Let Wisconsin Experiment with Socialized Medicine?

Question

By John Stossel
"On, Wisconsin ... run the ball clear down the field!"
It's time to amend the Wisconsin football song so we can cheer on the Badger State's politicians as they move toward health-care socialism.
The Wall Street Journal editorial-page editors are upset that Wisconsin's state Senate passed "Healthy Wisconsin", which will give health insurance to every person in the state. Of course, the Journal editors are right in saying that the plan is "openly hostile to market incentives that contain costs" and that the "Cheesehead nation could expect to attract health-care free-riders while losing productive workers who leave for less-taxing climes."
In addition, as the Journal put it, "Wow, is 'free' health care expensive. The plan would cost an estimated $15.2 billion, or $3 billion more than the state currently collects in all income, sales and corporate income taxes."

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/08/let_wisconsin_experiment_with.html
So folks, do you think this will work, or will businesses begin closing down and moving elsewhere? This might be the test run that this country needs. What are your opinions?

Answer 1

Oh please GOD - NO.
We are already one of the highest taxed states and we have HUGE numbers of welfare recipients.
This program would be available to ANYONE...no residency.
We are losing businesses all the time. The college graduates who graduate here have to leave the state because there are not enough white collar jobs. My own husband who was the Valedictorian of his class and there was a bidding war for him upon graduation has to work in Illinois to have the job he wants.

Socialized welfare ...ooops...I mean HEALTHCARE would kill this state. We can't carry the freeloaders anymore.

Answer 2

I wasn't sure of this but - Actually a couple of States are already doing this and it seems to be working. Not everyone likes it--but no one wants to give it up either. Just like other Countries who have it (more do than don't)-we are in the minority--very few don't have it . No matter who complains the majority still want it--none want to give it up!!! .Must be something to it when you think about it.
And all these places business stills go on. It is not a test run.-check again.

add on--it takes time

The concept of universal access is not new to Americans, but Maine became the first state to pass such legislation in 2003 with the Dirigo Health Reform Act, a measure aimed at providing every citizen with access by 2009. In 2005, Illinois passed the All Kids Health Insurance Program, creating a system whereby all children under the age of 18, if not already covered by their parents or by another state-sponsored program, could access coverage. Rates are based on a sliding income scale and include hospital visits and stays, vision and dental benefits, prescription drug coverage, and routine physician visits. Both programs use the current system as a base and attempt to fill in the coverage gaps to offer citizens options and access to health care rather than implementing a single-payer model.

In 2006, Massachusetts and Vermont passed legislation to ensure that all state residents have health insurance. In Massachusetts, Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006 promises that every person in the Commonwealth will have health care access by 2009. The act combines a number of strategies to pull some 550,000 uninsured into the system, including an individual mandate, a Medicaid expansion, tax benefits for health saving accounts and businesses that offer insurance, and low-cost targeted plans for young people, ages 19-26. For more information, click here. In Vermont, H 861 or the Health Care Affordability Act, creates Catamount Health which will provide affordable, comprehensive coverage for uninsured Vermonters.

Note: Please see archived 2006 legislation and 2005 legislation for a more comprehensive listing of states considering legislation.

Universal Coverage Bills 2007
Now do you want to know how much of our taxes now and "WILL BE" go to health care for those who can not afford it?

Answer 3

California became a nanny state a long time ago. It sharply increased migration, legal or illegal. Maybe you Wisconian's will see an influx of "productive" citizens, coupled with a quick exodus of productive citizens.

This plan is an estimate. Government's never come up with freebies, and then accurately forecast how much it will really end up costing. This will just be a foot in the door. Social Security was supposed to be a supplemental retirement fund paid at a ratio of 30 workers to 1. Now the ratio is down to 3-1 rapidly approaching 2-1. Not only that, it added all kinds of goodies: SSI, disability, etc.

Answer 4

Not a chance in Hell or Wisconsin (which does have some hellish towns , but great ones too) . Their own numbers indicate that it would be impossible . However if they somehow do get this through. . . and implemented(an entirely different situation) then undoubtedly people without health insurance would flock to Wisconsin in numbers greater than the Canadian geese .
Former Governor Tommy Thompson was the first to successfully implement Welfare Reform . The state was over-run with recipients who had flocked from other states . But he put a stop to them and a stop to the leeches within his own state . This legislation will ruin everything previously accomplished by Thompson .
And speaking of 'Thompson'.. . ... Get ready for the newest 'Thompson'. . . . Go Fred Go !!

Answer 5

No need for a link. Here's a story. My mom's Canadian cousin recently suffered a heart attack. He needed a triple bypass as an emergency situation, but people didn't quit having heart attacks the day Bill had his, and he kept getting bumped down the list by cases deemed more serious than his that kept cropping up. They were about to smuggle him into New York for the surgery when somebody finally discovered that this guy was going to DIE if he got bumped down the list one more time. He got lucky. Many in Canada don't. I don't need a "link" to prove to me that this is happening; it happened in my own family. Is this the kind of health care that's going to "fix" our system? If we go to lists, where will dying Canadians go to get life-saving surgeries if they come here, only to be put on another list? If Hillary gets in and puts a system like that into place, I hope she herself gets sick and winds up on some list. Adam B - Heck no, you say? Just take a look at my story above, then google the story that came out of Japan this week about a woman who was denied treatment at 30 hospitals and finally died. Who are you kidding, anyway?

Answer 6

As has been said before countless times, If you think health care is expensive now, wait till it's free. How many times has the federal gov't. stepped in to declare that what is needed can be done better with the Gov't's help? I don't see any good coming out of this. What I do see is an increase in taxes, and a degeneration of services provided.

Answer 7

Uhm, CheeseHead here. Earnest is right. This will be HELL! Governor Thompson reformed health care in WI and stopped thousands from flowing into WI 'free feed trough'. Many left our state to get their handouts elsewhere. Good riddence! Now Doyle (the freak) wants to make WI the welfare capital of the nation again. Luckily for me, I live not too far from the border--I could easily relocate without having to look for another job.

Answer 8

You are so right, this is the test run our country needs. But given the track record of Liberals and their overwhelming desire to socialize health-care when "Healthy Wisconsin" implodes they will only deny its failure just as they deny the surge in Iraq is working.

Answer 9

WOW...I think this will bite them in the butt. Ouch, that is going to be expensive. And yes, free loaders will be moving in and the tax payers will be moving out. Now, if it works then I'd be amazed. Rather shocked really. But geez...this is gonna be interesting to follow!

Answer 10

It makes you wonder what kind of health-care the people will get, since the state can't afford the program. What will they cut?