Brav

:curse::curse::curse:

"Let's hope not.

*I* have good health care. *I* actually have GREAT health care.

There is no way universal health care is going to be "great." It simply isn't cost effective to give EVERYONE *great* health care.

We'll all have mediocre health care and I'll end up paying out the rear to a private company in order to maintain GREAT care.

Universal health care only benefits the lazy losers while hurting the hard working decent folks...and furthermore, we (the decent folks) end up footing the bill in taxes. No thank you, I think I'll pass."

I'm so appalled by that response I can't even think of anything to reply with other than me wanting to bitch slap that person

Manc

Neither Hillary or Barack are offering universal healthcare.

Brav

I never said they were. But I feel it will soon one day be inevitable.

Manc

I believe so too.

when the baby boomers start losing their homes and retirement homes because of cancer, long term care etc etc.......... then that rather large voting block will need accomodating.

pejpm1

The NHS is one of the greatest things about the UK. Sure, it has it's problems and the service isnt always great...my company offers private healthcare which i use..but I still see it as my duty to pay to make sure that everyone can see a doctor if they want to. I cant wait to move to the US next month, but the healthcare system is one thing that I definitely dislike about the US.

As for those responses...!!! I hate people that seem to think that just because they work and pay tax, they shouldnt have to look out for anyone else. The same people that moan about crime, drugs, and other social problems are usually the most vocal about opposing any measure that will actually help poor people and maybe even go some way to reducing those problems. The fact of the matter is, people are selfish.

Xebedee

On the drive home from work its usually either NPR or Hannity.
I've actually punched the dashboard (which really is a stupid thing to do as its my car) in frustration to his chronic mental illness, then usually finish the trip listening instead to tips on how to clean a fish tank.
The problem is, there seem to be so many Americans who actually think like that (is "think" the correct word as it implies brain activity?).

Manc

I just did a google for "univeral healthcare poll" first result was an ABC article pointing to a 63% majority wanting a single payor system.

Mallory

The baby boomers will be on Medicare at age 65, which pays for cancer treatment. If you are sick/disabled Medicare will pay for nursing home care. If you aren't sick you have to pay it yourself (unless you fall below the poverty line, in which case Medicaid will pay for it).

In the UK, the state will pay for long term care if you are sick, or below the poverty line. If not - then you have to pay it yourself, just like USA. A lot of people don't know that, they assume NHS will pay. They used to - just like in US Medicaid would pay - but now with baby boomers both countries are clamping down on that.

That's why both countries are now selling long-term care insurance.

Manc

so long as you have less than $2,000 in assets........


Try getting a quote for LTC insurance at age 55....... it's like $500 a month and only good for 5 years worth of coverage in a nursing care facility........

Xebedee

True fact.
And this is the tip of the iceberg in the US right now as far as retiree's go.

Deedee13

health care would be affordable if the damn insurance companies were not always getting ripped off.

I got my blue cross statement yesterday, there was a total that blue cross had to pay minus a deduction because that is the contract they have with the provider.... so why doesnt everyone get this deduction...? Or the woman I met who had no health insurance and worked out a price with the provider that was 10 times lower than the person with insurance? It should be one price for all!! end of story.

I had an injury at work, the insurance company sent me a statement telling me what they were paying, and what they WERE NOT... it was amazing the reasons they gave. OVERPRICED being the main one.

Who is the con artist, the provider or the insurance company.

cranston

True, we pay GBP 800 per week for my Dad's care home in Brentwood, Essex. He has dementia, has had one stroke and can't walk up stairs. He needs a lot of nursing care. The state assessors did not want to help. In Essex, there are too many old people for too few resources.

Tracym

Here's the actual article:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/livin...1020_poll.html

Second sentence reads:

"That support, however, is conditional: It falls to fewer than four in 10 if it means a limited choice of doctors, or waiting lists for non-emergency treatments"

Then it also says:

"Yet apprehension about the system is counterbalanced by broad satisfaction among insured Americans with their own current quality of care, coverage and costs — a situation that tends to encourage a cautious approach to change. While the system is seen to have gaps, flaws and an uncertain future, it's also seen to work for most people. "

Among insured Americans, 82 percent rate their health coverage positively. Among insured people who've experienced a serious or chronic illness or injury in their family in the last year, an enormous 91 percent are satisfied with their care, and 86 percent are satisfied with their coverage.

Bit misleading to just quote the one statistic from the article.

Tracym

Here's another one - yes most favor change, and most favor care available for all.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2528357.shtml

However:

Eighty-four percent of Americans favor expanding government programs in order to give health insurance to all uninsured children.

Less than one in three, however, say the government would do a better job than private insurance companies at actually providing medical coverage. Forty-four percent said the government would be worse as a health care provider than private companies.

Tracym

Here's a whole bunch of polls summarized, if anyone wants to see what the American public (apparently) really thinks:

http://www.pollingreport.com/health3.htm