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Post by Frater G on Feb 19, 2008 12:11:33 GMT -5
The issue of health care is a major issue in this presidential campaign. Should America have a national health care system or should things stay the way they are? There definitely needs to be some changes made. There's a lot of propaganda being thrown about on both sides. What are your thoughts about this?
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Post by vajramukti on Feb 19, 2008 20:49:36 GMT -5
I would say neither, for the moment. We already have a national health care system because hospitals are not allowed to turn people away. Things need to change, but higher taxes and government mandated programs are not going to solve the problem long term. Mitt Romney alluded to a private sector fix that would allow everyone to pay for their own affordable health care. I would love to know what that is, but he is probably saving up for 2012.
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Post by George the 3rd on Feb 19, 2008 21:39:55 GMT -5
In my opinion, two things that would go a long way in reducing the costs of medical care and insurance would be first the requirement of insurance providers to not disqualify people for or exclude their preexisting conditions and, second, allow the establishment of larger, more broadly defined groups that would spread the costs between more people.
In a sense, that is what so-called universal health care is, but I don't see that happening in the USA in the near future.
My wife and I are trapped in the system due to the fact that she is a cancer survivor. If we try to move to another provider, we face increased fees and unreasonable exclusions. If we stay with the one we have, the fees go up as well as the deductibles.
But let us have the power to shop around in a truly competitive market and you will see cost plummet.
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Post by vajramukti on Feb 19, 2008 21:45:51 GMT -5
In my opinion, two things that would go a long way in reducing the costs of medical care and insurance would be first the requirement of insurance providers to not disqualify people for or exclude their preexisting conditions and, second, allow the establishment of larger, more broadly defined groups that would spread the costs between more people. In a sense, that is what so-called universal health care is, but I don't see that happening in the USA in the near future. My wife and I are trapped in the system due to the fact that she is a cancer survivor. If we try to move to another provider, we face increased fees and unreasonable exclusions. If we stay with the one we have, the fees go up as well as the deductibles. But let us have the power to shop around in a truly competitive market and you will see cost plummet. I agree! Go George!!!
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monk
Neophyte
Posts: 9
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Post by monk on Feb 19, 2008 23:32:36 GMT -5
Hi all
I agree with most of what you all said here changes are definitely needed in our health care system. I hear from both sides of the fence in this discussion being my wife works in the hospital and from conversations with her parents who are retired and can barely afford to live due to the outrageous costs and ever climbing deductibles that increase with each year.
I can't-understand how anyone could survive if they had an emergency and did not have any type of coverage at all. Perhaps again the issue comes down to greed once again,from the insurance company and from people within the medical profession itself as well as the soaring costs of frivolous law suits and high cost of Malpractice practice insurance. I Know hospitals are businesses but when is enough profit enough?
I will use this for an example after my hernia surgery I had someone stop by and ask me how I Was feeling after the surgery a 30 second visit at most when I received the itemized bill I saw a charge for $75 from a psychologist , later my wife told me that the visits are mandatory for people at the hospital post surgery literally a 30 second visit 75 bones and if there were 10other surgeries going on and he gave them 30 seconds each thats allot of clams. for 5 minutes of work come on either I am in the wrong profession or someone is making out like bandits considering my 20 min surgery was well over 60k. Does that sound right to anyone?
Now thats the cash side of things but what about patient care? manners and treating the patients with respect and compassion and seeing to their needs, at least in the hospitals around here things seem to be taking a serious downturn in patient care, there are plenty of state laws here in Michigan that says there are supposed to be a given number of nurses per patient number but in some cases this gets overlooked quite often where there should be obviously nurses on staff per unit with higher patients some units are running under or at the very minimum requirements due to budget constraints , who suffers for this? The patients and the workers while the unit heads pocket their higher profits and bonuses for running under the budget, again does this seem wrong to any one?
What happened to people when they stopped caring for the sick and poor , when people are more concerned with making a buck instead of giving compassion? Could it be the fact that physicians in this country treat symptoms of the illness in his country first instead of treating cause? or is it the whole system from the drug companies to the insurance companies through the hospitals are all corrupt and suffer from money greed?
The biggest argument I hear against socialized medicine in this country is "I don't want to wait 6 months till i see a specialist" why can't we come up with a system that provides health care for all in a TIMELY manner? or is it again the American mentality I want it now? Can we come up with system that works for all? First fire all the insurance companies is the start Give the power back to the people that deal ONE ON ONE WITH THE Patient they know what the patient needs first hand not someone sitting behind the desk telling the doctors or staff that they cannot admit this patient due to them not filling all the criteria. Take some of these people who sit behind a desk and drag them to a person with cancer who needs chemo or to the person who needs a transplant and let that person tell them face to face , its so easy to by impersonal when you don't have to look something face to face . THERE was a good movie that made me think called JOHN Q see it if ya haven't done so. Maybe one day we will actually become human again and learn that money is just an illusion and remember what it is like to care for our brothers and truly be our brother's keeper .
Peace and Light Monk
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Post by Frater G on Feb 20, 2008 2:32:18 GMT -5
In my opinion, two things that would go a long way in reducing the costs of medical care and insurance would be first the requirement of insurance providers to not disqualify people for or exclude their preexisting conditions and, second, allow the establishment of larger, more broadly defined groups that would spread the costs between more people. In a sense, that is what so-called universal health care is, but I don't see that happening in the USA in the near future. My wife and I are trapped in the system due to the fact that she is a cancer survivor. If we try to move to another provider, we face increased fees and unreasonable exclusions. If we stay with the one we have, the fees go up as well as the deductibles. But let us have the power to shop around in a truly competitive market and you will see cost plummet. The reason why insurance companies exclude preexisting conditions is because everyone would abuse the money pool you could say. Thinking in business means, the companies would go bust is no time. Think about it. People always abuse what is not earned. Spreading the cost is what social services is about. If there was anything...and I used to be in the camp of privatized everything...if there was any need for a social service it should be health care. A healthy nation produces period, enough said. I like Michael Moore's example...we have funding for firefighters and police....why not health care? Why aren't conservative republicans concerned about that? I mean isn't politics about principles...and truth? Don't bet on it....prices never plummet. It's ratio of wealth to need. Our economy has become so imbalanced that the middle class is now struggling to make it. It's a polarization deal I hate to say but yet here it is.
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