Best health care reform article I've read to date.

Discussion in 'Economics' started by Cache Landing, Aug 27, 2009.

  1. piezoe

    piezoe

    The U.S. is a nation of contradictions.
    Americans are roughly split on the issue. About 50% of us do not what the government to run much of anything as "the government is bound to fuck it up." Curiously, we "bound to fuck it up" sorts point to the military as being the "best in the world," and not at all socialistic. While we complain of high taxes, we don't seem to care that the government spends more on the military than all other nations combined. Spending tax dollars on health care, however, is objectionable to us and smacks of dreaded socialism.

    The other 50% of us would like to see some sort of government run health plan and we tend to think of government stuff as free, because this is about the fraction of we Americans that pay little or no income tax.

    Only a relatively small fraction, and getting smaller, of the US population is well educated and reads widely on the issues. Many of us spend our leisure time watching reality shows on TV, or similar. When we come to the congressional or educational channels we quickly flip past to get to cage wrestling, NASCAR, the latest child rape case, or perhaps a nice video game involving dragons and such. Increasingly, we spend our time on You Tube, Face Book, or Twittering.

    We Americans live in a culture where only about half the population votes and is politically active to any significant extent. We are driven by advertising and media hype bought and paid for by, shall we say, not disinterested parties, but that doesn't bother us because we like to shop at the mall. It probably won't come as a surprise to you, therefore, that opinions of those with the most money usually, but not always, win out. Sometimes these opinions don't make much sense to those of us who approach issues from the viewpoint of how society can be best served, but they are genius to those who consider mainly how much money could be made.

    Up here, on our lofty perch near the top of the globe where we can keep our eye on the questionable activities of nations beneath us -- socialist nations, such as Australia for example-- we look askance at nations that fail to recognize that a superior society requires money, power, and good looks. We Americans understand this, and we have wisely created our own version of a "Royal" family, or families as the case may be, out of those with money, power, and dashing good looks. As with any true Royal, a brain is optional. These modern day Royals have more than substituted for the ones we threw out in 18th Century.

    We will ask the "Royals" how to fix health care. If they are hopelessly divided, then surely we will have the good sense to take the issue to Oprah for final resolution.
     
    #11     Aug 27, 2009
  2. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    And for very good reason.
     
    #12     Aug 27, 2009
  3. A non-profit govt. operated and stringently regulated medical industry ( with public hangings for fraudsters ) is the only solution.

    Today vampire capitalists can not be trusted to do the right thing.
     
    #13     Aug 27, 2009
  4. it appears "many" are against but in reality it is about 20 percent who are against.

    Keep in mind these are the same 20% who think the earth is 6000 years old. Saddam was behind 9/11 and Bush Jr talked with God.

    And if you look closely at these 20%. You'll discover most of these nut cases are predominantly old white people who are on medicare ( a govt. program)

    You have to understand these people get their news from only one source. Fox Tv. And Fox Tv is nothing but a propaganda outlet for the Republican crooked elite.


    These crooks are not against health care reform. They're simply against anything decent or moral. The republican elite are the foot soldiers of the vampire capitalists pissed they got kicked out of power.



    [​IMG]




     
    #14     Aug 27, 2009
  5. The health industry in US is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. We need to open the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition to be able to buy insurance from other states and bring more competition.

    There's a reason why the 3 out of 4 most regulated industries in the US are in bankrupt today. (banking and insurance are two of them) and you said we need more of that "medicine"?. Take a look at medicare and medicaid.

    Government and politicians are the mos inefficient and corrupt segment in any society in the world, you want ot put your health on those hand?.. We need a reform, but a market oriented efficient one.

    Brother, No ofense, but you sound like perez hilton (young, marxist, gay, naive).
     
    #15     Aug 27, 2009
  6. burn8

    burn8

    People keep saying what we currently have is a "free market" system.

    That's just goofy.

    -burn8
     
    #16     Aug 27, 2009
  7. TGregg

    TGregg

    Dang. Spot on, it's not free market. What we have with healthcare is already socialism, more or less, with the usual costs of a system that was thought up by dolts.

    I wander into a poison ivy patch and might as well stop by the MD office, shell out me $20 copay, pick up some predisone and be cured in a few days. No worries. But if it cost me $50 for the MD and another $50 for the drugs - I'd STF away from a lot of things that might be poison ivy, might not.

    Anybody with a brain knows that unless the folks who are right there on the front lines are choosing care based on a variety of things that also includes cost, then the price of healthcare is only going to go up.

    Duh.

    And anybody else who thinks that government mandates and bureaucratic oversight will do better than individual choice is a moron. Not even counting the inevitable corruption.

    Duh II.

    The real solution is to insure for catastrophic occurrences, like we do for cars. Maybe some sort of long term payment for pricey things llike child birth. But we cannot hold down costs without free market actions. Anybody that tells you otherwise is a liar.

    Socialism does not lower prices.

    Duh III.
     
    #17     Aug 27, 2009
  8. That was awesome. Took the words right out of my mouth. Well not the exact words. Mine would have incuded a lot more (or some) expletives.
     
    #18     Aug 28, 2009
  9. You have some good points, but I think you underestimate the ability of americans to shop around for a better price.

    Healthy competition always reduces cost to equilibrium, with one caveat. Equilibrium is only reached when the consumer is making an informed decision. Call up a few hospitals right now and ask how much three x-rays and an MRI cost. IN all likelihood, most of them won't be able to give you a price. The other certainty is that the price will be different if you tell them that you don't have insurance.

    I just got a bill from the dentist. There was confusion on my insurance information. I got a bill for $600 as they billed me with no insurance. I corrected the insurance info and I subsequently got a bill for $1200, of which I was responsible for $400.

    I'm not suggesting that people will say no thanks to fixing a broken arm. I'm just saying that they will start shopping around. If they were required to withdraw from an HSA or take out credit against future payments, they would start to ask which services aren't really necessary. Also, the nonsense from the above situation wouldn't exist.
     
    #19     Aug 28, 2009
  10. to think that there can be competition in medicince is naive. much of health care is done on an emergency basis. you have a heart attack and you are shipped to the nearest hospital. what are you going to do? are you going to say wait i want to go to this other hospital 50 miles away because they are cheaper. or your wife or child gets cancer. are you going to seek out the cheapest care or the best? get real.
     
    #20     Aug 28, 2009