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Greatday; you said that you agree that there is a problem with the current health care system in the USA.
Can you tell us what you think the problems are and how to solve them?
From what I can tell all you have done so far is listen to other posters make suggestions and then you knock them down without offering any other suggestions.
Perhaps we can reach some common ground if you actually tell us how you see the problems and what you suggest could be done. Maybe we are less far apart than we think. : )
I would humbly suggest that a truly free market approach to health care be considered. There should be no licensing of doctors, hospitals or drugs for starters. Then there should be no government owned hospitals or elderly homes and no government subsidies for health research, including patents for drug, or any use of government to protect investment or access to health care. All medical care should be paid for in cash at the time of service.
Holy moly! I guess we are definitely going to have to agree to disagree. : )
To me, your views sound very extreme - probably because it sounds so backwards to me. Like a country with no money and no ability to run a country - very third world.
To someone who is used to paid vacation, paid maternity leave (not that I've ever needed it), not having to worry about health care, etc, etc - your point of view is very difficult to understand. It doesn't sound like a modern, first world view of things at all.
It's been an eye opener reading Greatdays posts. I think Greatday will never acknowledge that change could help the USA, because he would prefer things even more extreme and quality of life even lower for the average citizen than they are now.
Actually it's a bit scary to me that someone can really feel this way. It does seem very uncaring. : (
Want data? US MIN wage is LOWEST it has been since about 1950 in REAL dollars.
DID you know that? People earning min wage today are worse off than their parents, much worse off!
Since the dollar is sinking, we're ALL worse off in real terms, each year!
Inequality and poverty is spreading...
In my books, there are no losers and winners in "free market". Nobody should die or face utter poverty because he "lost".
Middle class is THE ENGINE of the economy. As more and more slide into poverty, unrest is fueled. What good is 5% more salary to me, if dollar falls another 10%, and premiums go double the salary??
You are right, his views are in my book, third world.
I happen to think THAT we have passed dark ages of industrial revolution, and working 18 hours a day for food...
Reagan, Bush and others are seeing that these dark ages come again. Through HI, "flexible" work laws, and ever increasing exploitation of worker. EVERY last viable part of safety net has been stripped for profit of corporations.
No, i can not understand his views... that's inhumane.
But, THERE may come a day, when he will NOT be able to afford premiums anymore... i would like to hear him sing his song then.
I am an economist, but I am also a human being. To me, people are not numbers... inequality will hurt economy in the long term.
Lastly, there is NO proof AT ALL, that endlessly STRIPPING welfare system,
and lowering taxes will at ALL help the economy to grow in the long term.
In fact, rise in inequality and poverty will put a halt on the growth.
Free market as "laissez faire" was a disaster. If there is no economy regulation and intervention, it is also a disaster. TODAY, nobody even thinks that you can let economy "run on its own". Success comes from wise
intervention.
I would humbly suggest that a truly free market approach to health care be considered. There should be no licensing of doctors, hospitals or drugs for starters. Then there should be no government owned hospitals or elderly homes and no government subsidies for health research, including patents for drug, or any use of government to protect investment or access to health care. All medical care should be paid for in cash at the time of service.
I wonder how well that would work?
Ok for those with loads of money (until it runs out). Cr*p for everyone else
I would humbly suggest that a truly free market approach to health care be considered. There should be no licensing of doctors, hospitals or drugs for starters. Then there should be no government owned hospitals or elderly homes and no government subsidies for health research, including patents for drug, or any use of government to protect investment or access to health care. All medical care should be paid for in cash at the time of service.
To me, your views sound very extreme - probably because it sounds so backwards to me. Like a country with no money and no ability to run a country - very third world.
To someone who is used to paid vacation, paid maternity leave (not that I've ever needed it), not having to worry about health care, etc, etc - your point of view is very difficult to understand. It doesn't sound like a modern, first world view of things at all.
Extreme? Perhaps to you - who, by your own admission is used to a welfare state - where the government provides you all the things you noted.
But, extreme to Americans - born and raised here - in a country that has done actually quite well WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT WELFARE STATE - No - it's not extreme.
The other .... "little" issue that I believe you are also failing to recognize is, the United States laws - our Constitution. Issues relating to "wefare" is generally left up to the States. If a radical - yes, RADICAL change were to be suggested regarding the welfare issues being raised, it may have to result in either A) Constitutional Amendments or B) Calling for a Constitutional Convention. MAJOR things to be sure -
Changing the culture of the culture of the United States to a welfare type state should be, IMO, put to the people of this country - it is that major an issue. There is beginning to be some movement towards doing that - putting the issue of a UHI in the form of a National Referendum - to be voted on.
Personally? I support such a call for a national referendum
I personally know a number of physicans who have dropped Medicare and as a result, they have been able to accept new non medicare patients to fill in the holes.
And, their revenue has gone up as a result
I'm not saying it doesn't work in the short term. It is not a fiable long term strategy.
Greatday; you said that you agree that there is a problem with the current health care system in the USA.
Can you tell us what you think the problems are and how to solve them?
I have previously posted ideas that I submitted to members of congress - and which after said submission I was asked, by Members of Congress, to serve on a citizens advisory group - to help develop suggestions for changes, to be submitted to Congress, by January 2009.
Some of the suggestions I have proffered are:
1) Allow health insurance to be sold across state lines
2) Remove pre-existing conditions as an exclusion - allow insurance companies to charge a surcharge of a maximum of 10% of the premium for these conditions.
3) Allow membership groups to form their own pool of potential insureds - much like a business can now do - currently these professional organizations, often made up of 100's of 1000's of members can't pool. This would create tremendous competition for business by the insurance companies - thereby lowering premiums
4) Means testing: If someone is below a certain income level, and depending upon family size, a grant would be given to that person to allow that person to purchase private health insurance from the carrier of their choice. Government would not be involved in the delivery system thereby reducing the need to increase the size of government agencies.
5) Tort reform - put a cap on punitive damage awards in malpratice cases - this would reduce malpractice insurance premiums
6) Allow for 100% deductibility of all health insurance premiums and health related expenses including co-pays
Three years is fairly long term. And, the physicans practice is stronger than ever.
What can I say -
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