Government promises all kinds of things. They give out Pell Grants for students, they give out Social Security Payments, they give out Medicare and even food stamps. Cost overruns are a fact of Federal life. We used to marvel at the $600 toilet seat…until we really started looking at various forms of “costs plus programs” and the like. Face it, no matter who gets in and who wants to do good for the average citizen….there are forces at work that will run counter and in the end…..if citizens pay – it always seems to be more!
Having said all that, there have been numerous polls, medical surveys and NIH analysis….that simply comes down to two simple precepts when it comes to Healthcare: (1) They want to chose their own doctor. and (2) They want affordable prescription drugs! It could be argued that if those two items were included in any Federal solution……90% of people would buy off in a heartbeat. However, there are serious moneyed interests at work which are going to do everything in their power…..to not let you do these two very important things in regard to your individual healthcare.
So, the story runs out like this. Young people are inclined to simply sign up for the least expensive healthcare program they can. Managed HMO’s with low or no co-pays are quite appealing. In most cases, the complexity of their healthcare concerns are minor. A broken leg while skiing, a car accident with a mild neck injury or a concussion while playing some sport for play or organized. Occasionally, a drunken event causes something worse, but the young are prone to recover quickly and brush off any type of momentary physical inconvenience. That can’t be quite the same for seniors or for those in middle life with a family history of cancer, heart disease or even hair loss. What happens when you come from a family with bad teeth? The chances are that in mid-life you are going to experience some serious expenses dealing with “toothy problems”.
These are all quite private and personal problems to most. In many cases, people don’t want others to know about a teenage abortion or an STD event that caused you problems later on in life. Maybe, you don’t even want your own family members to know about these things. Privacy and security for your healthcare history is a pretty important deal to many. Whatever, new healthcare program that is forthcoming….better included serious penalties to those that might release these issues to the public or unauthorized sources. Releasing that information should be allowed strictly on a case by case basis by the patient or their guardian.
Back to “Affordable” Healthcare. There is a tendency to simply want to lump whole groups of people together and say: “You have to join this group or else!” “Let’s just throw everyone into the pot to reduce cost with a form of saving patients and the Administration money….by reducing staff and bringing more people into the client process.” The problem starts with systems like HMO’s that require you to call them if you need any type of specialist, even if your principal care doctor has suggested one. These systems should be “automated”. It might go something like this: “Took X-ray, patient has broken leg….have referred to a Orthopedic….Dr. Smith!”. This process should not require talking to anyone. It should include a secure method of data entry which allows the patient to be seen immediately by the referred Orthopedic!” This system could be done in virtually thousands and thousands of cases each day. All automated and not asking that some Insurance Administrator….making his bonus money by refusing care for the patients in his network….gets involved.
Of course, controlling cost for Healthcare starts with “Brand” and “Generic” drug costs. There is little “Cost Containment” when it comes to Prescription drugs. This is an area which requires strict “oversight” by various Health Associations and Federal Regulators. We have all been exposed in the greatest of detail to television ads boosting various Medical Prescription Drugs! As a marketing function of any company……television advertising is expensive and the cost of the product sold needs to rise to meet that out of pocket marketing cost. Imagine how much one pill of Cialis would cost if there was no Advertising Budget. Better yet, what would be the cost if Cialis didn’t give out free samples….like the tobacco companies used to do? If fact, which of the several products sold for Erectile Dysfunction really works the best? Does anyone really know?
There needs to be IRS limits on how much Advertising can be written off for prescription drugs. There needs to be limits on how much National and International Drug Companies can give product to doctors. We need to control with intelligence the outright greed of these companies and better yet the manufacturer and quality control of every “Generic” drug that is suggested….rather than “Brand”. What they don’t tell you, is that the “Active Ingredient” is the only similarity in many cases. The “Buffers” included in “Brand”……that makes sure your stomach does not get upset…..or other various ingredients that speed the “Active Ingredient” to its target are many times – may Not be Included in Generics! How would anyone know these things?
Finally, there is great pressure to reduce “Private Healthcare” in this country. They are suggesting that “Private Healthcare” should be taxed as apart of salary and income. There is every effort to “reduce” how many “PPO” or “Private Options” are available. Why might anyone want do that? Isn’t it in the best interest of every citizen that “all types of people” have “some type of healthcare”? Why must we all be bunched into a mindless, godless and empty wallet type….that will not be allowed to either choose their own doctor but will continue to be ripped off when it comes to “Prescription Drugs”. What we might all fail to understand is that the Drug Companies are going to get their cash…..no matter what. Our good doctors are going to be overworked, into the grave and most importantly – driven out of medicine with low pay and long hours.
The efforts of the Federal Government to achieve a comprehensive program for National Healthcare is a good thing. “The Devil” however, is in the details that takes away, with punitive taxes or tries to penalize those with Corporate provided healthcare – that right now, currently works!
Ron & Anna Winship – Really, really, really well done! I like everything you said.
