What would you give up for universal healthcare?

[Travis]

On MSNBC this morning two Senators said that their constituents indicate they believe they will have to endure slightly longer lines in hospitals and other medical facilities if the currently uninsured 40 million Americans are given coverage through subsidized policies. And because of that they oppose it and have vowed to vote against all attempts at health care reform.

Is this something you worry about? Are you willing to tell forty million of your fellow citizens to just "**** off and die" if they get turned down because of pre-existing conditions because you might have to wait a bit longer if everyone is covered?

Assuming it's true is that something you could live with?

What else would you, personally, be willing to give up for a country where everyone has health insurance?

 

[Crossbow]

On MSNBC this morning two Senators said that their constituents indicate they believe they will have to endure slightly longer lines in hospitals and other medical facilities if the currently uninsured 40 million Americans are given coverage through subsidized policies. And because of that they oppose it and have vowed to vote against all attempts at health care reform.

Is this something you worry about? Are you willing to tell forty million of your fellow citizens to just "**** off and die" if they get turned down because of pre-existing conditions because you might have to wait a bit longer if everyone is covered?

Assuming it's true is that something you could live with?

What else would you, personally, be willing to give up for a country where everyone has health insurance?

I would have preferred that we not start that stupid, idiotic war in Iraq in exchange for universal health care.

However, just about all of the stupid, idiotic, liars that pushed for the Iraq War said that we could not afford universal health care because it was 'too expensive', whereas oil revenues from the Iraq War would pay for the Iraq War.

 

[DavidJames]

I'd be willing to give up our status as the only major democratic country in the world who thinks profits should influence the health of it's citizens.

 

[RandFan]

I would have preferred that we not start that stupid, idiotic war in Iraq in exchange for universal health care.

However, just about all of the stupid, idiotic, liars that pushed for the Iraq War said that we could not afford universal health care because it was 'too expensive', whereas oil revenues from the Iraq War would pay for the Iraq War.

That was me. Or something like that. I wasn't lying just stupid. But I agree Crossbow, odd how it's so easy to flush money down the toilet in order to maim and kill lots of people. While on the other hand we just can't afford to provide health care to people.

 

[Darat]

I would have preferred that we not start that stupid, idiotic war in Iraq in exchange for universal health care.

However, just about all of the stupid, idiotic, liars that pushed for the Iraq War said that we could not afford universal health care because it was 'too expensive', whereas oil revenues from the Iraq War would pay for the Iraq War.

Interestingly because you do have "universal healthcare" for your military personal we've seen a huge improvement in some medical treatments as a result of the USA getting embroiled in Iraq and Afghanistan. For example the area of prosthetics and limb damage repair.

 

[Neally]

Is this something you worry about? Are you willing to tell forty million of your fellow citizens to just "**** off and die" if they get turned down because of pre-existing conditions because you might have to wait a bit longer if everyone is covered?

Assuming it's true is that something you could live with?

Assumption incorrect. 40 million uninsured <> 40 million dead people any more than 200 million insured = 200 million alive and thriving people.

 

[Oliver]

Hmm, maybe America just should go to war against the ones in need for healthcare?

 

[BenBurch]

Longer lines? Until there is build-out to handle everybody?

Sure.

I am quite willing to have that.

 

[Travis]

I would have preferred that we not start that stupid, idiotic war in Iraq in exchange for universal health care.

However, just about all of the stupid, idiotic, liars that pushed for the Iraq War said that we could not afford universal health care because it was 'too expensive', whereas oil revenues from the Iraq War would pay for the Iraq War.

So your willing to change something in the past for something in the future?

Not quite what I was going for. If we have that power could we also undo the rise of reality TV?

Assumption incorrect. 40 million uninsured <> 40 million dead people any more than 200 million insured = 200 million alive and thriving people.

What assumption are you talking about?

 

[theprestige]

I would give up Lent.

 

[Brown]

Since moving to Canada, I miss a lot of things about the US health system.

I miss not having to fill out new insurance forms every year.

I miss the inconvenience of having to fill out ADDITIONAL forms at the hospital or clinic to show that I have insurance.

I miss making co-pays on my doctor visits, even if the doctor doesn't do diddly.

I miss the endless stories of people being stuck in dead-end jobs they hate, simply because they don't want to lose their health coverage; I also miss the equally endless stories of employers who are afraid to fire an employee who has a need of insurance, even if the employee is a drag on the company.

I miss listening to companies bitching mightily about the health insurance premiums they have to pay to attract good workers. I miss hearing the companies say that there will be no bonuses or raises because of increased health insurance costs.

I miss all of the bait-and-switch sales techniques of the insurers, as well as the cheap dirty tricks they try in order to get out of having to pay. I miss having to spend the time and money writing letters to convince them to reverse an erroneous decision.

I miss the fact the newspapers occasionally report that someone died for no good reason other than lack of insurance.

I miss hearing people talk about health care as if it were a luxury instead of a necessity of life.

I miss listening to some doctors whining about how they make barely $300,000 per year.

