Interesting Post on Health Care and Bill Clinton

One of the problems that I have with TORT reform is that it doesn't go far enough. This may be the only case in states with tort reform where insurance rates have actually gone down. On the whole they have still risen even in states with TORT reform.

I actually like Kerry and Edwards plan which goes even farther than TORT reform. Rather than capping the damage suits, they would set up a comission so that frivilous lawsuits don't even make it to court at all. The commission would be comprised of legal scholars, doctors, and other experts. They could examine the cases before hand and the frivilous junk lawsuits wouldn't even tie up the court system.

If there is a damage cap of a couple million a frivilous case still ties up the court system and costs us all money.

With the Kerry/Edwards plan the courts aren't even tied up at all, plus if there is a horrible case of negligence or fraud the company will punished by greater dollar amount punishments.

 

I think socialized medicine sounds great, but in reality, it would be a terrible idea for American medicine. Wait lists are incredibly long for everything in Great Britian including general check up, well woman exams, well child exams and non-emergent sick calls. Its true that emergency cases are handled immediately, but I think some people may not be clear of the distinction between elective surgery and emergency surgery.

You need a hip replacement? You will likely be dead before this operation ever happens.
You need a breast restoration because of cancer? You have to wait for all breast augmentations (plastic surgery) ahead of you to be done.
You need a valvuloplasty? You will probably have pulmonary hypertension by the time you can be seen.

Socialized medicine would be disastrous for our way of life and our "fast food" American mentalities.


I think it is a grave injustice to say that medicare/medicaid provides poor care for patients. Most of the times, it is just alot more hoops to jump through for the doctor. The patients end up getting the same care for the most part. Concerning uninsured patients, these patients (in Harris County) receive free medications, free emergency surgeries, free clinic visits, free hospital admissions and free emergency room visits. The difference is that these patients are forced to wait for their healthcare, similar to the way we would all have to wait in a socialized setting.