Why are Americans afraid of Social Medical Care?

Question

I live in Eastern Europe, and when I go to my doctor, I don’t pay anything. This is mainly because a very small percentage is deducted from my pay every month. I watched Michael Moor “Sicko” and I was shocked. Also if a homeless person goes to the doctor, even though he/she is not employed and needs medical assistance, he/she will get one regardless of if they can afford one. This is because of the rule “If everyone chips in, every one can have one”, regardless if they can afford it or not. Plus, I have no problems that a porcion of what I pay, goes to those in need when they need med. Assistance.

How can such powerful nation be so blinded by other possibilities, is beyond me.
So, Why are Americans afraid of Social Medical Care?
Now, my question is very clear, and I would like to hear what you think, regardless of Michal Moor statements. (Thanks!)

Answer 1

First, everyone is entitled to medical treatment in the U.S. As in your example, a homeless person in the U.S. cannot be turned away due to inability to pay for treatment. This is the great misconception in the "national health care" debate.

The debate is actually over national health INSURANCE. For example the Clinton health care plan failed not because of some right-wing conspiracy, but because it was exposed as government mandated insurance which placed most of the power in the hands of insurance companies and trial lawyers.

It's not a matter of Americans being "afraid" so much as it is being "wary." We should focus on reforming the faults of the system we have rather than further abandon our personal responsibility to the State.

Answer 2

-Waiting times would increase
-Quality of care would greatly decrease
No one can be refused medical care. There are too many comforts within the medical system that Americans enjoy. So why in medical care should we exchange an effective private insurance with many options for a forced government policy that would be less effective. We receive benefits (reduced insurance rates) for maintaining healthy lifestyles, but the same amount of coverage if not better. But yet you and everyone else get taxed the same amount by the government regardless of whether or not you go to the hospital or doctor once every 1-2 years, or you need to go once a week. The government is making the money for poorer health care. I'd rather put it back into the economy.

Answer 3

You should really work on your grammar.... Anyways, the question in itself is a good one. Is America Scared Of Socialism? Judging by many comments on Yahoo! Answers, one can certainly put forward an argument of yes. However, I doubt it is true. Many of the Americans that seemed scared or what "concerned" about America turning into a "socialist country" simply do not know much about socialism at all. These people take quotes from Marx or base their beliefs on nothing other then a Wikipedia post, both of which is more often then not, misinterpreted. Socialism is not a big bad entity that must be avoided at all costs. Personally would I ever vote for the NDP (you said your Canadian, so you should have a knowledge of the political parties and their ideologies...)? No. Many vocals have very valid points that socialism can bankrupt a country. Too much of it that is. Socialism, like Conservatism and Liberalism, is just another ideology. Like all ideologies, it has its benefits and its faults. To say that MOST modern day socialists are after a Vladimir Lenin style Coup D'Etat is not only illogical but very ignorant. There are exceptions of course. You don't go voting for the Communist Party Of Canada and expect it to turn out well. The NDP however, on the contrast, is mainly after redistribution of wealth. Taking from the rich and giving more to the poor in most basic terms. Jack Layton will not become the next Josef Stalin if elected Prime Minister, I can guarantee it both through logic and observation and due to specific provisions set in the structure of the Canadian government preventing it from happening. Likewise, Obama will not become the next world dictator. In short, people in America don't fear socialism. It is just after all, an ideology. They are simply concerned about their government going in the opposite direction of their interests. Others, as much as nobody likes to admit it, are ignorant.

Answer 4

Oh sure, if you have something simple, like a bad cold or something I'm sure your system works wonderfully for you. But, have you needed a surgery lately? Do you have cancer? People DIE waiting on lists to get into a surgical room on national health systems.

People who support this "free" system are naive. First, there's no such thing as "free," people are being duped into thinking the rich will support all of our ailments from a hangnail to heart failure. No, we ALL will pay very dearly for it. I hope you like sacrificing things for your own children so that couple who makes 150,000 a year down the street can have health insurance.

Right now the US has, by far, the best medical care in the world. We have the best hospitals, and the best doctors. Many all over the world come here to study medicine in the United States, and continue to practice here. Canadian mothers (who boast having the best social care in the world) are being sent HERE to birth their babies, because Canada can no longer handle the load, nor can they afford the expensive equipment to handle a high risk birth. Their quality is quickly becoming that of a less-than-civilized country. Many from "social health care" countries come here in desperation to have life-saving surgeries because they can't wait on the year-long waiting list any longer, or they'll die.

Also, in the US, everything the government touches turns to poo. One only needs to volunteer ONE day at a VA hospital and quickly realize that our whole system will be dragged down, and that's what we'll get in the end, and it will cost us just as much as it does now.

