Universal health care

[TheresNoMoney]

I had an indepth post with a poll about this exact subject about two months ago. If I remember correctly about 40% supported while 60% opposed. The thread also reached a good 9 or 10 pages.

[TheresNoMoney]

How is it your right to take money from other people to pay for your healthcare?

I did not plan to participate in this thread, but I just need to respond to this misleading comment.

Dibble, you already pay for other people's healthcare. What do you think one of the reasons is for such high health insurance premiums? On average, more than $1,000 of a person's annual health insurance premium  goes towards paying the health care costs of the uninsured/underinsured.  The current system is one of cost-shifting, where we all pay for those without health insurance and those who have no health insurance.

So, in essence, what you're complaining about already exists.

[TheresNoMoney]

I'll be sure to bill all my health bills to Canada.  If it s a right, you will surely pay for mine with a smile.

See my comment directly above.  You are already paying for other people's health care.

[TheresNoMoney]

You are operating under the assumption I have health insurance.  I, in fact, do not.

That is quite foolish for a 33-year old. Let's hope you remain in good health.

[TheresNoMoney]

Second, the person who writes the checks calls the shots, and since government would be writing the checks, it would be calling the shots.  I don't think too many people would like the result, honestly, based upon other areas where government has controlled things.  I have no faith.

That's unfortunate you have such little faith.

But in reality, the proof is in the pudding. Medicare/Medicaid delivers health care much more efficiently and for a smaller cost. Administrative costs for Medicare/Medicaid are approximately 3% while private health insurance has adminstrative costs of approximately 25% (some go up to 30%). The health insurance industry is one of the most wasteful and inefficient industries in the world and the governmental health programs have clearly outperformed them.

[TheresNoMoney]

In the U.S. there is a much larger gap between the rich and the poor, and a large segment of the population that doesn't pay taxes, including illegals. The U.S. would also have an extreme shortage of doctors because of it's very large population and because of the fact that most people in the US become doctors to make money, whereas people in Europe are more community-oriented and become doctors to help people.

I think universal health care would be a huge factor in helping to bridge the gap between rich and poor in the U.S. And it could certainly be done (by way of a single-payer system) without cutting doctor's salaries or quality of care.