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The best health care in the world is useless to someone who cannot afford it.
Perhaps in this regard, the US can adopt the Mercedes Benz slogan, "The best or nothing".
In the US, we have bought wholesale into the belief that if you cannot afford the very expensive healthcare offered in this country through either the virtue of being wealthy enough to pay for it or having secured a job through an employer willing to share the cost, then you must either try to work harder or endure no coverage as the deserved consequence of your poor/unemployed/underemployed status.
Retirement healthcare is subsidized through Medicare as it fits into the Protestant work ethic of rewarding the individual for a life of continuous hard work, which is seen as a virtuous act in the American ethos.
Sounds harsh, but this ideology runs deep. In the US, the prevailing belief is that if one cannot afford to purchase a certain product or service on the free market then one simply does not deserve it.
Perhaps in this regard, the US can adopt the Mercedes Benz slogan, "The best or nothing".
In the US, we have bought wholesale into the belief that if you cannot afford the very expensive healthcare offered in this country through either the virtue of being wealthy enough to pay for it or having secured a job through an employer willing to share the cost, then you must either try to work harder or endure no coverage as the deserved consequence of your poor/unemployed/underemployed status.
Retirement healthcare is subsidized through Medicare as it fits into the Protestant work ethic of rewarding the individual for a life of continuous hard work, which is seen as a virtuous act in the American ethos.
Sounds harsh, but this ideology runs deep. In the US, the prevailing belief is that if one cannot afford to purchase a certain product or service on the free market then one simply does not deserve it.
Yeah, well, there it is. That's it in a nutshell. "God helps those who help themselves," as God never said.
Unlike Europe, American ideology is radically individualistic in believing that we are born equal but our personal and economic outcome is largely our own responsibility. Whether or not this ideology is shifting (or should shift!) is really at the heart of the debates over the expansion of social programs.
Europe takes a collective approach to human rights saying we are born equal and that equality of result for each person must be sought after through social cooperation.
Unlike Europe, American ideology is radically individualistic in believing that we are born equal but our personal and economic outcome is largely our own responsibility. Whether or not this ideology is shifting (or should shift!) is really at the heart of the debates over the expansion of social programs.
Europe takes a collective approach to human rights saying we are born equal and that equality of result for each person must be sought after through social cooperation.
Canada has POGG.
Peace, Order and Good Government.
Not all Americans are the same. And yes, a Canadian IS an American, as is a Mexican. Citizens of the USA are not that special in that manner.
Not all Americans are the same. And yes, a Canadian IS an American, as is a Mexican. Citizens of the USA are not that special in that manner.
Is that like POGO, "We have met the enemy, and he is us"?
As for universal health care, I think we need to find out whether the European systems actually work. I've heard from people in several European countries who say the system doesn't work, the doctors in the system don't really do anything. We need in-depth research to find out which country's system works best and why.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainHi
Is that like POGO, "We have met the enemy, and he is us"?
Somewhat condescending.
Was there a feeling of inadequacy that triggered that response?
Quote:
As for universal health care, I think we need to find out whether the European systems actually work. I've heard from people in several European countries who say the system doesn't work, the doctors in the system don't really do anything. We need in-depth research to find out which country's system works best and why.
First of all one would have to define what "actually work" means.
Canada spends 1/3 less as a percentage of GDP on healthcare versus the US, with better results. We live longer on average.
That would be metric to attempt to duplicate, would you not think?
Is that like POGO, "We have met the enemy, and he is us"?
As for universal health care, I think we need to find out whether the European systems actually work. I've heard from people in several European countries who say the system doesn't work, the doctors in the system don't really do anything. We need in-depth research to find out which country's system works best and why.
Mountains of work have been done, and yes, they work.
As for universal health care, I think we need to find out whether the European systems actually work. I've heard from people in several European countries who say the system doesn't work, the doctors in the system don't really do anything. We need in-depth research to find out which country's system works best and why.
If those systems didn't work and their doctors didn't really do anything, then people over there must be dying in droves. The death rate figures should tell that tale...how much in-depth research does that take?
I think they should gradually expand Medicare/Medicaid. It's a complicated issue.
We have a much larger population than any other country with socialized medicine. We also have an issue with immigration, and fairly open borders. We also have an issue with people suing the medical industry. You can't have that with socialized medicine.
Canada has 33.4 million and the USA has 323 million people. Huge difference. You can't just give all the people coverage immediately. It needs to be gradual.
I've lived in Canada and they do restrict access to care due to supply and demand. There is too much demand, and not enough supply. It took me six months to get a primary care physician in Alberta, and I never got a pediatrician for my infant. I didn't have an OBGYN, even though I had some complications after the birth of my child. I had to take my infant to health clinics on par with our free clinics here in the USA. (I used them in the USA before I got insurance) when I did get a doctors appointment, they restricted me to one issue. If I had two thing wrong, I had to wait until another appointment could be made. Maybe my doctor did that to get more money, as I believe they are paid per visit. The upper middle class Canadians do come to the states to get procedures if they are on a long wait list. We knew lots of peop,e who did that.
You can get care in a socialized system, but you probably have to wait. Can you imagine if someone in the US had issues due to a long wait? They would sue in a heartbeat. The laws would need to change to prevent that.
Last edited by Meyerland; 03-18-2016 at 01:02 PM..
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