Health Care

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth

Originally posted by: JS80
Because people are dying on the streets without it.

By this logic, we need to vote everyone a nice house with Air Conditioning, heating, and a brand new Ford Fusion car.

Wouldn't it be more cost effective to give them something built by Government Motors?

 

[imported_inspire]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
The problem isnt health insurance, its the healthcare system in general.

"Fixing" health insurance isnt going to jack shit other than run up huge deficits over the long run. Focusing on the real problem is what Congress should be doing.

I disagree. It seems to me from reading through all this partisan tripe that health insurance needs some basic reforms. Making those happen isn't going to run up deficits. Providing insurance for all might, but I don't buy the concept that the baby has to go with the bathwater.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Originally posted by: TruePaige

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth

Originally posted by: JS80
Because people are dying on the streets without it.

By this logic, we need to vote everyone a nice house with Air Conditioning, heating, and a brand new Ford Fusion car.

That doesn't follow.

Well, if they got a house with AC, Heating and a new American made car, they wouldn't be dying on the streets... well perhaps if they are in the car when they die. But with a house, they might die in it instead?

Thing is, I have never not had an ambulance come, I have never not had treatment at a hospital. I know that people have died in hospital emergency rooms, while janitors mopped the floor around them.

I know health care needs reformed. But giving universal health insurance, isn't synonymous with health care. The health care system in general needs reform. Perhaps better funding for hospitals, better staffing, higher pay for workers in the hospitals, not charging ten thousand dollars for an ambulance ride, because Health Insurance A will pay it.

By my math, which may be off, an Ambulance ride should cost:
Driver: $50/hr (with a pick up and delivery mininum of $50)
Each Ambulance I rode in had a driver, and 2 people in the back ($50*2=$100)

$150 bucks for the ride.
Emergency room, waiting on a doctor at $50/hr (Lot of Eroom docs Volunteer, so they should technically be working for free, but I digress) + Nurses $30/hr

3 hour visit, with total time the nurses, and Dr spend taking care of you, probably 1 hour max time, but you did take up a bed... $80 bucks, for the dr and the nurse, and lets say $25 an hour for the bed, so $75.. so $155, plus the $150 for the ride, = $305, lets throw in $95 bucks for the meds...

I would love it if an ambulance ride, and three hours of time spent in the ER only cost me $400, hell if you add in X-Rays, and Urinalysis, hell I could live with $1k.

Seriously, did it really cost the hospital any more than 1k to treat me when I had a kidney stone attack? No the fuck it didn't, but I/ my insurance got charged 15 thousand dollars for it.

That is what is fucked up with our health care system. Not that people don't have insurance, but they damn near charge you your weight in gold to take care of you.

 

[RY62]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth
Topic Title: Health Care
Topic Summary: Why do we need a national plan?

Because us poor Americans are dying since we can't afford the so called great Health care system.

Doesn't matter what kind of health care you get. Rich or poor, you're still going to die. Does it really make a difference when it happens?

 

[Red Irish]

I watched a news report on Spanish TV last night about healthcare in India. It seems that many Americans are flying to India to have operations that they couldn't possibly afford in their own country. The woman in question had a hip replacement that would have cost her five times the amount in the US. Outsourcing healthcare seems to be on the increase and the program discussed the phenomenon of "medical tourism":

http://www.wockhardthospitals.net/general/hmi.asp

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: blanghorst

Originally posted by: woodie1
The Constitution requires everyone be covered by some type of health care.

One poster even quoted lines from the Declaration of Independence to justify it...

Notice the distinction between "*PROVIDE* for the common defense" vs "*PROMOTE* the general welfare".

Go to the VA next time you need urgent medical attention instead of a private ER.

Then come back and say government health care is a good idea.

 

[owensdj]

exdeath, nobody is talking about government-run health care. It's government-run insurance. That's the model of almost all of the developed nations that provide UHC, such as Canada, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan.