Title: Broken Health Care System
Subject: Health Care
Author:
Location:
Level of Annoyance (1-10): 9
Complaint Details:
Now I am no Michael Moore fan, but I saw “Sicko” last night and it truly sickened me. Our Health Care system is broken and there is no denying it.
We are constantly hearing from the conservative side of Congress that the “private sector can do it better.” Well, wasn’t it the private sector that came with these wonderful concepts like HMOs that drop people who can’t pay their hospital bills off at Skid Row? Isn’t it the Private Insurance companies that pay their medical directors bonuses to deny claims?
I don’t know how many times my wife and I say that we will have to work until we die so that we can maintain health insurance. My wife is a teacher at a middle school and she knew two teachers that had cancer. In fact, one of them had a doctor for a husband. In both cases they had to continue working in order to keep their health insurance. They both worked until they died
On the other hand, do we want “Socialized Medicine?” Do we want medical care being controlled by our government? I think not. There really needs to be something in between.
We could go into nauseating details as to the plans being offered up by our politicians, but let’s face it, they are being offered up by POLITICIANS. Politicians have only one goal and that is to be elected; they lie for a living.
Possible Solution:
The only viable solution that I see is a hybrid, and yes it may increase our taxes. Let the private sector control the basic health insurance and the medical care industry. Let the government step in with a catastrophic plan that would cover everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions. The Government could have a plan that would cover those of us that are being denied by private insurance, possibly at a slightly higher cost. This could generate some competition for the Private Insurance Companies who are posting outrageous profits at the expense of individual health care.
I can’t come up with the details, but a hybrid seems to me like the best solution. In the meantime people are dying unnecessarily, forced to go BK, forced in destitution, with their “golden Years” turning BLACK! Is this the best that America can do?
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Health Care Broken Health Care System
9 comments:
Hey Mel,
This is an incredible post! I have been hearing for years about the American Health system, and let me tell you that I find it a bit unfair on people.
Our isn't that fair either, but at least medical treatment is something that can't be denied to anyone. Our NHS works the following way:
You work, you pay your taxes and social security; then a social security number is granted to you, which will enable you to have practically free doctors (€2 per appointment if you are not exempt), and have deductions on prescriptions (the State pays 30% of your bill). If you need to go to the hospital you pay €8 if you have the Social security card, and you pay nothing if you're either exempt or if the medical centre sent you there (since you already paid at the medical centre, they won't charge you again).
If you work, but earn less than minimum wage, than you don't pay taxes, you pay social security, a number is granted and you have everything for free (medicines will only cost you half of its price).
If you don't work, you don't pay taxes nor social security, yet you have the right to have a number, and thus free medical treatment.
You are a student, you automatically get a number, and have access to low cost medical treatment.
The problem here in Portugal, which is leading the Government to bankruptcy, is that the rich also make use of NHS (when they can afford their medical bills). People have no conscience. Everybody feels that they have the right to seek treatment at the Gov. expense; and it isn't fair cause our system was built to help the poor *nodding*.
Health insurance is almost a unknown concept here. The ones we have are a complete BS (we are forced to go to the designated doctors and clinics; which may not be the best ones *nodding*)!
Great complaint, Mel!
Cheers
Hi Max,
I know that most, if not all, European countries have a national health care program and their taxes are ski high. Any program like this has the potential for abuse. I am also aware that these governments are being driven into BK.
I do not want a US health care program that is controlled by the US government, however, the private sector is for profit and let the "individual go to hell" seems to be the underlying current.
It's a real problem, especially with the aging "baby boomer" generation.
I hear you, Mel...
The way things are going, one day any NHS (at least in Europe) will collapse: people are not making babies! *nodding*...
Cheers
Just to let you know, 'Sicko' is propaganda. Also the Australian health system is awful too. Maybe it's a world issue.
How's my blog?
http://zexk.blogspot.com
Mel, this is a good post this is coming from a person that did not have health care for almost 8 yrs If I was sick I had to go to a free clinic. Well I applied for disability medicaid in feb.of 08 and I keep getting turn down I even went to court to fight for it and this month i recived med. its crazy to fight for health care our goverment is basicly watching all of us die slowly they need to step up and do something I totaly agree with you.
Zexk,
Everything that Michael Moore does is propaganda, but that does not diminish the fact that our health care system sucks.
Stacy,
This is a good example. In some way, we have to be able to take care of our own tax paying citizens. I don't have a perfect solution, but someone has to. I still think it lys somewhere between socialized medicine and capitalism.
Capitalism to insure efficiencies and Socialism to make sure that everyone is covered.
I've never thought much about Medical insurance but it does seems a little unfair to the public...
Astro,
It's more than a little unfair. It is truly broken.
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