Lots of people want it, the Democrats have been pushing for it since Hillary started talking about it, and it is now a hot topic for the democratic Presidential hopefuls. What I haven't heard is exactly how it's going to be paid for? How much is it going to cost?
Any ideas?
2007-07-07 10:55:08 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
It will cost more than any other government program the world has ever seen. There is no way to pay for it. The tax rates needed to create such a system will cause an economic crisis and sudden downturn in tax revenues.
If each citizen (we'll pretend that the people would enable this program wouldn't give health care to the 20 million illegal aliens) receives how much Canada pays for each person, it would cost us $653 BILLION dollars. That number is likely far smaller than the actual price tag. Medicare, which right now covers less than one sixth of our population with PARTIAL payment for only some medical services costs $333 billion a year. If you multiply those costs out we could be seeing a price tag of over $4 TRILLION. That would be higher than our entire budget now and 30% of our entire Gross Domestic Product. That would be a very, very large problem. The reason it would cost so much is partially related to the gigantic bureaucracy that would need to be paid for on top all medical costs related to the program.
Socialized health care is not a good idea for anyone, including the poor.
The reason the Democrats have left out these "tiny details" is because they realize they have no way of paying for it.
2007-07-07 11:34:03 · answer #1 · answered by Biggg 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I wish we could put an import tax on everything from China and other countries that fail to provide for their people while taking jobs away from us. Naturally the greed of corporate directors fuels the decline of the US but the people who fooled the electorate and got elected to congress also let us down by failure to enforce laws already on the books. We no longer have the ability to maintain ourselves without imports but the paying of an import tax could at least have some positive effect where the current payoffs only going to politicians does us no good.
2007-07-07 18:59:49 · answer #2 · answered by old codger 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Raise income taxes on the rich and sales taxes on items that contribute to ill health like alcohol , tobacco and junk food. We already spend more on health care than any other country so I think a national health care system would actually be more efficient than the status quo.
2007-07-07 19:30:58 · answer #3 · answered by Right Democrat 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Simple...; You expand the already existing medicare sytem, which is already logiticly set up with all SS numbers and FICA info, you do a 60-30-10 split on the prtemiuims between the fed, state and the emplyer, with a suplimental contribution from the primary insured on a sliding scale. If a person is unemplyed, the fed and state split % each
You now have a pool with 300 million + members, to negotiate prescription and procedure costs.
And the myths you hear about people waiting for six months for life saving procedures undern HC in other countries are just that..myth.
yes, if you want a rhinoplasty, you get in line behind the person who needs a kidney,,,thats how managed HC works,,,unreasonable huh "?
As it is today, we spend 14% of our GDP on healthcare,,,(as opposed to 11% in canada) This plan brings that down to 6% within 10 years,,with NO tax increase ,a nd a modest premium cost based on a slidingg scale
2007-07-07 18:19:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 5⤋
We shouldnt pay for it, it is a bad idea. People come to the US from all over the world for treatment. All of my Drs are Canadians who escape that system. In the UK and other countries with socialized medicine, Doctors open private clinics to escape the system as well. Lines, lines, lines.
2007-07-07 18:12:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
A lot of the money we spend on healthcare goes toward CEO salaries, and a lot more goes to advertising. Get rid of these and health care will be cheaper.
2007-07-07 18:27:30 · answer #6 · answered by Duffman 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Oh well they coudl raise taxes so much to pay for it that you cant afford a car or house payment anymore.
There wouldnt be a way to pay for it without a substantial tax increase.
"" how about we pull our troops out of Iraq and use the billions we will save everyday to do it?"""
" what about the over $441,000,000,000. spent in iraq so far? i think that might cover it. it's about priorities. "
the medicare/medicaid budget just for this year is almost 600 billion dollars and thats just for a small portion of Americans not everyone.
That wouldnt even come close to covering the cost.
If you took all that money spent in Iraq in total from 2003 to now it wouldnt cover two months of universal health care for all.
2007-07-07 17:59:15 · answer #7 · answered by sociald 7 · 6⤊ 4⤋
It is not going to happen. In other countries, state run health care is paid for with higher taxes. Nothing is free.
2007-07-07 17:58:24 · answer #8 · answered by regerugged 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
They will raise taxes and force everyone onto the government teat.
2007-07-07 17:57:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
what about the over $441,000,000,000. spent in iraq so far? i think that might cover it. it's about priorities.
2007-07-07 18:03:56 · answer #10 · answered by stephanie l 5 · 1⤊ 6⤋