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What should be the first step to fixing healthcare in the US?

What should be fixed first?

  • Total voters
    37
Hatuey said:
It's no secret that before Obama came along, the US had major healthcare problems. However, it's clear that fixing it is up for debate. so I took 5 major issues in the healthcare industry and put them up against each other. Which one do you think should have been fixed before ObamaCare? Multiple choice is allowed, votes are public. :)

Cost:

Medical bills prompt more than 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies - CNN.com



Medical Malpractice:

10 Things You Want To Know About Medical Malpractice - Forbes



Medicaid/Medicare Fraud:

Medicare And Medicaid Fraud Is Costing Taxpayers Billions - Forbes



Denial of Coverage:

Insurers Denied Coverage to 1 in 7 - WSJ.com



Claim Denial:

PolitiFact | TV ad overstates health insurance denials
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The first step would be cancelling Obama care.
 
Redress said:
There have been done some studies on how much tort reform would lower cost, and it is pretty small. If I remember right, it would be less than 1 percent. Does not make it not worth doing, but when costs are rising 2 to 3 times the rate of economic growth, there is a major problem and 1 % ain't gonna do it.
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I have never understood why some people think there's only one thing you can change and if there isn't one single thing that will make all the difference, we shouldn't do anything. I already said there were LOTS of things that needed to be changed and that we needed to address most of the other points before it would significantly change the cost. Why does nobody read?
 
I know what should have been done, but I'm not sure it's possible to tear out Obamacare now and start again. But if possible, repeal Obamacare and congress needs to do their jobs and regulate the insurance companies. Pass clean bills requiring them to not consider pre-existing conditions, children 26 and under to be on their parent's insurance and set their caps at a reasonable place.

Again, I don't think we can get to where we need to go from this mess we've been placed in.
 
Fixing our system is about 30 years too late. We need to scrape ACA and set up a UHC system.
clownboy said:
I know what should have been done, but I'm not sure it's possible to tear out Obamacare now and start again. But if possible, repeal Obamacare and congress needs to do their jobs and regulate the insurance companies. Pass clean bills requiring them to not consider pre-existing conditions, children 26 and under to be on their parent's insurance and set their caps at a reasonable place.

Again, I don't think we can get to where we need to go from this mess we've been placed in.
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A uhc system gives the power of healthcare to the government.
 
Good. Works better than our current system. At least in the rest of the world.
Phil_Osophy said:
A uhc system gives the power of healthcare to the government.
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mak2 said:
Fixing our system is about 30 years too late. We need to scrape ACA and set up a UHC system.
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Perhaps, and I'm okay with going that way. But it's a bigger thing than you might expect. We'll have an absolute shortage of doctors for at least a generation. The competent ones will work in private clinics. Quality and availability of care will be in the dumpster.
 
Cephus said:
I have never understood why some people think there's only one thing you can change and if there isn't one single thing that will make all the difference, we shouldn't do anything. I already said there were LOTS of things that needed to be changed and that we needed to address most of the other points before it would significantly change the cost. Why does nobody read?
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That would explain why I stated it was worth doing. No one has said it isn't to my knowledge. The big debate on tort reform is how to do it.
 
It's obvious that the majority here identify cost to be of paramount importance. I agree. I would also say that the other items on the poll are some of the things that are driving up costs. So, yes...they should all be addressed to reduce costs, but they are not the most important drivers of health care cost increases, in my opinion.

The number one thing affecting health insurance costs is excessive government involvement in the health care and health insurance industries. It's okay to have regulations in place that protect consumers from things like selling tainted drugs, providing substandard care and the like. But things like requiring care and insurance providers to sell services...whether the consumer wants it or not...is wrong. Setting prices is wrong. Telling providers they have to provide care...whether the consumer has the money to pay for it or not...is wrong.

So...yes...costs need to be dealt with, but don't look to the government to pass more laws to deal with costs. The government is the problem...not the solution.
 
First step is to start from scratch without the threat of Socialized medicine in the New Year infecting all of us.
 
mak2 said:
Cost should not be the first consideration but UHC based on sound evidence based practice would bring the cost in line while providing the best care possible.
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I quite agree.
 
It has not worked out that way in the rest of the world. UHC is not something new, there is a world (literally) of evidnce out there.
clownboy said:
Perhaps, and I'm okay with going that way. But it's a bigger thing than you might expect. We'll have an absolute shortage of doctors for at least a generation. The competent ones will work in private clinics. Quality and availability of care will be in the dumpster.
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mak2 said:
It has not worked out that way in the rest of the world. UHC is not something new, there is a world (literally) of evidnce out there.
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I honestly think that what you (and other like-minded people) aren't taking into consideration, is that we, as a nation, have a significantly higher percentage of people living unhealthy lifestyles, as compared to other nations around the world. Our economic success has tended to make us more self-indulgent as a whole, and we have high rates of obesity, alcoholism, drug abuse, and stress-related diseases. Because of this, the models that other countries follow, are not likely to be as successful here.
 
