Comments on: Healthcare: Part One. The American Healthcare System.

By: Justin Block

Justin Block — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:08:14 +0000

Jake Silberg, an excellent point.

By: Jake Silberg

Jake Silberg — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:48:45 +0000

Let me point out that the Baucus Healthcare proposal, the bill that will probably look the most like the final plan, will cost about $829 billion over 10 years, but will actually reduce the federal deficit by $81 billion over that time according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The President has demanded that any healthcare bill be deficit neutral, so it's hard to argue we are wasting money when 29 million Americans will be covered by the plan and it will actually cut the deficit.

By: Ben Drucker

Ben Drucker — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:08:31 +0000

You can’t look at healthcare from a totally moral standpoint. There are clearly more needy people in the world. However, there is no reason you cannot find reasons for universal healthcare, or at the very least, subsidized care. A government option would force the private insurers to become more competitive and provide more adequate care to those who have insurance. We don’t necessarily have to have a system like Canada or the UK where everyone gets free health care. The quality of care for those who have a government plan does not have to equal the quality of care someone who can afford insurance can get. The problem though is the people who don’t get checked early for something easily preventable, and then can’t pay the enormous costs for complicated procedures. Many diseases can be treated with some prescription medications when caught early, but could require multiple surgeries if ignored for months at a time. They go to the hospital, they get the emergency surgery, but then they can’t pay. And who do you think pays for their procedure? All of us. The hospital has to charge its paying customers more in order to cover its costs. The same way a store is forced to rise its prices to make up for losses from shoplifting.

I try to be as practical as possible. Our country is probably not ready for a universal healthcare system like Canada has. If someone who earns $10k/year needs an experimental $2 million procedure, I don’t think our government should have to pay for that. What we do need though is an incentive for preventative care. No one in this country should not go to the doctor or be unable to have medications because he or she can’t afford it.

By: Ethan Panzer

Ethan Panzer — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:08:38 +0000

I’d rather save millions from starvation, then save 46,000 that don’t have proper health care. The money that we would put towards health care could go to so many better causes.

By: Justin Block

Justin Block — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:39:10 +0000

What is wrong with you? I don’t know why someone would not want a sick person to be able to get medical attention.

We don’t provide exactly equal financial rights or opportunities because we’re not a Communist or Socialist country.

By: Ethan Panzer

Ethan Panzer — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:20:37 +0000

it’s a waste of money, because it can be used so much more effectively. Also this idea that our country should provide equal rights for health care is ludicrous. Why don’t we provide equal rights financial wise. why don’t we give more money for to the poor.

By: Justin Block

Justin Block — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:53:13 +0000

It’s simply wrong that we live in a country where you and me, because of our parents good finances, can afford to send us to the doctor for having a cold, but other Americans can’t go to the doctor to get a life-saving operation, simply based on wealth. It’s not only a matter of saving lives, but also of all Americans having equal rights to have good health.

I really don’t see how the healthcare bill “straight out” wastes money if it’ll save American lives……

By: Ethan Panzer

Ethan Panzer — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:46:24 +0000

I’m just making the point, that if your goal of universal health care is to save lives then we are not using that money as effectively as possible. Actually we would be straight out wasting it.

By: Justin Block

Justin Block — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:34:05 +0000

Now you’re just side-tracking the conversation by making cliche generalizations. How can we help people in third world countries when we can even feed people in our own country, or even provide them with medical attention? There’s a plan laid out in front of us that will save American lives, improve our healthcare system overall and make this country stronger.

By: Ethan Panzer

Ethan Panzer — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:29:48 +0000

maybe not with genocide, but if we used the money to health care to give food to third world country, we would save millions more lives then health care could ever do.