I wish there was a simple way to switch, either instantly or gradually, from corporate provided healthcare [based on nothing but profit] to a single-payer system [based on nothing but providing the our citizens with the best healthcare] – that provides everyone with the same ‘ultimate’ in healthcare coverage provided to our members of Congress.
I can’t imagine that the taxes we would pay, spread across the entire population, for a single-payer system would be anywhere near what the premium, productivity and competitive costs are for current employer provided healthcare.
And the result would be to take the ‘benefits’ issue out of the equation for foreign competition, labour unions, and small businesses.
You’re right – the devil is in the details, and until the details are figured out, no one is going to jump on this bandwagon.
*Reality Check – We are humbled….thanks.. and
we agree with you as well.
Ye what a great idea, lets go to Canada and get a good look at free health care. What is a $5 Prescription from Wal-Mart not good enough? Who in their right mind is going to spend 4 Years i College, 4 Years of medical school, 5 years of surgery residence, 3 years of CT Residence, in ordet to become a heart surgeon, just to be told they get to work for the governmenet and are now on par with teachers and prison guards?
There will be equal services provided….equally crappy! Just look to Canada and see what their waiting lists are! Why? Because there is no incentive! I reccomend you read the “Parable of the Cart” just to see what you will be getting into.
Finally, Are you ready to give up your freedom? If the government takes over health care the STATE will choose who lives and dies! If you are involved in activity the state deems unsafe, you will not get healthcare! Smoking Nope, no transplant for you! McDonalds? Nope no health care for you! Oh yeah this is great! Well thought out!
PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE IS AN OXYMORON!
As congress debates fixing Americas current private for profit healthcare disaster, global embarrassment, and national disgrace. The question is not weather we will have a public option. But rather what kind of public option we will have.
America is the only country in the developed world that has a GREED DRIVEN! PROFIT DRIVEN! IMMORAL! UNETHICAL! PRIVATE FOR PROFIT! healthcare delivery system.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of you are needlessly killed by your healthcare delivery system in America every year. And millions of you are crippled and injured. America is the only country in the developed World that does not have a NOT FOR PROFIT, PATIENT PROTECTING, government managed healthcare delivery option for all it’s people.
America currently has the most costly health care system in the developed world. And the lowest quality of healthcare in the developed world. And the most dangerous, deadly, and FEARED! healthcare delivery system in the developed world.
America is the only healthcare delivery system in the developed World that does not cover all it’s people automatically. And America has the most difficult healthcare system to access in the developed World.
Contact your representative and tell then that a single payer, government managed healthcare option is a must for everyone that wants it. Tell them that you demand that the public option be the finest in the World.
Tell them it should be available to everyone that wants it as a HUMAN RIGHT! Tell them it should be the easiest to access in the entire world. Tell them it should have the highest quality, with the greatest patient protections in the entire world. Tell them coverage should be automatic for everyone that wants it unless they choose to opt out. Tell them it should be the most affordable in the World. And tell them that NO ONE in the public option is to be reported to a credit agency, or driven into bankruptcy for unpaid medical bills just because they got sick, for FREEK’EN SAKES!
Tell them, none of the requirements above are negotiable. Tell them, that we are prepared to remove them from office. Tell them, we will rain down the political FIRES OF HELL! on any of them that would betray the American people. Or continue to compromise the life, health, safety, and National security of the American people for the GREED DRIVEN, PROFIT DRIVEN! private for profit Healthcare Industry.
TELL THEM NOW! AND PASS THE WORD ON.
God Bless You
Jacksmith — WORKING CLASS
Travis (#5) That is a problem. However, I believe that a great deal of the effort and funding that goes into new drug development comes from NIH and Universities. But, I think you are right – it’s a big part of the puzzle that has to be figured out.
Bigmarkod (#3) Wow – thanks for enlightenment. And here, all along, I thought that the primary reason doctor’s, scientists, nurses and others entered the medical field was because they liked solving problems and helping people – I didn’t realize that they were only motivated by money. [What a freakin’ moron you are, Bigmarkod!]
And for some reason you elevate doctor’s to the level of god? They are somehow better than the rest of us? Why shouldn’t they be on par with teachers and prison guards – then they’ll have a public employee’s union that would fight for better working conditions (study after study says that doctor’s give terrible care when they work 100 hours per week) and better wages. The teacher’s union has raised the standard of living and professionalism for teachers.
And, you’ve really bought into the horror stories – mostly lies and aberrations – about the never ending waits in countries like Canada.
As for choice – it’s funny, I have friends that citizen of Germany, the UK, France, Poland, Scotland, and Australia – and they never seem to complain about the wait, their choice of doctor, or availability of emergency services. In some of these countries, private health insurance is still available for those that want it to supplement their national healthcare.
As for the government deciding who lives and dies – stop repeating a scare tactic and lie. People are smarter than that. People like you thrive on scaring others – the more scared they are, the more resistant to change they are. I’m surprised you don’t advocate for private water delivery instead of municipal water delivery – that way the rich can pay for water while the poor just die.
