for-profit business opportunity.- Other countries offer universal health care to all it’s citizens.- Other countries have better health care outcomes on most measurements. - Affordable health care delivery to the masses in the U.S. is mediocre by global standards. (The U.S. is high in medical innovation.)- Other countries keep costs down to a manageable level in one of two ways:1. Single payer national health care2. Not for profit insurance and close control of costs..Are you results oriented, or do you want to defend a political ideology?
Dtroutma about 11 years ago
A pill that costs a pharmaceutical company 3 cents, counting development, production, and shipping, not maybe counting TV advertising, costs the patient $5. That goes for many patented prescription meds. VA negotiates, and pays very little for the meds (though use, usually “generic” equivalents). They also got me my latest set of hearing aids (always bought my own before), and paid only a fraction what my audiologist has to pay as his cost for the same devices. Yes, “government” CAN get things cheaper, but the REPUBLICANS prohibited Medicare from negotiating drug prices, and the taxpayer gets nailed again for those “high costs of Medicare”.
A single payer, and regulated program, could save many billions a year in health care. A sounder, regulated “insurance” industry, with more sensible controls on “malpractice” suits, like having reviews by medical experts of cases, and removing the “profit margin” for lawyers (they typically take 70% plus of all settlements) would cheapen things a lot.
yes, we can learn from several other countries on how to run a PRIVATE practice medical industry, with government handling the “single payer” option.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
“…….Not so in Great Britian where Socialised Medicance is now engaged in killing people in very painfuly ways just to save a little money……”.Don’t just make it up. The life expectancy in GB is higher than in the U.S.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
“……Medicare is the reason we are so deeply in debt……”.Balderdash! And government sponsored Medicare operates for about 1/6 th the administrative costs of the mainstream insurance based health care system.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
“…….Please note that NO REPUBLICAN was allowed to have ANY imput on Obamacare it is wholly a constrution of Pelosi and Reid….”.Balderdash! Don’t just make it up.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
“……results, which is why we stay away from socialized medicane. Look how well it worked for Chavez…….”.People die from cancer, although Chavez is still alive. Chavez is being treated in Cuba where the life expectancy is only half a year less than in the U.S., despite being considerably poorer.
dannysixpack about 11 years ago
not only is life expectancy higher in the UK but infant mortality is lower.
wanna compare how many people or percentage of people are not covered by health insurance? or cost per person? usa loses again.but we wouldn’t want facts to get in the way of RWNJ claims.
Dtroutma about 11 years ago
BTW; my “redneck” friend from Arkansas went to Mexico to get his, successful, treatment for prostate cancer, that he couldn’t get in the US, and btw, his doctor is American, but can’t do the procedure here, and it is not “government interference”. Also many, many, Americans go to Canada to get their medications, the same ones they can get in the US, at 10-200 times the price available in Canada. Many Americans also go to Mexico, or other nations for treatment, due to either availability, or the extremely high cost in the US as compared to abroad. No, Americans do NOT all have access to the “best medical care”, and many Americans can’t afford it here either.
OmqR-IV.0 about 11 years ago
noted: “How Odd, when you google Medical Insignia you get the second example even going back hundreds of years. You may want to check your data”
You may want to re-read my post:
OmQ R said: " Apparently things got a little hazy a few hundred years ago…maybe that’s when medicine became commercialised ! "
I don’t need to go back where I got my data, I know it was some 1400 years ago. That’s " a few hundred years" ago.
But thanks for playing.
Kim0158 Premium Member about 11 years ago
As far as I’m concerned, Ramirez is right on, again and as always. Keep the damned government out of our lives. Medicare sucks. The PPACA will also suck. Why are there so many fools in this country happy to turn over control of themselves to an entity that cannot run even the simplest of programs without mucking them up?
ninety_nine_percent about 11 years ago
Michael, do you think the middle class agrees with you that they should not have health care? I think they are smarter than that.
bgarner about 11 years ago
The USA spends 18 percent of its GDP on medical stuff compared to around 10and1/2% for the rest of the G8. It has the lowest average life expectancy and the highest infant mortality rate in the OECD. Live expectancy is about the same as Bosnia, infant mortality about the same as Slovenia, 33rd in the world. If you are a member of the one percent the numbers are among the best in the world. The American population has been screwed by its greedhead medical industry for generations and the numbers show it.