A big part of UHC is preventaive care. But I would be interested in seeing comparitive studies on lifestyles.
lizzie said:
I honestly think that what you (and other like-minded people) aren't taking into consideration, is that we, as a nation, have a significantly higher percentage of people living unhealthy lifestyles, as compared to other nations around the world. Our economic success has tended to make us more self-indulgent as a whole, and we have high rates of obesity, alcoholism, drug abuse, and stress-related diseases. Because of this, the models that other countries follow, are not likely to be as successful here.
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CRUE CAB said:
I would call those things more lifestyle as much as anything.
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It's too bad they have no real measurable impact on any body part unless you hurt yourself. And if they do, let's hope you have insurance for yourself. Otherwise, you shouldn't expect others to pay for your healthcare. :shrug:

My car hobby is part and parcel of who I am. So I should not have insurance for a doctors visit for a cold or sleep issue becasue I also do things YOU dont like.
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No, I said you should pay more if you purposely put your body in harms way. :shrug: Your choices are not free of repercussion.
 
Hatuey said:
It's too bad they have no real measurable impact on any body part unless you hurt yourself. And if they do, let's hope you have insurance for yourself. Otherwise, you shouldn't expect others to pay for your healthcare. :shrug:



No, I said you should pay more if you purposely put your body in harms way. :shrug: Your choices are not free of repercussion.
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Dont work that way, unless you are under contract to play pro sports or something along those lines.
What you propose is for no one to have insurance.
 
CRUE CAB said:
What you propose is for no one to have insurance.
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Nope. What I propose for is for those who purposely lead unhealthy lifestyles with quantifiable effects to pay more. For example, it's obvious that drinking coca cola is not healthy. If a person drinks it once in their lifetime, I couldn't care less. If a person drinks coca-cola for 15 years every day, weighs 300 pounds and develops diabetes, you damn right I don't want to pay for them to piggy back on my taxes.
 
mak2 said:
A big part of UHC is preventaive care. But I would be interested in seeing comparitive studies on lifestyles.
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Yes, it is very easy to get people to wait hours in a doctor's office when the feel just fine. :roll:
 
Phil_Osophy said:
Living healthier lifestyles.
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Well, Obama did literally say the world is not going to tolerat Americans eating as much as we want to anymore.

What is taking him so long to propose his Tofu Mandate?
 
Uh, maybe you dont exactly understand... Preventive Medicine is practiced by all physicians to keep their patients healthy. It is also a unique medical specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Preventive Medicine focuses on the health of individuals, communities, and defined populations. Its goal is to protect, promote, and maintain health and well-being and to prevent disease, disability, and death. What is Preventive Medicine? - American College of Preventive Medicine
joko104 said:
Yes, it is very easy to get people to wait hours in a doctor's office when the feel just fine. :roll:
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Hatuey said:
Nope. What I propose for is for those who purposely lead unhealthy lifestyles with quantifiable effects to pay more. For example, it's obvious that drinking coca cola is not healthy. If a person drinks it once in their lifetime, I couldn't care less. If a person drinks coca-cola for 15 years every day, weighs 300 pounds and develops diabetes, you damn right I don't want to pay for them to piggy back on my taxes.
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But if nothing happens to them and they are not unduly unhealthy. Why should they pay more.
My grand mother smoked from 12 to 88 and never coughed once. My mother died of cancer, but not from smoking. Bone cancer.
My father lived a very healthy lifestyle. Died of a heart attack at 63.
You cannot cherry pick who is going to be covered under a "universal health care law".
 
Hatuey said:
Nope. What I propose for is for those who purposely lead unhealthy lifestyles with quantifiable effects to pay more. For example, it's obvious that drinking coca cola is not healthy. If a person drinks it once in their lifetime, I couldn't care less. If a person drinks coca-cola for 15 years every day, weighs 300 pounds and develops diabetes, you damn right I don't want to pay for them to piggy back on my taxes.
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Then, instead of making your taxes dependent upon the choices of others...you would be better served allowing others to make their choices and leaving the results of those choices in their own hands. That way, you won't have to pay.

Or...is it more to your liking to pay taxes so that you can exert control over others?
 
mak2 said:
It has not worked out that way in the rest of the world. UHC is not something new, there is a world (literally) of evidnce out there.
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Yeah it did. It was a problem with the UK system for a generation, and still, same with every other nation that has UHC. Why do you think they all come here in droves to do residency? Every year we max out the visas.
 
clownboy said:
Yeah it did. It was a problem with the UK system for a generation, and still, same with every other nation that has UHC. Why do you think they all come here in droves to do residency? Every year we max out the visas.
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That does appear to be the case. Based on my experience where I currently work, I'd venture a guess that maybe 25% of our doctors are US-born.
 
Our current system does not work. I am not sure if this is what you are saying or not, but an interesting article I read the other day...Doctor shortage: Foreign doctors are just as good as the homegrown variety. So why don’t we let them practice here?
clownboy said:
Yeah it did. It was a problem with the UK system for a generation, and still, same with every other nation that has UHC. Why do you think they all come here in droves to do residency? Every year we max out the visas.
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