Should the government pay for health insurance?

Question

Health insurance is ridicuously expensive. Should the government pay for it especially for people under a certain income? Other countries pay for their citizen's insurance why can't the U.S.?

Medicaid and medicare is crap unless you're disabled and old.

Answer 1

Yes, of course.

Answer 2

People under the poverty level qualify for Medicaid. Above that arbitrary amount -- includes many people with very little discretionary income who can't afford to pay for insurance premiums -- and yes the government should contribute to insurance costs. Insurance companies are huge profit generators; Insurance companies pay huge lobbying fees; Insurance companies underwrite massive divisions with the sole purpose of disallowing coverage of certain procedures -- a cost with absolutely no medical or health dividend.

The average cost for medical care per person is about $2400. That figure is based a certain percent of gross national product. Over forty million people don't have insurance but many could buy their own insurance at this general cost. But insurance companies, in order to generate profits and attract investors, charge much more than this amount.

Way too wordy an answer. But if there was a single pool of patients -- young, old, well, and sick and if insurance companies didn't spend so much working against patients, medical/health care would be vastly improved and less costly.

Answer 3

This is more than just a "health-care" bill. There is legislation in this bill that would prevent students from receiving loans from private institutions requiring them to obtain such funding from the federal government. And if lowering insurance premiums is one of the biggest concerns then simply allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines would solve much of that. Where there's competition, there is competitive pricing which is always good for the consumer. Most of the "benefits" of this bill will not be seen until 2014 where citizens will be forced to buy insurance or be hounded by some of the 16,000 additional IRS employees that this bill requires in order to collect a fine for choosing to go uninsured. Doesn't sound like democracy does it?

Answer 4

Yes, because the governments own studies (GAO) shows that universal health care is cheaper than what we have now. We are already paying for it..we just don't have it.

We are one of only 2 civilized countries that does not have it...due to money being king and HMO's and insurance lobbying and political contributions and perks to legislators.

Universal health care is generally opposed by the right, but if they are so pro life, they should consider that 13,000 people die each year in the US without health insurance and this hurts their families greatly.

Not to mention the untold human suffering that result from not having health care. Many simple problems exacerbate to serious ones or even death when one does not have health care.

Plus even if a person has it there are often under insured or cannot avoid constantly rising co pays and deductibles.

If we all had the money we pay on health care, we could use it for other things thus stimulating the economy.

Here in Ohio we currently gathering about 500,000 signatures of registered voters to try to get universal health care in Ohio on the ballot as we are a ballot initiative state. Massachusetts passed their bill but Oregon failed.

Ohio's plan is one of the most well thought out bills.

Here is info if people are curious or want to start one in their state. (see sources box)

Answer 5

The government actually does pay the health insurance of lower income people - I'm not sure if it's a federal program though. In Massachusetts, it's called MassHealth.

However, it would be risky for the government to totally take over administration of health insurance. After seeing what they did to Medicare, I fear the day they take over the reins of health insurance from employer groups.

Besides, instead of having health insurance deducted from your paycheck by your employer, you would just end up paying the government instead. Might you pay less? Perhaps, but you may also get a more shoddy benefits package. I think the government would cut corners every step of the way.

Answer 6

Most countries have government health insurance for which citizens pay a reasonable premium. Canada, for example, bases the premium on a person's income, but even the highest premium is much lower than what American insurance companies charge. And Canada has excellent health-care, for everyone.
Insurance companies have to factor in the profit for their shareholder dividends, and they always want more.
In my opinion, health-care for profit is barbaric, as is any country that leaves a large percentage of its citizens unprotected. Health-care should be a basic human right.

I have another question: would you rather have your taxes spent on more and more weapons of mass destruction, or on helping people who are sick?

Answer 7

Health should be the most important concern of the American public. If many don't have health coverage, change might be neccesary.
Hospitals charge $5 for slaping on a bandaid and they bill insurance companies who then charge the average hard working American family.
Ask the people that go overseas for major surgeries?

Answer 8

Cuba is by far the country who pays for all medical expenses, but then again they are trapped there. Wages are miserable and treatmement is militia like.

We pay the government enough money to keep us why do they have to keet so much. I say all people who ear more than 100K per year should get a wage cut.

Answer 9

No, why should government pay for everyones health insurance. Yeah, Canada is a prime example of this and they tax their citizens to death. You have to ask this, if the government provides this service would you be willing to give 50% of your gross income to have health care provided by government because that is how it would be paid for.

Answer 10

the government dose pay for health insurance for people under a certain income. i don't think they should pay for it. some type of regulation would be nice but considering the $$ politicians get from insurance companies, oil companies and all the others companies it won't happen

Answer 11

No! keep the government out of health insurance. health care is so expensive because of the inflation caused by medicare, anyway.

medicare is such a gluttonous, ravenous white elephant that we can't afford any more governmetn programs. And you want to dunk health insurance into the same political sauce?

"We can't afford it." Even part of this insurance, prescription drugs, was screwed up last year when "W" got it passed to get re-elected. Ask any retirees if they understand the four parts of prescription drug assistance? They'll glare at you.

It won't save a dime to have the government running health insurance.