What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
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What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
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I make this post since I have seen a great deal of comments on BMJ about the United States not having full coverage for every citizen. I offer some interesting facts for our readers,
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What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
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What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 27/6/2012 4:59 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1283
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 21/5/2013 |
I make this post since I have seen a great deal of comments on BMJ about the United States not having full coverage for every citizen. I offer some interesting facts for our readers, #1 - I pay at least $170.00 per check into my health care plan, and also have to pay $20.00 to $60.00 Co-pays for treatment depending on Modality etc. Now mind you I am a working man, not on Welfare or public susbidy. Those people on Welfare are fully covered, and pay nothing! Disabled persons are on Medicaid, Elderly people are on Medicare, and people in between are not turned away from Emergency room treatment which includes sub acute care. There are also clinics in America which are free, etc. So I ask, if nearly everyone is covered, and only those like myself have to pay actual money for health care, how is this fair to those who work to have to pay for their healthcare, and for the non-workers through their Tax dollars? DuaneF |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 27/6/2012 5:20 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1266
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Hi Duane - I think the issue relates to (1) the level of cover and (2) what that cover buys you. The number of uninsured in the USA is relatively small but the number of under-insured is substantial. Now I accept some choose to be under-insured but many do not. My own belief (and of course it is entirely coloured by being raised in a "welfare state") is that good healthcare and the access to it should be seen as a human right. On that basis you should not be able to "buy" better care than your neighbour (and by better care I am talking about healthcare rather than having a TV or phone by your bed or a room with a view which are, fundamentally, just hotel services). On that basis I believe the quality of care and access to it should be the best it can be and universal throughout the nation and the best way to achieve that is through cental taxation rather than pay at the point of use. Of course, this is just a view and I appreciate it's one that many Americans (including my brother-in-law!) don't share. But I see a lot of American tourists in the course of my summer work and they all comment how good the service is and how they cannot believe it is paid for by the Government and how they wish there was a similar system "back home". |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 27/6/2012 5:40 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 26
First: 2/4/2009 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Duane, surely most people actually accessing healthcare are elderly and therefore most people are covered by Medicare? Seems to me the situation you describe is a strong argumant in favour of extending this to all - isn't that what 'Obamacare' is all about. It defeats me why anyone should not be able to wsee the huge advantages of care free at the point of delivery as in the UK. Don Berwick often points out that care in the UK is better quality than in the US for a much smaller fraction of GDP. |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 28/6/2012 5:01 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1283
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Dr Hugh, No Most people accessing healthcare are not eldery, and Obamacare is not covering anyone at Present! In Fact many provisions do not beging till 2013 or later, and it will be repealed soon most likely. The Obamacare bill will not cover anyone in any senseible way, since most people get some form of care now. I pay big money for my care, and it is not fair to me and other Productive citizens to FOOT THE BILL for others, DuaneF In Response to Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?: Duane, surely most people actually accessing healthcare are elderly and therefore most people are covered by Medicare? Seems to me the situation you describe is a strong argumant in favour of extending this to all - isn't that what 'Obamacare' is all about. It defeats me why anyone should not be able to wsee the huge advantages of care free at the point of delivery as in the UK. Don Berwick often points out that care in the UK is better quality than in the US for a much smaller fraction of GDP. Posted by Hugh Rogers |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 28/6/2012 11:14 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1266
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
I pay big money for my care, and it is not fair to me and other Productive citizens to FOOT THE BILL for others Hi Duane - I can understand why you feel that and I recognise it is the view of the majority of "mainstream" America but it does beg the question - if you are less well off (through no fault of your own) and have a chronic, complicated, debilitating disease (through no fault of your own) who pays to ensure you get top notch care? |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 28/6/2012 12:29 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2947
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 29/4/2013 |
The wealthy and privileged in Australia don;t get access to any better than the normal patient with private health insurance (40%) while everyone is covered for public hospital care under Medicare. I just started teleconsulting for remote area patients and this was done under Medicare with no cost to the patient who sees me privately from his GP practice. Our state is 1.73 million square kilometers in surface area. The ability of a nation to implement legislative change may be hamstrung by the historical and cultural forces not to mention psychological and political bias. Common sense and progressive notions may sink in this ideological swamp while the wagon trains of nations less encumbered by such baggage may roll on to the lush rolling prairie of a more prosperous, happier and equitable society. |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 28/6/2012 2:12 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 224
First: 15/5/2012 Last: 20/5/2013 |
Let us wait for a couple of hours from now. The Supreme Court is to deliver its verdict about Obamacare today. I think a more clear picture would arise, once we know in which direction Obamacare is heading. As a physician and personally speaking, I am worried about the direction we are heading. |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 28/6/2012 5:45 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1283
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Agreed Steve, but I was referencing the people able to work! Yet they sit at home relaxing in apartments living off the taxes of others! It is estimated that 30% of Americans or more closer to 40% do not need welfare, and can work, yet they choose not to. Obamacare does nothing to help, it only forces people to buy Health Care, I already BUY HEALTHCARE! DuaneF In Response to Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?: I pay big money for my care, and it is not fair to me and other Productive citizens to FOOT THE BILL for others Hi Duane - I can understand why you feel that and I recognise it is the view of the majority of "mainstream" America but it does beg the question - if you are less well off (through no fault of your own) and have a chronic, complicated, debilitating disease (through no fault of your own) who pays to ensure you get top notch care? Posted by skyesteve |
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Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
posted at 28/6/2012 10:01 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2947
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 29/4/2013 |
In Response to Re: What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?: Let us wait for a couple of hours from now. The Supreme Court is to deliver its verdict about Obamacare today. I think a more clear picture would arise, once we know in which direction Obamacare is heading. As a physician and personally speaking, I am worried about the direction we are heading. Posted by Happy We had the same reservations before Medicare (universal basic health cover) was introduced. The sky did not fall in, it works and private heatlh insurance for private hospital cover (not private outpatient) is encouraged by government wishing to reduce the financial health burden. The USA is even more "right wing" than Australia and much more the the UK (at least as see it). It also acts as a brake on medical fees as there are item numbers for every service although in private one can charge above this if one likes. However market forces/competition keeps us all on our toes. Our system is far from perfect but works and no party would ever deconstruct the machine although they may tinker with it.
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Forums » Off duty » News & media » What is the soultion for USA Health Care Since most of those with Health Care Pay for it?
