With all the support and all the good reasons to adopt universal health care, why don’t we have it yet?

Question

It could be the fact that the health care industry, the top spender on Capitol Hill, spent $183.3 million on lobbying just in the second half of 2005, according to PoliticalMoneyLine. com. And in the 2003–2004 election cycle, they spent $123.7 million on election campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Answer 1

Because the Republicans think it is more important to spend their time passing laws against flag-burning than it is to provide health care to the 50 million Americans who cannot see a doctor.

Once again, ignorant Americans are scared to death of universal health care by the fear-mongering of the Republican party. What's amazing is that Canada has a great health care system, but Americans cannot ever admit that Canada could do something better than them.

Answer 2

We don't have a national health because of the the power of big business: big pharmaceutical companies, big insurance companies, for profit hospitals. And, with the help of Republican leadership Senator Bill Frist and lobbyists like Senator John Breaux.

At some point Republicans, sympathetic to the needs of big business will come to see that all other sectors in the economy -- manufacturing, commerce, information technology, retail -- all except the for- profit health sector will benefit from a national health care system. When Republicans recognize this and cease considering it a social program, it will gain traction.

Health care costs could be $4,000 per person with national health with a single pool of patients. Permitting the 40 million citizens who are currently without insurance to buy coverage at the price would be a huge improvement in a dire situation. And insurance companies who are focused on providing care rather than disallowing coverage would eliminate a huge percentage of administrative costs. And ceasing the practice of multi-million dollar bonuses to insurance CEOs who reduced care would save health care dollars. It is a myth that doctors are among those profiting most from rising health care costs. Doctors and health care providers have come to see the advantages and favor a national health care system. But medical profiteers have the reigns for now just as war profiteers do. And they continue to spread falsehoods about dire predictions of SOCIALIZED MEDICINE just as war profiteers love the bugaboo of TERRORISTS threats.

Answer 3

The notion of "the health care industry" is repugnant, even though I am not dumb enough to think that there isn't one in
Canada where we are supposed to have universal health care. There is always someone lurking around the corner to make a buck. But I can call my doctor tomorrow and he will see me in the afternoon (as long as it's not a golf day) and I walk out without paying a cent.

Check David Suzuki online; his TV show "The Nature of Things", a two parter on Cuba. Not promoting its politics but analyzing the results of Cuba's isolationism and the collapse of the soviet bloc. It has forced them into a "wellness" program where doctors and nurses have a set number of patients and they visit them at home, get to know them and promote wellness and alternative medicines. Now just don't have to go to hospital for anything serious, because they have no equipment and no money. You die. But it is amazing what they have done with little money and necessity.

Oh, the other thing is you have to believe in it. i.e. you have to embrace your taxes.

Answer 4

They have Universal Health Care in Canada.

Most Canadians come to the US if they need a specialist.

In order to keep costs down, Canada needs to ration health care. Since specialists are expensive, they cut back on how many people get to see specialists.

In Canada, you can't see a doctor as often as you want.

Universal health care is a way for the Governnent to dictate, in advance, how much you can spend for your health care. If one person gets too much, the others don't get enough. The healthy people end up subsidizing the sick ones. There is no incentive to take care of yourself and practice any preventive health care.

Answer 5

Yeah, cause that is working really well for everyone else!! I hate when I call my doctor cause I'm sick and they fit me in right away. I wish that I would have to wait Months to get treated for something that only lasts a week or less. that would be so much more efficient!
I pay an arm and a leg for health ins. every month, and I never go to the doctor. I also pay a decent amount of money for someone who doesn't have that "arm and a leg" (welfare recipients) through my taxes. This works, I don't mind. WELCOME TO AMERICA!!! the wonderful country where we pay to have rights and we help our fellow Americans in whatever way we can! Even if we don't think they deserve it.
Universal Health care= Crappy health care

Prescriptions are a totally different story! America is overprescribed, I have no advice as to how to stop that! Just stop accepting everything your doc prescribes i guess.

Answer 6

Corporations have the money to buy Senate and Congressional votes. Some of the largest corporations are making huge profits in the health care industry and they would stand to lose a lot if we implemented a universal health care system. It's all about money and corporate profits over the will of the people, and their needs.

Answer 7

Well, in the US, healthcare is more concerned with money and different ways to get money. If you go to a doctor's office, you will most likely see represenatives trying to sell their pills to the doctors, who end up prescribing them to their patients. The doctors seem to write prescriptions out now like it's nothing. I don't want to mask whatever symptoms I have. I want to know what's causing them and cure that problem if possible. I remember I went to the doctor once, because my stomach was upset or something like that and I walked out with 2 or 3 prescriptions, which I didn't even bother filling. It's really absurd to me that healthcare has turned into this. These drug companies and doctors make so much money off of sick people. I'm guessing that the doctors must get some sort of incentive for prescribing so many drugs. And whenever I do go to the doctor, I have to wait 20-30 minutes once I'm inside of the examination room, even though I'm on time. Then, it's like I maybe get to talk with him for 3 to 5 minutes before he's out of there. I'm not sure if it's like that at many offices or not, but there's always a lot of waiting. I also think it's ridiculous that the ER charges so much for people to go in there. I feel sorry for those who cannot afford insurance, because they probably usually end up waiting until it's an emergency to go, which will probably end up costing $400+, which is over a week's worth of working. People earning minimum wage cannot afford health insurance, and I'm not sure what programs exist for them in terms of healthcare. I'm thankful we have insurance, because it's hard to live without it and think about if you can afford to go to a doctor or sacrifice your health.

Answer 8

Because America is about big business and healthcare is big business. You want your attending physician there because he's the lowest bidder? Not. You answer your own question with your stats regarding how much money the health care industry gives to Capitol Hill Lobbyists.

Answer 9

There are a hundred reasons and they are all economic. I'll give you one. Doctors usually end up with $100,000 is student loans when all is said and done. If the government takes over health care, it becomes a socialist organ and the opportunity for a large income disappears. Are you going to sign up for 12 + years of academic abuse, six figure college loans and 120 hour per week residency to turn aroud and make 70 grand? Liberals need mandatory economics education.

Answer 10

If you are referring to free health care...which means universal is the new code for free, the answer is that the world's best medical system would deteriorate.
Look at any country that offers it, research how long they have to wait, the quality of care, availability of drugs...etc...
We have the best because people can make money at doing it.
Even are poorest are taken care of, they don't get private rooms like the Rockefellers, but go to any Emergency room and you will see they aren't being turned away.
$123 Million is chump change in our Trillion dollar health care system.

Answer 11

What about the reasons not to adopt universal health care, like year-and-a-half waits to see doctors or specialists in Canada. Speaking of Canada, their health care system has devolved into a two-tiered system where most average people wait and wait and hope to see a doctor soon while the ultra-rich just hop on down to the US to see someone whenever they want. Yeah, that will make things better.