I miss having to pay five to twenty times as much for a prescription as I would have to pay anywhere else.

Now, turning serious, there are some things about the US system that I really DO miss since coming to Canada: I miss the incentives in place to prevent small abuses of the health-care system. I miss the clinic-based model, in which the neighborhood clinic (rather than the hospital emergency room) is the typical intake of first resort. I miss that many doctors have incentives to form clinics rather than operate as independent small businesses. I miss not having to worry about buying (or having in place) health insurance when I am out of the country, especially when I visit the US. I miss the availability of some specialists. I miss the fact that some medical services in Canada that are privately provided (though paid for through government) are not as carefully regulated as they should be.

 

[3point14]

I would give up Lent.

Is that some kind of meta-abstinance?

 

[bookitty]

On MSNBC this morning two Senators said that their constituents indicate they believe they will have to endure slightly longer lines in hospitals and other medical facilities if the currently uninsured 40 million Americans are given coverage through subsidized policies. And because of that they oppose it and have vowed to vote against all attempts at health care reform.

Is this something you worry about? Are you willing to tell forty million of your fellow citizens to just "**** off and die" if they get turned down because of pre-existing conditions because you might have to wait a bit longer if everyone is covered?

Assuming it's true is that something you could live with?

What else would you, personally, be willing to give up for a country where everyone has health insurance?

Why would I have to give up anything? Every country which has some form of universal care is paying far less for it. Switching and getting rid of secondary non-care industries would increase the amount of that was spent on the patient and the doctor instead of being handed over to the paper pushers.

 

[Caper]

Since moving to Canada, I miss a lot of things about the US health system.

I miss not having to fill out new insurance forms every year.

I miss the inconvenience of having to fill out ADDITIONAL forms at the hospital or clinic to show that I have insurance.

I miss making co-pays on my doctor visits, even if the doctor doesn't do diddly.

I miss the endless stories of people being stuck in dead-end jobs they hate, simply because they don't want to lose their health coverage; I also miss the equally endless stories of employers who are afraid to fire an employee who has a need of insurance, even if the employee is a drag on the company.

I miss listening to companies bitching mightily about the health insurance premiums they have to pay to attract good workers. I miss hearing the companies say that there will be no bonuses or raises because of increased health insurance costs.

I miss all of the bait-and-switch sales techniques of the insurers, as well as the cheap dirty tricks they try in order to get out of having to pay. I miss having to spend the time and money writing letters to convince them to reverse an erroneous decision.

I miss the fact the newspapers occasionally report that someone died for no good reason other than lack of insurance.

I miss hearing people talk about health care as if it were a luxury instead of a necessity of life.

I miss listening to some doctors whining about how they make barely $300,000 per year.

I miss having to pay five to twenty times as much for a prescription as I would have to pay anywhere else.

Now, turning serious, there are some things about the US system that I really DO miss since coming to Canada: I miss the incentives in place to prevent small abuses of the health-care system. I miss the clinic-based model, in which the neighborhood clinic (rather than the hospital emergency room) is the typical intake of first resort. I miss that many doctors have incentives to form clinics rather than operate as independent small businesses. I miss not having to worry about buying (or having in place) health insurance when I am out of the country, especially when I visit the US. I miss the availability of some specialists. I miss the fact that some medical services in Canada that are privately provided (though paid for through government) are not as carefully regulated as they should be.

Where did you move?

 

[Almo]

I agree with Brown. Short version is, it's not perfect up here. But having lived in the US, Canada and the UK, I prefer the UHC solutions over what goes on in the US. I also have a sister in the US who has finally landed a university job, and now finally has decent health care for her family (and paid vacation to boot!!).

There's just no excuse for the mess the US calls a healthcare system.

 

[Caper]

I got a question. We compare country to country. Why not state to state? Are there any individual states that have UHC? What states have the best and worst health care systems?

 

[BenBurch]

I would give up Lent.

I did that already, so you don't have to!

 

[Neally]

What assumption are you talking about?

The one I quoted you on.

 

[Vorticity]

On MSNBC this morning two Senators said that their constituents indicate they believe they will have to endure slightly longer lines in hospitals and other medical facilities if the currently uninsured 40 million Americans are given coverage through subsidized policies. And because of that they oppose it and have vowed to vote against all attempts at health care reform.

Is this something you worry about? Are you willing to tell forty million of your fellow citizens to just "**** off and die" if they get turned down because of pre-existing conditions because you might have to wait a bit longer if everyone is covered?

Assuming it's true is that something you could live with?

What else would you, personally, be willing to give up for a country where everyone has health insurance?

I would indeed be willing to endure longer wait times.

In addition, I would be willing to pay an additional 15% in federal income taxes (for example).

The health care system in the US is a sad joke. UHC is demonstrably and unambiguously superior. This farce must end.

 

[Dessi]

12.4% of my paycheck goes to social security, split even between me and my employer. With SS going bust and no chance in hell that someone my age will ever get a return on their investment, it would be much better to funnel this money into UHC instead.

I think I'd up one or two $700B/yr wars for UHC too.