Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

every American would have healthcare, but this would mean a HUGE increase in taxes. the avg person would pay approx 45% taxes (like they do in Europe).

also, the care would be "clinic style" and there will be wait lists for surgery and not a lot of options (like choosing your Doctor).

you can choose to pay for better care. my parents did this when we lived in Israel b/c they hated the social program.

I personally would not want it. there is a reason why wealthy people from Europe come to NY for surgery.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

I think if it were elected here, the care would be different then how it is abroad. I think they would make major changes.

I have said before I am all for paying 45% of my money for taxes for free healthcare, childcare and 5 weeks vacation a year and 6 months paid maternity leave.

Quality of life I feel would improve and I feel I would pay much MORE total then that 45% yearly in the end.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Message edited 8/30/2008 7:59:02 PM.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

I don't want it. I will continue to pay outragous premiums to have the best trained most talented doctors in the world.
I know several doctors that all say this is the beginning of the end for good healthcare.
Not to mention the quality of people with lesser educations from other far away places we will need to allow to work as doctors. Nobody in their right mind will give up 6 to 10 years of the life for school & start their career $200,000 or more in debt with student loans so they can be government employees.


And it will impossible for those of us that pay taxes to shoulder the cost for ourselves AND the millions that don't pay a dime.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

ESPECIALLY because of the drug companies in the US and how they have hands tied to every parts of our lives, they wouldnt allow that type of system and they control more then many know....

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Our whole health care system does need an overhaul though. Too much preventative medicine is uncovered even by private insurance. Did you guys see the post re: insurance not covering another LIFers mammogram? That's crazy, this is exactly the sort of things that should be covered. I know I have a chronic illness, and I thank God I have health insurance. If I did not, I would be up a creek.

Right now a lot of people who have no insurance use emergency rooms instead of seeing the doctor since, well, they have to treat you. This wastes the time of staff there, and a lot of serious emergencies are left untreated longer than necessary.

I would like to see some options. Perhaps a plan where people can pay nothing and get basic coverage kind of like HIP (which sucks, but is better than nothing). Then other options that people could pay varying amounts for (depending upon the plan) that would allow you to see the best doctors.

I think too many people are walking around with no health insurance now, and part of the healthcare crisis (and our economic problems) stems from the uninsured developing serious ailments that perhaps could have been treated if they saw a doctor sooner.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

I am for it.

A tax increase at this point is nothing compared to the medical bills I have sitting here while I try and keep up on payment plans.

I know so many people with horrible insurance plans.

The working poor are suffering hardcore.

Heathcare across the board should not be a worry for anyone...

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

No, no and no.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Message edited 8/30/2008 8:45:01 PM.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Message edited 8/30/2008 8:47:22 PM.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

I have a question for those who can answer - how is it even possible to enroll an illegal immigrant in school here?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Posted by greeneyes361708

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

I have a question for those who can answer - how is it even possible to enroll an illegal immigrant in school here?

All you need is the child's birth certificate and proof that you reside within the school district. They didn't even ask me for photo i.d.!

Message edited 8/30/2008 8:51:34 PM.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

maybe you should become a non- citizen. they seem to get the care they need at zero cost to them.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Posted by Janice

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

maybe you should become a non- citizen. they seem to get the care they need at zero cost to them.

or be a citizen who doesn't work at all.

American's infant mortality rate is horrendous.

Life expectancies are going down instead of up.

C-sections are out of control.

Yet insurance companies are profiting big time.

a janitor's kid deserves the same treatment as a lawyer's kid.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

Posted by KellyFG

Posted by cjik

I think too many people are walking around with no health insurance now, and part of the healthcare crisis (and our economic problems) stems from the uninsured developing serious ailments that perhaps could have been treated if they saw a doctor sooner.

My husband works in a field that is over run with illegal immigrants. Up until last year he worked for company that had no problems with hiring people without legal status. My husband just bumped into someone from that company. The old co-worker told my DH that a nice, well liked guy they both know that worked there-we'll call him Roberto- finally saved up enough money to pay to have his wife & 10 year old son transported here illegally from Guatemala. So his son will be starting school in Riverhead. They brought him to a doctor in Greenport that takes cash for low priced inoculations. Roberto is very concered because they only gave his kid 1/2 of the shots he needed & sent him for a chest x-ray because they think he might have Tuberculosis.
So this is where things get really effed up. Roberto can't buy health insurance because he doesn't have enough money & since he works for cash because he's not legal he doesn't qualify for employer sponsored healthcare. So now there is a child with TB (lets assume he tests positive). He's going to end up in a hospital getting care for "free".
Do we say we don't think he should be treated?
Some of us PAY for insurance that doesn't cover mammograms!!!
This is happening on a grand scale with a million slightly different scenarios all over the country!!!!
What can we do?
I'd really like Obama or McCain or anyone else to tell me how we can fix this.

my sister teaches in Queens and also has told me stories of illegal immigrant students in her school that come here with malaria or other diseses not common here.

