Why do some people think they are owed free health care?

Question

Universal Health Care, a la Hillary, would be a complete disaster to our ecomony. Yet, some people think it is a God-given right, and not a privilege.

How about this: don't buy the biggest house, the SUV, every toy available (boat, vacation home, RV, off-road racers, etc.), stop shopping for the latest trends ...

Instead, save, invest, work your money, so you can buy insurance and be grateful that the MD you end up seeing actually wants to practice medicine and wasn't brought into med school on affirmative action.

Here is what you are entitled to, as an American: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Get a job, work hard, and utilize the insurance from your job. Stop banging the drum and demanding something for nothing.

linlyons et.al. chew on this: In 2004 the top 1% of income earners -- that crowd that earned 19% of all income -- paid 36.9% of all income taxes. The top 5% of income earners paid a whopping 57.1% of all income taxes. That's an increase under Bush. So much for "tax cuts for the rich."
OK .. well how about the super-rich? What about the top one-tenth of one percent of income earners? From 2002 to 2004, with the hated Bush tax cuts firmly in place, the top 0.1% of income earners saw their share of total income taxes paid go from 15.4% to 17.4%. That's up a full 2% for those of you who went to government schools.
OK ... that's income taxes. But what about capital gains taxes and taxes on dividends? Bush cut those taxes too, didn't he? That's where the rich are making out like bandits, right? Well ... glad you asked. Since Bush's tax cuts the Imperial Federal Government has seen an increase of 79% in capital gains taxes, and 35% for taxes on dividends.

Answer 1

It is part of the liberal mindset. Entitlement programs have wreaked havoc on our economy. If you don't think socialized health care will destroy the integrity of the care given then just ask any Canadian. They wait 1 month to be seen for the common cold.

Answer 2

Very few people think they are actually "owed" free health care. And the ones that do sure ain't buying SUVs and big houses. Those people already have health insurance.

The analysis is a little more complex than your simplistic "damn freeloaders" attitude, but that's typical of folks with your perspective.

See, you have to run the numbers and see how much it's costing business in annual lost productivity because of sick uninsured workers-that's known as opportunity cost-along with the additional health cost losses incurred by hospital emergency rooms, who frequently bear the brunt of uninsured people because by law they can't turn them away.

You DO realize that EVERYONE'S hospital and medical bills are higher because they have to offset the percentage of charges written off from people who have no means of paying them, yet who still must receive some form of treatment by law, don't you? That means that YOUR medical bills will be higher because there's not some type of limited national health coverage plan.

If the losses in productivity and costs total more than it would cost to install a national health plan, then it's no longer economically efficient NOT to install a national health plan of some sort, whether or not the doctors have to accept a reduction of their income.

And that day will most likely come where it's no longer economically efficient to listen to a few whining doctors over the economic wellbeing of the country. It's only a matter of time.

Answer 3

Although I think your example is a bit extreme (very few have boats and vacation homes) I do agree that people could practice better money management.

UHC would be a disaster, but it is hard to argue that reforms aren't needed to help contain rapidly increasing medical costs.

However, the answer is not government intervention and subsidies, but deregulation of the insurance industry, tort reform, tax incentives for personal insurance purchases, and health savings accounts (among amny other reforms).

Answer 4

OMG. I work 40+ hours a week and I can barely afford health insurance for myself and my child. my husband works 70 hours a week and he has no health insurance. we DO NOT have a big house, boat, car, SUV or anything like that. we drive a 10 year old car. try living in the real world. it takes A LOT of money to get health insurance. It doesnt even have to be free.. just at a cost that a normal working family can afford. I really dont think that is too much to ask from the government.

Answer 5

No the government does no longer owe people loose well being care, in basic terms low-priced well being care. What the government owes the tax payers is putting an end to the people taking benefit of the device, consequently making it stressful for others who fairly do choose help.

Answer 6

Lisa, that is right on. If you are not wealthy enough to afford decent medical care, you should die without, preferrably cold, hungry, and alone. Decent health is a luxury that should be reserved for those whom God has seen fit to bless with riches.

If your great grandpa cheated someone out of all his wealth, or was lucky at cards, or whatever--and you inherit his fortune--this entitles you to quality medical health care as a birthright.

If you were too stupid to have been born to wealthy parents, than what makes you think you deserve any such consideration?

In the old days Catholic charities (sisters of mercy) and other groups built hospitals that would not turn anyone away. But we live in more enlightened times, where these institutions have been acquired by for profit business consortiums. It is best that the poor simply die in poverty, from easily treatable or preventable disease or injury, than that their odor should offend the nostrils of the well-to-do.

God bless America!

Answer 7

I don't think I am owed free healthcare. I do however have a problem with the corporate welfare that the war has created. Half a trillion dollars would go a long way towards health benefits for those who cannot afford them.

This is the typical conservative mindset. Entitlements for business but none for the citizens. Here's a little quote from the Bible:

"Whatever you do for the least of them, you do for me."

So, if your a God fearing Christian, you are in essence denying Jesus health care.

Do you feel ashamed yet? Where are those vaunted Christian morals?

Answer 8

I find it insulting that you assume that anyone without insurance must be blowing their money on material possessions. Most people living below the poverty level (ie, working a minimum wage job or slightly above minimum wage) can't afford the high (and steadily rising) costs of insurance for themselves or their families, and more and more jobs don't even offer decent benefits. These people have almost nothing in the way of material possessions, and they are much less likely to live long lives because they have no access to health care.

Answer 9

You make it sound like people who don't have health insurance are living the high life. Save, invest, work for your money then you can afford the luxury of being sick, is that what you're saying? I've got news for you. There are a lot of people in this country who don't have money to save or invest and who sometimes have to choose between having adequate food on the table and health insurance. They have to spurge on a half way decent used car in order to get to work instead of the several thousand dollars a year it takes to insure the average family. It's a gamble they make in order to get through day by day and they last thing they need are know it all accusing them of being lazy and wasting money instead of getting insurance. How dare you!

Answer 10

Because they've been raised on the Democrat party plantation and have believed that the Democrat party is the only help for their "situation". There is a whole generation that has lost the principles that made this country great, like hard work, self-starting and ingenuity.

Answer 11

what if people cant afford food or shelter because of their medical expenses. should they give those up too?

the thing is most of the people who need govt. healthcare aren't people who can afford boats, vacations, or rvs. they are poor people who can barely pay the electric bill and have no extra income to invest in a 401(k) or a roth ira.

social welfare programs are designed to help these people out, not the richest 10%.