Comments on: The Pros and Cons of Universal Health Care in the United States  http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/ Everything That's Wrong With You And Your Money Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Whall http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-5953 Whall Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:02:00 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-5953 i think that pretty much my only real problem with universal health care is not the priciple so much as i know that the US gov or any large gov is unable to run any large scale program such as this successfully.   i think that pretty much my only real problem with universal health care is not the priciple so much as i know that the US gov or any large gov is unable to run any large scale program such as this successfully.  

]]> By: Paul http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-5950 Paul Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-5950 I just spent eight days in a hospital in Montreal - there were no out-of-pocket expenses for me for occupying the hospital room. Everything was covered by the Quebec provincial scheme: all procedures, tests, food, everything except for parking for when my wife came to pick me up. I just spent eight days in a hospital in Montreal – there were no out-of-pocket expenses for me for occupying the hospital room. Everything was covered by the Quebec provincial scheme: all procedures, tests, food, everything except for parking for when my wife came to pick me up.

]]> By: Mark http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-5753 Mark Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:28:00 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-5753 Learn the difference between single payer system and Universal Health care. Learn the difference between single payer system and Universal Health care.

]]> By: Northnomads http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-5746 Northnomads Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:23:00 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-5746 FYI - postal service and federal reserve are both private. Look it up. FYI – postal service and federal reserve are both private. Look it up.

]]> By: flowerlady http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-2930 flowerlady Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:49:35 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-2930 I just finished reading the book by T.R. Reid, a Wash Post reporter, called The Healing of America. It provided insight into other developed countries universal health care plans. It was fairly objective sharing many anecdotal opinions, statistics, reports by the WHO(world health organization) and interviews with doctors, nurses and the public. It was very readable, not dry, simplified a very complex problem and introduced one to buzz words that are commonly used in this debate. The premise of the book describes four basic systems that work in developed countries, comparing the pros and cons of each. It really is a convincing read...we need a program to cover everyone. It asks the question"is health care a basic right for everyone?" We in the US say one thing, a resounding "yes" and yet leave it to market forces to accomplish the deed. And it isn't. I have read many of the previous comments which echo many of the arguments put forth in this book. Almost all, if not all, countries have a payor system which is "not for profit". That amount alone (the profit component) can pay for those that are uninsured currently. Do you want your money in expensive premiums going to an insurance exployee's bonus or stockholder dividend, or do you want it to give some basic care to the millions(47) who are uninsured? Please try this book and at least have some very convincing arguments on why we need to trust our government...the majority of developed contries do. Now, I need to read a very convincing book on why we should not have univeral health care. Any thoughts? I just finished reading the book by T.R. Reid, a Wash Post reporter, called The Healing of America. It provided insight into other developed countries universal health care plans. It was fairly objective sharing many anecdotal opinions, statistics, reports by the WHO(world health organization) and interviews with doctors, nurses and the public. It was very readable, not dry, simplified a very complex problem and introduced one to buzz words that are commonly used in this debate. The premise of the book describes four basic systems that work in developed countries, comparing the pros and cons of each. It really is a convincing read…we need a program to cover everyone. It asks the question”is health care a basic right for everyone?” We in the US say one thing, a resounding “yes” and yet leave it to market forces to accomplish the deed. And it isn’t. I have read many of the previous comments which echo many of the arguments put forth in this book. Almost all, if not all, countries have a payor system which is “not for profit”. That amount alone (the profit component) can pay for those that are uninsured currently. Do you want your money in expensive premiums going to an insurance exployee’s bonus or stockholder dividend, or do you want it to give some basic care to the millions(47) who are uninsured? Please try this book and at least have some very convincing arguments on why we need to trust our government…the majority of developed contries do. Now, I need to read a very convincing book on why we should not have univeral health care. Any thoughts?

]]> By: weighing it out in MN http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-2725 weighing it out in MN Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:43:03 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-2725 JUST WANT TO THANK THE CANADIAN POSTERS FOR THEIR INPUT; I THINK THAT FACTS ON EACH SIDE ARE SO GENERALIZED TO MAKE A POINT THAT NO ONE IS TRULY GETTING ACCURATE INFO. (IE. 22 MONTHS FOR AN MRI, VERSES IT COULD TAKE UP TO 22 MONTHS IF YOUR AILMENT IS NOT SERIOUS OR LIFE THREATENING) I WISH THERE WERE INFO SITES THAT ACTUALLY UNBIASLY WEIGHED THE PROS AND CONS. EVERY SITE THAT I HAVE VISITED SEEMS TO TRY TO CONVINCE ME BY GENERALIZATIONS VERSES JUST PROVIDING THE TOTALLY ACCURATE INFO. THIS SITE WAS VERY INTERESTING AND I KNOW THAT BLOGS ARE PERSONAL OPINION, BUT I AM IN SEARCH OF THE SITE THE I DESCRIBED. ANY IDEAS WHERE AND IF THIS SITE EXISTS? JUST WANT TO THANK THE CANADIAN POSTERS FOR THEIR INPUT; I THINK THAT FACTS ON EACH SIDE ARE SO GENERALIZED TO MAKE A POINT THAT NO ONE IS TRULY GETTING ACCURATE INFO. (IE. 22 MONTHS FOR AN MRI, VERSES IT COULD TAKE UP TO 22 MONTHS IF YOUR AILMENT IS NOT SERIOUS OR LIFE THREATENING)

