Universal Health Care: a means to an end?

[DZT]

Hey y'all in premed land. I started reflecting on my term abroad experience where I visited Hungary and the UK, both nations that employ universal health care. Do you guys think that the possiblity of Universal Health Care is viable in our nation, where 16% of the people are uninsured?

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[DZT]

Anyone there?

 

[ValleyGal]

I am very wary of the government taking over anything. look at the mess social security is in. and if you have had any of the basic econ classes, you will know that when the price of health care goes to zero, demand shoots through the roof. every stubbed toe will need at er visit.
everyone cries and moans about how expensive health care is and how we need to control costs. yes, it is expensive, but is there really anything else that you need to spend your money on that is more important. people want their cake and eat it too -- they want the best health care at the lowest cost, which is just not possible. any type of socialization of health care in response to high prices is taking the wrong action, and not respecting the rights of physicians, who provide a service, to earn money for their help. people seem to forget that. my 2 cents

 

[med student]

The problem with universal health care is it doesn't work. You always hear about Canada and how great their health care system is. It is true that everyone in canada gets free health care the problem is getting access to the health care. From what I hear it takes an extremely long time to get an appointment and if you need an operation that is not life treatening then get ready to wait years. This is the reason that many canadians who can afford it come to the US to get health care if they have a serious condition. So basically both systems have problems but if I had to choose I would not go with a universal health care system.

 

[Zeffer]

Did anyone mention the massive taxes paid by the citizens? Oh, they forgot to mention that part. This last April I don't recall anyone saying "Boy, I don't think Uncle Sam collects enough taxes from me. I have too much money to spend."

Let me tell you the money comes from somewhere. The two most likely places are
1) Much higher taxes (the biggest place)
2) The Doctors paycheck (the smaller place but affects me the most directly)

Neither place do I feel like taking the hit.

 

[Dr. Dad]

Healthcare in the US is basically free.

First off in any emergency case it is illegal to refuse medical help...so therefore emergencies are automatically covered.

On top of that there are so many programs out there that I have a very suspicious feeling that most of the so called 16% are either illegal aliens or some sort homeless people or somebody who just does not care. I mean literally anyone can get insurance for free. Go to the state health and human services department and ask and they will give you a pile of brochures and packets 10 inches thick. If you make too much money, there are programs that provide insurance for like $15 or $20 a month. I know this because I went through it some time ago.

 

[vyc]

i don't know what dr. dad is talking about but healthcare in the U.S. is NOT free.

rising healthcare costs is one of our biggest problems.

as for free visits to the ER... okay so let me just wait until i'm dying of end-stage lung cancer to go to the ER and get it operated on bc i was uninsured and too poor to afford cancer treatment anyway, let alone make it to a doctors visit for early detection.

right.

i think nationalized healthcare won't work for us bc as mentioned somewhere above, it's not always efficient. long waiting periods, etc.
but i also think what we have now isn't working either.
some politician needs to brave it enough and bring up a form of the Clinton Plan that failed so miserably years ago. it was actually the best option we have, in my opinion.

 

[banannie]

FDR tried to propose universal health care in a state of the union address . . . and ever since then politics has prevented it from happening.

It really isn't that easy to get health insurance. You have to be savvy enough to figure out all of the paper work and get through all the loopholes. If you haven't had much education, and are working 2+ low paying jobs (each job part time of course: employers don't wanna hire you full time or they'll have to give you health insurance) then it really becomes difficult. And even with Medicaid, the quality of care isn't as good. Every day, people in this country forego basic needs, like food and clothing, in order to pay medical bills and for prescription drugs. Sure, the US has a great standard of care for the educated and wealthy, but a lot of people fall through the cracks. And it just so happens that those tend to be the people most in need of health care!

Decent health care should be a right, not a privelege. I'm not sure that universal health insurance is the best answer, but it is pretty pathetic that our government lets so many people suffer.

m2006, jump in any time now.

 

[2DEG]

If I may, I would like to add my comments..

If I go to ER as an uninsured patient, don't they send bills to you ? They just don't write it off if you don't have insurance.

And getting medicaid is not that easy. Many of you might disagree with this..but I went to Social service to apply for medicaid for my daughter. She was born at UNC hospitals last year. But the counselor told me that the mother has to have Greencard and has to spend 5 years before she can apply for medicaid for the child.

We are not illegal immigrants. I have lived in the USA for last decade and I truly consider this as my home. We are in the process of getting greencard.

I was amazed that my daughter is not covered.

Final word, is canadian health system better than USA?

S.

 

[Jamier2]

I'm moving this topic to the Everyone Forum, as it is applicable to all medical professions.