Answer 5

I can't answer for every Amerincan, just myself. I dont want social medicine because I see how our government does everything else and it just cant compare to privatized sectors in anything. Private schools out perform public schools. Public housing is so bad it is generally the worst place to live in about every town and city in America. People living on welfare are generally the poorest people. I just dont want those things happening to our healthcare which is amoung the best in the world because it is private. This country is based on freedom. People have an incentive to be the best if they are free. That is what capitolism is all about. The more the government gets involved in anything the worse it gets.

Answer 6

Health Care or Tyranny -

Let's assume that government provides health care . Are doctors independent or government employees ? Who decides how many doctors there can be ? If I choose to see a doctor every day just because I'm lonely , who pays for it ? Or who stops it ? What if I really am sick ?

My friend wants a penis: who decides if she can have it ? Who decides ?

In many countries with Universal health care , citizens cannot choose to get health care outside the system . How free is that ? If health care is free , that means whole blood is free . Will we continue to have voluntary blood donations ? Or will there be an IBSS (Internal Blood Sucking Service) that will take 10% or your blood every month for the blood bank ? Will there be a progressive blood taking system wherein the healthiest people will be required to give more blood ? A higher percentage that is . Is abortion on demand universally available ? Since under universal health care all must pay for the health care of anyone who needs it - will there be healthy life-style standards that each person must meet ? No greasy burgers , no cigarettes , a medium size glass of wine each day , 30 minutes of aerobics ?

Anyway it is my opinion that Universal Health Care would make us less free by limiting our freedoms - slowly but surely .

See link , since I wrote the above back in June and none of my questions have been answered - http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-lc2Cu843erIwY6fujsZpxHBX?tag=tyranny

Answer 7

First of all I live in Canada, people say we have the best Social Medical Care in the world. I thought I had broken my ankle so I went to the nearest hospital I was told it would take at least 24 hrs to be admitted. That was if no one more seriously hurt came to the hospital in that time.
What good is free health care if I can't see a doctor when I need it?

I don't want to seem Pro Capitalist medical care either, but I think we should pay for poor people to have medical care and let those of us who can afford insurance buy it and have access to doctors so that we can get help when we are hurt.

I have a few horror story's of Canadas health care system.
My days old baby started bleeding out of his ear for no apparent reason. We rushed him to the newly built Calgary Childrens Hospital at 2 am. When we entered the emergency room we had to stand in line. We weren't greeted by a medical professional just a line. My baby was bleeding out of his ear, and we waited in line for 2 hours to see a nurse. The people in front of us were there because their children had colds for the most part. My new baby was bleeding out of his ear and I was waiting for hours to see a doctor because the idiots in line in front of me thought their children having a cold was an emergency. I couldn't believe it!!!
I hate the canadian medicare system. It is a waste of money and time.
Americans aren't afraid of Social Medical Care they are too smart to pay for it!! Social Medicare is great until a person needs to use it!

Answer 8

Becuase, I right now, have the best medical services availble to me in the world. There is a reason the Doctors from all over the world come to practice in the USA.

Look at Canada, they have the best universal health care, but yet if I were to find a lump some where on me I would have to get on the waiting list to see the doctor. Here in the USA I can get it checked out within hours.

If my girlfriend was to have a baby, we better bring a pillow for her to lay on.

Nursing homes, EVERYONE wears dipers there!

I don't have universal health care because I don't want the homeless dude who stubs his toe go to the doctors office and now I have to pay even more for medical care taxes becuase of stupied stuff like that.

Yes, they say the universal health care is cheaper, but what is the true cost.... our lifes!!!!

NO THANK YOU!

Answer 9

You live in Eastern europe huh?
Should we copy your economy as well? What about the way your governments completely ignore human rights?
We have a declining dollar a trillion dollar trade deficit, oli prices are rising,we have a mortgage crisis, and we don't even know how we are going to pay for social security!

Please be aware that poor people ARE ALREADY COVERED by Medicaid and Medicare. This means that we would be introducing a multi-billion dollar(and due to its nature certain to grow by leaps and bounds as social security did) program that would be aimed at people who can already pay for healthcare INCLUDING THE RICH!

Since we are already paying millions DAILY for a foreign war not to mention a plethura of social programs and entitlements including ones that already provide free healthcare to the poor NO i don't want to bankrupt my nation in order to pay for something that is both unneccesary and impossible to fund without raising th tax burden on the very people it is supposed to help.

I hope this answers your question.

Answer 10

Not all Americans are afraid of Social Medicine, just the one's that understand that government is a poor provider of services.

It's a fact of the nature of monopolies that they give, over the long run, worse service than free (but regulated) markets give.

Government business is a monopoly, which always means worse average, overall service. It is a fact of human nature that power corrupts. Monopoly power always corrupts the motives of the service provider, and leads to lower quality service than free (but regulated) markets would/do provide.