Why We Need Government Run Universal Socialized Health Care
I admit that I’m not the brightest porch light on the block when it comes to the health care debate, but this? This I can understand. And support.
Thanks to Miss Britt for tweeting this link.
Christine
I love it! And it makes so much sense; I loved how he compared the necessity of health care to the necessity of firefighters.
We’ve been in just about every position when it comes to health care…from being uninsured, to having crappy coverage, now have excellent insurance. This year, hubby was in and out of the hospital 4 times from March to June. If we’d been uninsured or underinsured, we’d be filing for bankruptcy right about now.
Hubby is a diabetic who needs to take two different types of insulin, without insurance, this would cost us well over $500 a month. Add all our other scripts to that, and no way could we afford it! With insurance, the co-pays for the insulin are just $75 per month.
Good health insurance should be a right, not a luxury. Thanks for posting this video!
.-= Christine´s last blog ..A sigh of relief! =-.
Corrin
Twitter: CorrinRenee
Christine – Thanks for the comment. I agree. And I’ll add that paramedics need to be made government employees as part of the healthcare plan. Of course, I may be bias since my husband is a paramedic and his company provides crap insurance.
vein
Makes total sense to me. Of course I come from one of those eveil socialised countries, you know, like Canada and New Zealand. But it is crazy that 16% of US gross domestic profit goe to health care, more than nay other country–yet they are in the mid-list for infant mortality.
.-= vein´s last blog ..WTF of the Week =-.
Caroline
Hi! Thanks for commenting on my food post
Yours is great! But i just had to comment on this post too…
I am from the UK and all I have to say is BE CAREFUL! The idea is fine in theory, but over here the NHS is really struggling. We have shortage of staff in all fields and they leave as quickly as they join as it is such a stressful environment to work in. Pay is only just passable and waiting lists are LONG! Most NHS hospital are now ‘trusts’ which means they are sort of partly private – they are free to raise funds by ‘other means’. Patient care is nothing like it used to be (not enough money/time/staff and all about making more of all the above) and shortcuts/cutbacks take their toll. The danger is when the government starts dipping into the coffers set aside for one thing to bail out another. We have ‘National Insurance’ in this country which is compulsory for all wage-earners to pay. Out of it the government decides a budget for all emergancy services, the NHS and education. These are therefore all ‘free at point of need’ but many in this country now CHOOSE to have aditional Health insurance because in reality the ‘point of need’ is not always met and a person can wait years for things like hip surgery, which are considered non-urgent but leave the person in immense pain for the waiting period. It also means the government has one more handle of control over our lives. In the UK we are walking a slippery road of decline into government controlling everything (the Nanny State being a regular topic of conversation) – and withdrawal of free-choice (under the guise of protection) from the avarage man in the street. SO my word to you is be cautious – all that is sweet is not sugar – the grass is not always greener on the other side!! There is a lot to be said for our NHS system, which in by-gone years was the envy of the world, but somewhere a long the line it went a little pear shaped. Now you have to be at deaths door to see a GP before the end of a fortnight, and waiting times in A&E departments are often ‘all evening’ (several hours) if you are not literally dying or spurting blood everywhere!
It’s not an easy debate I know, and there are no simple answers – and the argument in the video IS a good one IF you 100% trust your government. BUT no-one is going to put the government out of buisness if they act dishonorably or spend your money unwisely. The government has no ‘healthy competition’ to keep it from taking you for a ride. The government is after-all made up of people and one has to ask WHY they want to do this (call me cynical!)? Governments are not beyond corruption and misuse/abuse of public money – BUT they do seriously lack accountability to anyone much. With private HI if a company gets a reputation for being dishonest/ripping people off then very soon people would cease to use them and they would go bust. SO it is in their best interests to ‘keep clean’. However – if the government has a monopoly on HI (obliterating free choice) they can pretty much do as they please with the money and no-one can do scot all about it! SO my message is – BE CAREFUL!!
.-= Caroline´s last blog ..YOU CAPTURE – FOOD =-.
Caroline
just want to tick (check) the follow-up box
.-= Caroline´s last blog ..YOU CAPTURE – FOOD =-.
Mike
I’d just like to add that the proposed “public option” is nothing like the British NHS. It is merely a government-run insurance plan which will compete with private insurance companies. The government will not directly employ any medical staff/doctors. The hope is that the Gov’t plan will be less expensive due to lower overhead costs and drive down the price of insurance across the board.
Conservatives love to push the idea that Health care reform means government takeover of all the hospitals in the US. Not true.
Midwest Mommy
Makes sense to me!!!
.-= Midwest Mommy´s last blog ..A Wake Up Call! =-.
Barbara
Thanks for sharing this. It was very informative. I also like Caroline’s comment. It gives a good view on the other side of the issue.
.-= Barbara´s last blog ..I’m Giving Away”Earth”! =-.
ConnieFoggles
This is the video that needs to be shown at all of the town hall meetings on health care. As for the comment from the person in the UK, the difference here in the US is that not everyone will be included in the Public Option (if it passes).
.-= ConnieFoggles´s last blog ..And A Word From My Laptop =-.