What;s that got to do with your premise that tort limits would lower medical costs? Also, if the drug companies stopped spending billions pushing drugs via TV ads or repacking pills in a different color to extend the patent rather than developing better drugs, I might buy your argument. DS
That is complete nonsense, socialized medicine does work because the people that go into the profession end going into it for the passion and selfless reasons instead of the money. Have you ever lived in a country with socialized healthcare? I have and so has my whole family. How does capitalism get things done when there is a big & increasing healthcare issue in this country, along with the high % of Bankruptcies due to medical bills? It only gets things done for the rich, while everyone else feels the burden. These scumbag hospitals cry and b*tch about how their bills do not get paid, yet they do not bother to take a reasonable look at the huge burden their humongous bills create on the average person. They do not even try to make reasonable arrangements for repayment. Do you know that all hospital bills are purposely overpriced by 20-30% because they expect insurance to pay 20-30% lower? In the US, you get top treament and best doctors only if you are willing to pay the absurd amounts of money, otherwise you get complete crap. In my case, I was charged toward the higher end of the scale and I am still absolutely disgusted with what I received. Excellent post and right on the money. Just look at the money trails, the stock prices dont lie.
He's going to go down in History for much worse then just that! There had to be at least 50 other choices to the Iraq war and I for one find it very "coincidental" that some of his best buddies in the state of Texas and the countries largest oil producers are literally "Filthy" rich right now. Oh and let's not forget to mention his other buddies in Saudi (kiss, kiss, hug, hug). Am I the only one that see's this connection?
Don't point fingers where they don;t belong. The US healthcare system is most certainly not a FREE market. The bungling politicians are to blame for the current US mess. I was in Spain last year and noticed that even though they have socialized medicine that there are also private hospitals. I was told that because of the poor quality of the government hospitals people who could afford it went to the private hospitals instead. Any country you are talking about is most likely MUCH smaller than the US. Socialized medicine will NEVER work for 300 million people in an area as large as the US.
The whole idea of a government run healthcare system is ridiculous... Just think, if you had some home repair work done, would you want to call in the city employees, or hire a private contractor. The healthcare system at present isn't a free market enterprise, as others have said, the govt has it's sticky fingers in the pie. Also, who's gonna foot the bill for all the new drug development? You need large companies that have the capital to invest in developing new drugs, medical procedures, equipment, etc. The gov't simply isn't equipped to change direction fast enough to be able to keep up with the medical needs of the citizens. Here's a prediction - all those countries with socialized medicine will soon see their costs skyrocket out of control again. All you have to do is wait for the ponderoud weight of bureaucracies everywhere to have its' effect.
I'd love to see you shopping for the best qualified and reasonably priced cardiologist when you're having a heart attack. I would also love to see you postponing your appendix removal operation because your pay check is due one week from now. Only simpletons can compare medical and plumbing services, broken bones with leaking toilets. You BTW call 911 and ask for a government employee (cop) when you're getting robbed and somehow it's fine with you. You're not shopping for the best available private security agency. Besides the hospitals and doctors are not going to become city employees anyway, that's not part of any plan despite deliberate or ignorant lies by people like you (see below). Only distribution and delivery of health services will be government controlled, drug development, hospitals, doctors etc will remain private. Single payer system will replace thousands of redundant and useless insurance companies with one government agency. That's the only organizational thing that needs to be done. 50% of healthcare expenditures that end up in the pockets of insurance companies are going to be better spent on providing healthcare to the uninsured and providing money to drug companies for new development (as if their profits are not huge enough already).
It has nothing to do with it...i was responding directly to your post. (You're the one who went off topic) Let me explain to you how this works. Advertising creates demand which creates revenue which then in turn leads to more R&D, and the R&D leads to new and better drugs. You can't deny the fact the improvements in the past 100 years have increased lifespans and quality of life for millions of people. (priceless, IMO, even more priceless for you atheists out there!) I don't know why I even bother....not a thing I will say will change any of your minds...and the fact that I have to explain the concept of how a for profit business works, amazes me. One other point, 28 illegals that just came across the border illegally in a van and refused to stop for border patrol crashed their overloaded van..who do you think is going to pay for their health care....that's right the american taxpayer. How much money do you think we spend each year on the millions of illegals in this country....yet another reason for the rising healthcare costs.
Ideaological BS if you ask me. Isn't France a socialist country? Didn't they just have 30 days of straight rioting and destruction of personal property? People who are happy and content don't riot! Proof positive that socialism doesn't work. Name one country where socialized medicine is working without any hitches or problems. I had a conversation with a guy from Britain and he said it would take nine months to get into see a specialist over there. Don't try to tell me that socialized medicine is a better solution. Even our friends to the north have told me that their system is starting to strain because they can't keep up with the technological developments. And finally, how about cuba, great education, great healthcare, and at least 50 years behind the modern world in technological developments.... I rest my case!