The government scares us into believing that we are on the verge of another terrorist attack – it’s imminent – we live in far of what current color threat level we live under. And the result? We gladly give up huge parts of our civil rights. We condone torture as ‘ok’. We diminish what makes us the worlds greatest and most amazing country.
According to the CIA World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html
The US ranks 50 in life expectancy, out of 225 countries ranked. Not bad, but the bad news is that almost all of the 49 higher ranking countries have some sort of single-payer/national healthcare system:
3 Japan 82.12 2009 est.
7 Australia 81.63 2009 est.
8 Canada 81.23 2009 est.
9 France 80.98 2009 est.
10 Sweden 80.86 2009 est.
11 Switzerland 80.85 2009 est.
13 Israel 80.73 2009 est.
14 Iceland 80.67 2009 est.
18 New Zealand 80.36 2009 est.
19 Italy 80.20 2009 est.
22 Liechtenstein 80.06 2009 est.
23 Spain 80.05 2009 est.
24 Norway 79.95 2009 est.
26 Greece 79.66 2009 est.
27 Austria 79.50 2009 est.
30 Netherlands 79.40 2009 est.
31 Luxembourg 79.33 2009 est.
32 Germany 79.26 2009 est.
33 Belgium 79.22 2009 est.
36 UK 79.01 2009 est.
37 Finland 78.97 2009 est.
40 Korea, South 78.72 2009 est.
41 European Union 78.67 2008 est.
42 Puerto Rico 78.53 2009 est.
43 Bos. and Herz. 78.50 2009 est.
45 Cyprus 78.33 2009 est.
46 Denmark 78.30 2009 est.
47 Ireland 78.24 2009 est.
48 Portugal 78.21 2009 est.
50 USA 78.11 2009 est
If you want, we can carry this discussion further, and see that the US spends far more on healthcare than most industrialized countries, that we spend a higher % of GDP on healthcare than than most industrialized countries, and that most industrialized countries with single-payer/national healthcare have similar overall tax rates as the US.
So, for all the extra money we spend, the extra drag on the economy, and the marginally lower taxes, if we have the BEST healthcare in the world, how come we don’t have the highest life expectancy? Or the lowest infant mortality rate? Or the lowest rates of cancer?
And as an example of how bad things can get, look at our own Medicare Program. With an employer plan I had a choice of a low, middle or high cost plan. Under Medicare I’ve at least 6 different plans offerring varying benefits – all at no additional cost – it seems that health care providers can still find a way to compete under a government system.
I’ve yet to get any mailers asking me to drop Medicare and fight for my freedom. Yet those under employer plans have actually given up their freedom of choice in return for a taxbreak.
#7 You are brilliant! Aside from being a member of a family of Doctors, (GP in Florida) Surgeons (Cardio Thorasic in Rhode Island), engineers (Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical, in No Cal, Vegas, and Montana) and scientists (Chemists for Dupont) I don’t actually know ANYBODY involved! They all want to join a government union and grovel for their pay!!!
The Best part is, as a family of immigrants we have first hand experience with healthcare in Yugoslavia, Canada, England, Australia and the USA. And to a man they will all tell you, yes basic service is OK, but if you want serious care, or have an emergency (Life threatening) there is no better place to go than the Good Ole US of A!!!!!
Finally I am none of the above, I am an investment advisor, and I can tell you in the drug and health field, the “EVIL PROFIT MAKING COMPANIES” that actually do the research and take the risks mostly come from the US. Why do you think that is? Because we have the best teachers? The best education? I think not, let me write this slowly, because I’m sure you can’t read too fast, they do it here because they get paid to do it. They are not benevolent, they want to get paid, and by them being “EVIL” and “GREEDY” they serve their fellow man and find cures and treatments for disease. I think it can be official that you are a certifiable moron, who has never produced anything of value, or held a job that requires you to “produce” anything.
So, for all the extra money we spend, the extra drag on the economy, and the marginally lower taxes, if we have the BEST healthcare in the world, how come we don’t have the highest life expectancy? Or the lowest infant mortality rate? Or the lowest rates of cancer?
We have a lower life rate for many reasons, how about we are a lazy country of fast food eating, not exercising, people, who expect everything to be covered for them.
My question to you is, why do people froma Canada come here for health care? When you get sick, please go down to Mexico, and get treated, that would be perfect! Oh yeah, and one more thing why is it every time there is some “extreme” medical case do they come here for treatment?
Travis, I hate to break it to you, but there’s been no change in my Doctors since I switched from an employer plan to Medicare. All Doctor’s aren’t created equal and I prefer mine to be skilled at medicine rather that smooth talkers that put me on all kinds of drugs to make money.
*Wow…people…awesome comments….all. We actually have a responsible dialogue going on…..
Congratulate yourselves!!
Think about this one:
Fair traded drugs….priced Globally! There
should be no difference in price from country
to country…should they?
Universal health care does exist… It’s actually quite successful. But that’s in other countries. It can work, but nobody knows for sure. I don’t know if this would be a good or bad thing for America.