I WISH THERE WERE INFO SITES THAT ACTUALLY UNBIASLY WEIGHED THE PROS AND CONS. EVERY SITE THAT I HAVE VISITED SEEMS TO TRY TO CONVINCE ME BY GENERALIZATIONS VERSES JUST PROVIDING THE TOTALLY ACCURATE INFO.

THIS SITE WAS VERY INTERESTING AND I KNOW THAT BLOGS ARE PERSONAL OPINION, BUT I AM IN SEARCH OF THE SITE THE I DESCRIBED. ANY IDEAS WHERE AND IF THIS SITE EXISTS?

]]> By: watersdc http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-2678 watersdc Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:29:07 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-2678 Is this (Furthermore we already have laws in the US that require emergency rooms to see patients even if they don’t have any insurance. This costs the hospital money which they pass on to consumers and insurance companies.) what is called an unfunded Federal mandate? SInce you say the hospital (emergency rooms) pass this on to their paying customers and insurance companies (raise their prices from what the actual cost is), do they do the same with MediCare and MediCaid costs above the allowable? Whether it will be called universal health care or socialized medicine, our Federal government is not who should implement it, as they have the Postal Service, the Federal Reserve, Social Security and aid to local education. Is this (Furthermore we already have laws in the US that require emergency rooms to see patients even if they don’t have any insurance. This costs the hospital money which they pass on to consumers and insurance companies.) what is called an unfunded Federal mandate?

SInce you say the hospital (emergency rooms) pass this on to their paying customers and insurance companies (raise their prices from what the actual cost is), do they do the same with MediCare and MediCaid costs above the allowable?

Whether it will be called universal health care or socialized medicine, our Federal government is not who should implement it, as they have the Postal Service, the Federal Reserve, Social Security and aid to local education.

]]> By: Blogger Meetup, Top Referrers and LinkStuff For June 15 http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-2652 Blogger Meetup, Top Referrers and LinkStuff For June 15 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:50:47 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-2652 [...] The Weakonomist had a pretty good post about universal health care in the United States. [...] [...] The Weakonomist had a pretty good post about universal health care in the United States. [...]

]]> By: MLR http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-2443 MLR Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:53:39 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-2443 As someone already pointed out, it is the pharma companies fostering innovation. So health insurance companies can b#$# me. And they have pretty absurd profit margins, they would only exit the market when they start losing money. Even if the government cut their profits down to a few percent, they would not exit the market. (I don't agree with doing that, just saying...) My best friends mom is in medical sales and was talking about how a large part of health insurance $$ goes towards processing and paying claims. Organizational bloat, in other words. If everyone was guaranteed access, you would be cutting that from the cost immediately. This isn't just anecdotal, either. I have seen the statistic elsewhere and it is a large reason Indian hospitals have started to do the processing on their night shift. (US hospitals outsource it to them) .-= MLR´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MyLifeROI/~3/xnQqYZwSmUE/" rel="nofollow">Winner Announced for Global Giving Gift Card Giveaway</a> =-. As someone already pointed out, it is the pharma companies fostering innovation. So health insurance companies can b#$# me. And they have pretty absurd profit margins, they would only exit the market when they start losing money. Even if the government cut their profits down to a few percent, they would not exit the market. (I don’t agree with doing that, just saying…)

My best friends mom is in medical sales and was talking about how a large part of health insurance $$ goes towards processing and paying claims. Organizational bloat, in other words. If everyone was guaranteed access, you would be cutting that from the cost immediately. This isn’t just anecdotal, either. I have seen the statistic elsewhere and it is a large reason Indian hospitals have started to do the processing on their night shift. (US hospitals outsource it to them)
.-= MLR´s last blog ..Winner Announced for Global Giving Gift Card Giveaway =-.

]]> By: Everything Students Should Know about Medical Insurance | Health Insurance http://weakonomics.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states%c2%a0/comment-page-1/#comment-2372 Everything Students Should Know about Medical Insurance | Health Insurance Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:48:44 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=2177#comment-2372 [...] Everything You Want To Know About Universal Health Care | Weakonomi¢s [...] [...] Everything You Want To Know About Universal Health Care | Weakonomi¢s [...]

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