Should everyone have the opportunity to be healthy or only the rich? When 1 in 5 Americans are uninsured or underinsured, it makes wonder why, in this, the richest of countries, we allow this to be so.
2006-09-23 07:44:20 · 14 answers · asked by corwynwulfhund 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
It has actually been shown that because of a lowering in profits for the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals (while still paying the doctors well), the health care costs for all Americans would be about 1/3 of what it is now.
2006-09-23 08:25:02 · update #1
I think the answers thus far have shown very clearly the moral difference between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are all saying that we should have it, conservatives are all saying "ME FIRST! If you can't afford it, doom on you!"
Emergency room care is not health care, and having uninsured people going to the emergency room has the effect of raising health care costs for everyone else (the hospital still needs to make a profit), and reducing the care that everyone receives in the emergency room.
2006-09-23 08:27:50 · update #2
Obviously for it to work, the rich would have to start paying their share of taxes. If the top 0.1% income earners actually paid 15% of their total yearly income, there would be plenty of money in this country for programs like this to make life better for everyone. If you are paying for health insurance, where is your money going? First off, the insurance industry has the highest profit margin of any other industry. Second, think about all the attorneys they have to keep at all times. If you removed the profits and unneccesary costs...like overpriced CEO's and attorneys, the health care cost for everyone would drop immensely. To implement a health care system like switzerland's would cost every taxpayer around $225/mo. Most insured Americans pay $1000/mo or more, when you include what your company is paying in for you {which would otherwise go to you}. So why not? It would reduce your insurance payment by 75%!
2006-09-23 10:07:10 · update #3
As long as the medical and pharmaceutical industries are multi billion dollar money machines it will never happen. If everyone was covered by universal health care with the government as the carrier, then the government would set the price. This is why millions and millions are spent each year by medical lobbyists to prevent any universal health care. This is coupled by the fact that many good jobs with benefits have disappeared over the past few years. Where workers used to have Union jobs with good health care they now have jobs in the service industry with no insurance.
2006-09-23 07:52:41 · answer #1 · answered by anchorworm 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How far do you take this "Universal" health care? Low self esteem is considered a mental illness that could affect ones overall health - should the taxpayers pay for someone to have plastic surgery so they feel better about themselves??? Should the taxpayers pay for some slob to get gastric bypass when the reason they are obese is their own lack of personal responsibility??? Should they pay for me to have a lung transplant since I ruined my own by smoking for 30 years???
Never forget - The "Government" doesn't really have any money. They get it from people who pay taxes. It's YOUR money and MY money that the government uses. What are you willing to pay so someone else gets the medical services they want, not necessarily need? Where do we draw the line?
These are the questions that those who espouse "Universal Health Care" never address wehn they rant about an uncaring governement and the greedy, miserly rich. Only after a program gets put in place (usually bloated, beraucratic, and not very cost effective) do you find out how limited it is.
If you are sick or injured, you can and will recieve treatment for free if necessary. Nearly everything will be done to help you survive and/or recover from your illness or injury. Those who have made the right decisions and earned more money can afford to get further treatment, often elective, that may increase their level recovery.
Throughout history there has always been some medium of exchange. Money, goods, or services. Those that are able to acquire or provide more of the medium, got more of what they wanted or needed, including health care. This will not change no matter what "system" is put in place.
2006-09-23 09:04:52 · answer #2 · answered by APRock 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Everybody in America, including illegal aliens, has access to health care. Hospital emergency rooms are required by law to treat anybody that comes in.
The issue is quality. Quality of life, healthcare, housing, etc... If you work and earn money, you should be able to spend it as you see fit. That includes better healthcare. If you want to have everybody get the same treatment, then move to a communist country. The theory is that everybody is equal under communism. Is there any country in the world in which nobody gets better healtcare than other people?
If you can think of a better way to distibute the limited resources of this country than by people earning money to buy them, please enlighten me.
2006-09-23 08:24:52 · answer #3 · answered by T 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Rich Americans arent the only people in the United States to have healthcare you schmutz. Illegal aliens and lazy welfare scammers have better health care than the rich you strunza. "Working" Americans pay out of pocket for their health care you schpatoozle. The previously mentioned losers get it "FREE"!!!! Now Get Outta Here!
2006-09-23 08:33:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Everyone does have access to health care - they just have to pay for it. It is not the government's nor my (it's my tax money you want to spend on this) job to take care of people. I'm not rich, and there's a lot of things I'd rather spend my money on each month instead of health insurance, but it has to be a priority to take responsibility for myselft.
2006-09-23 07:48:13 · answer #5 · answered by UNITool 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The U.S. and South Africa are the only industrialized nations that do not guarantee health care to its citizens.
I've seen (and will try to find again) numbers that indicate how much we would pay for universal health care versus how much we pay for individual health insurance. It's about the same, i.e. the amount you'd pay in taxes would equal your insurance premium.
2006-09-23 07:53:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
I have good insurance because I worked hard and can afford it. I honestly think that all the lazy loafers that get medicare should be told to bugger off and the health care dollars go to working poor.
2006-09-23 08:33:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
oh yes . how much of a difference would that make in millions of American citizens life . but don't look like the greedy big wigs up in the white house will ever come up with a plan to make this happen for the American peoples .
2006-09-23 08:29:42 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely! Hillary was dead on when she tried to make the point that universal heath care for Americans is a good idea,
If we can put a man on the moon, we should be able to figure out a way for all Americans to have the peace of mind knowing that if they need medical attention, they will get it.
2006-09-23 07:50:47 · answer #9 · answered by JeffG 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Heath care should be a right of all Americans. If you don't have insurance, you get to be treated by the doctor who can barely spell his name.
2006-09-23 07:50:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