I have a question for those who can answer - how is it even possible to enroll an illegal immigrant in school here?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

NO WAY

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Posted by beautyq115

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

Posted by KellyFG

Posted by cjik

I think too many people are walking around with no health insurance now, and part of the healthcare crisis (and our economic problems) stems from the uninsured developing serious ailments that perhaps could have been treated if they saw a doctor sooner.

My husband works in a field that is over run with illegal immigrants. Up until last year he worked for company that had no problems with hiring people without legal status. My husband just bumped into someone from that company. The old co-worker told my DH that a nice, well liked guy they both know that worked there-we'll call him Roberto- finally saved up enough money to pay to have his wife & 10 year old son transported here illegally from Guatemala. So his son will be starting school in Riverhead. They brought him to a doctor in Greenport that takes cash for low priced inoculations. Roberto is very concered because they only gave his kid 1/2 of the shots he needed & sent him for a chest x-ray because they think he might have Tuberculosis.
So this is where things get really effed up. Roberto can't buy health insurance because he doesn't have enough money & since he works for cash because he's not legal he doesn't qualify for employer sponsored healthcare. So now there is a child with TB (lets assume he tests positive). He's going to end up in a hospital getting care for "free".
Do we say we don't think he should be treated?
Some of us PAY for insurance that doesn't cover mammograms!!!
This is happening on a grand scale with a million slightly different scenarios all over the country!!!!
What can we do?
I'd really like Obama or McCain or anyone else to tell me how we can fix this.

my sister teaches in Queens and also has told me stories of illegal immigrant students in her school that come here with malaria or other diseses not common here.

I have a question for those who can answer - how is it even possible to enroll an illegal immigrant in school here?

and they don't get immunizations either.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

absolutely not!

i have family in Europe with socialized medicine and although it gives basic coverage to all, it has TONS of problems. unfortunately, i can tell you tons of stories of how people got sicker than they already were because they had to wait for tests, normal screenings and scans we take for granted take WEEKS or MONTHS to get. also, people over there still pay a co-pay so it is not completely free and most pay for Rx out of pocket. most people pay for private insurance to help them and get them to speciliasts faster.

Also, socialized medicine will spell disaster, IMO. As we know, anything the government runs turns to s hit, and i tihnk this would be no difference. I also think socialized medicine has HUGE ramifications for the dignity of the patient and right-to-life issues. as it is, many insurance companies for example won't cover anti-nausea medication for a cancer patient because it is "not medically necessary." under socialized medicine, to save money, we will see more and more of this. no meds. for pain, no physical/occupational therapies, etc. etc. because it's not medically "necessary." it could also have profound effects on our friends and family with disabilities. they won't get the help they need because they may not be "physically" sick. will the wheelchair be covered? the pyhsical therapy for the child with cerebral palsy? speech therapy for the child with Down's? i don't think so... and clearly without that type of help there will be an even bigger increase in abortions and/or abandonded babies and adults with severe disabilities.

i do however absolutely agree that something must be done in this country to insure those that have done, or the undersured. it is a disgrace that in a nation of such great wealth we have people that lose their homes, their jobs, etc. etc. because they cannot pay the health care bills. it is not right.

instead of socialized medicine, perhaps there are other alternatives. for one, it should be ILLEGAL for companies such as Wal-mart to let you work 39.5 hours a week and give you NO health care. this is why we have the working poor--- people working 2-3 jobs like this a week, but have no health care because these greedy corporations won't give them affordable or any benefits because they don't work "full" time. Corporations should be REQUIRED to pay a certain percentage of their profits toward health care for employees that need it. small business owners should be given tax breaks or grants from the government so that they can insure themselves and their employees. those who have to rely on private insurance should be given tax credits to help them to do so.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?

The problem I feel is when employees pay an arm and a leg for horrible insurance.

I pay a lot for our insurance, yet there is always a loophole, forcing me to pay out of pocket anyway.

My sister married a Canadian. His family raves about their healthcare.

Re: Another political topic - would you want socialized (or universal) healthcare in the US?