Broke People in America

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by billw1032

Or not. Or get a job with benefits. It's a choice, called freedom. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... Or something like that.


Yes, because it's a free country. Or at least it used to be.

Yes, you're free to be ripped off and pay premium rates for sub-standard health care. US rank = 37 (and declining). That's freedom, baby. And you insist on it. Why are Canadians so much smarter? I don't think they feel any lack of freedom because of their sensible affordable health care.

[Gonzo DFW]

Bush didn't do it. Obama didn't do it. The "greedy" corporations and big unions didn't do it. We LET THEM DO IT! Get involved!

[Jewish Lawyer]

Originally Posted by Lust4xxxLife

Yes, you're free to be ripped off and pay premium rates for sub-standard health care. US rank = 37 (and declining). That's freedom, baby. And you insist on it. Why are Canadians so much smarter? I don't think they feel any lack of freedom because of their sensible affordable health care.

If our health care is so bad, why do so many Mexicans come here when their system can't handle them?

[billw1032]

Originally Posted by Lust4xxxLife

Yes, you're free to be ripped off and pay premium rates for sub-standard health care. US rank = 37 (and declining).

Says who? I sure would like to see the list of #1-36 and know what the rating criteria was. Based on my observation (I had out-patient surgery Friday, major surgery 3 years ago, and ongoing treatment for a couple of chronic conditions) I can't imagine getting better care anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Lust4xxxLife

Why are Canadians so much smarter? I don't think they feel any lack of freedom because of their sensible affordable health care.

Last I heard, Canadians frequently come to the US for medical procedures due to the long wait times in Canada. This recent article seems to confirm that:
"No progress in wait times for health care in Canada: report"
http://www.montrealgazette.com/healt...242/story.html

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by billw1032

Says who?

http://cel.webofknowledge.com/Inboun...ode=FullRecord

See also: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp0910064

[blue3122]

Originally Posted by Juan Pablo de Marco

i was thinking a lack of one. on the other hand...not a day goes by i don't feel im being forced to be a muslim or an atheist. but i am an atheist...but i wasn't forced.

organized religion is the root cause of most of the world's troubles. and greedy corporations.

There is no such thing as a greedy corporation. A corporation is a tax entity on paper. A piece of paper doesn't have the ability to be greedy, malicious, or evil; nor does it have the ability to provide jobs, pay taxes, do community service and do good things. Those are called "people". Don't blame corporations, blame people.

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by blue3122

There is no such thing as a greedy corporation. A corporation is a tax entity on paper. A piece of paper doesn't have the ability to be greedy, malicious, or evil; nor does it have the ability to provide jobs, pay taxes, do community service and do good things. Those are called "people". Don't blame corporations, blame people.

I used to think that way. It's more complicated now.

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by billw1032

Says who? I sure would like to see the list of #1-36 and know what the rating criteria was. Based on my observation (I had out-patient surgery Friday, major surgery 3 years ago, and ongoing treatment for a couple of chronic conditions) I can't imagine getting better care anywhere else.


Last I heard, Canadians frequently come to the US for medical procedures due to the long wait times in Canada. This recent article seems to confirm that:
"No progress in wait times for health care in Canada: report"
http://www.montrealgazette.com/healt...242/story.html

Here is the link. The US has actually fallen another notch to 38th.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_...health_systems

A few additional comments when I'm feeling a little less passionate:

- America is #1 in medical technology and education. If you read the details behind the rankings, you'll find that the main reason that America is ranked 38th in health care delivery is that most Americans don't have access to our amazing medical system because of the costs. If you do, you're lucky.

- Canada is far from perfect, but it's a little better. Yes, there are delays for treatment sometimes and those who can afford it come here. You understand that's the 1%, right? Just like in this country.

- There is no consideration of 'pre-existing conditions' in Canada. Everyone is covered for everything. If you get cancer, you aren't automatically bankrupt.

- Hospitals in Canada are service centers, not profit centers. When you walk into the lobby, you feel like you have arrived in a medical facility. In my neighborhood here in Texas, my car is valet parked and I feel like I've walked into the lobby of a Westin Hotel. Health care is a captive market... it should not be run like a free market.

L4L

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by cptjohnstone

that is because we are not paying for nationalized health care, as of now

Not entirely, but we're paying for a huge chunk of it via Medicaid, Medicare, and various programs that pay for uncompensated medical services to the un and underinsured. Plus, if we did have a single payer system, the experience of other countries strongly suggests we could cut our health care costs almost in half.

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by billw1032

Or not. Or get a job with benefits. It's a choice, called freedom. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... Or something like that.

Just because the job has benefits doesn't mean the health care isn't paid for. I pay all the health insurance premiums for all the employees of both of my businesses. Good insurance, too. Averages $850/mo/employee. So it's far from free.