When I started in the work force many years ago, companies covered the worker and their entire family, now they only cover the worker and take money out of your check for the family - insurance has gotten more and more expensive - healthcare is not a benefit, it is a right. A national healthcare program is good for society, just like the fire department, the police, the military, public schools etc....are.... DD
We've had similar discussions before, I just don't see where the statistics back up these talking points of your self-experience. I can't think of a single western European country I wouldn't rather be born in if I was poor. Like literally, the odds of dying at birth are significantly lower in every single western European country. How can we have any respect for ourselves as a country with the worst infant mortality rate in the developed world? The poverty rate in America is higher than every single western European country, the number of people uninsured is significantly higher than every western European country, every European one has required paid paternal leave we don't, everyone has required PTO we don't, many have tuition-free or highly subsidized higher education (Americans pay by far the most for education, public and private). When you consider that the grouping of countries I'm talking about includes Portugal and Greece, I just don't see the argument that we aren't by far the most selfish highly developed country, almost every statistical indicator you could think of points to it, I'm going to need to hear or see something a bit more then anecdotal personal experience to understand where you're coming from on this one. I agree, we of course have poor diets, and it shows, our life expectancy is literally 5+ years lower than numerous western countries this is a combination of poor diet + inadequate healthcare at varying levels for tens of millions of Americans. All exacerbated by covid, our unwillingness, and discourse over mask-wearing is another clear example of our selfish mentality as a country. That being said, there's nothing unrealistic about expecting our bare minimums to equal a country as poor as Portugal. This would make the difference of a world for nearly 100 million Americans when it comes to healthcare access, quality, affordability/debt. Having a number of people in the middle and upper-middle class actively voting against the poor getting bare minimums with healthcare is a sickening level of greed and selfishness, but it's just plain dumb and shortsighted. The poor not having basic healthcare access is and will continue to drag the country down, everyone will be worst of for it. Not trying to call you out specifically you are just the only person engaging in this conversation with me, this is a common viewpoint for the middle class up, but you said you feared more people getting access to basic insurance bringing you down, but personally, I would fear the opposite more. I think your support for a single-payer system would be a net positive on your life in the long run, all things considered.
Yeah, the upper middle class can afford private care when desired in most of these systems. I’ve lived in two countries with national health care and have had both national and private care in each. It isn’t hard.
I lived in the UK for 4 years, their program is far better than ours, and yes, you can get supplemental insurance that gives you privilege's if you like. DD
Yeah, that study highlighted more on smokers who have higher mortality rates and don't carry chronic diseases unlike obesity (diabetes, more prone to sickness, and heart problems). Lung cancer detection usually happens late stages, then they only have a few years left. I guess the morbidly obese can leech off the system more like a bubba who takes four pills a day, sits on a Medicare provided scooter, and is legally handicapped
My answers keep getting over-long. So, here is the short answer. I'd like to fix the healthcare system and I'm willing to use socialism to get there. But, I am concerned that the problem is bigger than just how health insurance works and that all the reforms we're contemplating don't go deep enough. The industry needs to be restructured to reassign who bears what financial risk. I worry that if we just replace insurance company shareholders with American taxpayers, the problems will change shape but live on just the same.
My son broke three bones in his hand several months ago, in the middle of a pandemic. It was a Friday. The ER saw him within 20 minutes where they did X-rays, confirmed the breaks, and wrapped it up good until he could be seen by a specialist. We were home within three hours. He was able to see the specialist on Monday where they put a proper cast on him. We never received a single bill but did have to pay 3kr (less than 50 cents) in parking. Another cool thing we have here in Sweden is that we can refill our prescriptions via an app that does a video call with a doctor. No cost. My favorite thing is that we never have to fill out “the paperwork”. You know the clipboard of 54 pages where they want you to explain your entire medical history? Since our medical record is centrally managed, we have access to it online and so does every medical facility. I can even see when medical staff access my record and the internal communications that they have about anything pertaining to me. I also have access to my children’s medical records while they are minors. This is also what has made COVID response so good here. They already had a system to manage every person so coordination was easy. We received communications when it was our turn and we could go online and schedule it whenever we wanted. Additionally, our COVID passport is completely digital so anytime you need access to it, you log in to your app and there’s your QR code. Healthcare in the States is a complete disaster and there is a better way but too many people make way too much money on ****ing the populace.
I wonder how Americans felt about socialist health care for about 12M? The US gov and private health care systems (voluntary so that the gov doesn't force their hands) pretty much picked up everything covid related for the 1st 12M of the pandemic. Now we are starting to back to normal, to a system of wastes and financial stress while sometime providing worse care than other countries. The days of full covid coverage are over.
As a medical worker who takes care of sick people it's sick that we can't get affordable coverage. It's fine with me and the kids at $350 per 2 week period, it's $800+ if I add my wife.
It is not a socialist program - unless you consider the fire depratment, the police force, the military, public schools, government as socialist as well, and if that is the case - you are seriously ill informed. Programs that benefit ALL of society are necessary in any country. The USA is a Republic - much like those in Western Europe that have healthcare..... DD
Western gov getting their hand dirty and involved in vaccine development, distribution and making it free for all at a state-mandated price range for all providers, private included (all of which are socialism!) brought about the fastest turnaround of effective vaccines in history. I wonder how American feels about that too.
Preventative healthcare plan would be nice that focuses on diet, particularly throwing away the old food pyramid and resurrecting a new one.
The old food pyramid was done to support American businesses, for instance, MILK is NOT needed beyond being a baby for the most part, but it supports the dairy business. America being built upon GREED and having no checks ATM for that, is a major problem. DD
America is in late stage capitalism IMO This is where the profit motive is more negative than positive While at one point it spawned innovation . . . now it stifles it. Better to spend 2 million to suppress the innovation that will put you out of business . . . . than spending 50 million to revamp your whole business to accommodate the new innovation. Rocket River
Tell that to Blockbuster - who should have pivoted with Netflix Or Sears - who had the catelogue biz before Amazon. DD
