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Selfish Health Care Question To Those In The US

For Your Situation in the US, would you want single payer?

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Moderate Right

Moderate Right

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Just curious. Please look at this from a totally selfish perspective, meaning not giving a crap for your fellow citizen. If given the choice, regarding your particular situation unique to you, would you prefer keeping what you have now the way it is or would you prefer some form of nationalized health care?
 
I've always had private insurance through my employer and it's served me well. It's been better the last few years in terms of coverage as well as the cost increases have not been what they were before. I would personally rather have private insurance for myself. That's my selfish answer.
 
Yes. I have family that are heavy users of healthcare (genetic disorder), as well as my parents are now in their late 60s and will likely become heavy users.

Selfishly, I'd like to know and ensure that these family members of mine receive help with their healthcare needs.
 
I've lived in Germany 9 of the last 12 years. The healthcare system there is phenomenal.

It costs less than half per capita what the US system costs and it covers every man, woman and child from cradle to grave for everything. If the doctor of your choice thinks you need something, you get it, no questions asked and almost always no money changes hands. You're free to take your money and go private if you choose, I prefer to stay on public because private gets more expensive as you age and public is based purely on income (7.3% for you and 7.3% for your employer) Healthcare outcomes are consistently ranked better and life expectancy is longer.

The fact of the matter is we're all vulnerable sacks of meat that will need maintenance at some point in our lives. It's not necessary for us to demand millions go bankrupt and millions more get no healthcare at all. We can do better.
 
Moderate Right said:
Just curious. Please look at this from a totally selfish perspective, meaning not giving a crap for your fellow citizen. If given the choice, regarding your particular situation unique to you, would you prefer keeping what you have now the way it is or would you prefer some form of nationalized health care?
Click to expand...

I like my costs, I like my doctor, I would like to keep my doctor. I've had to see several specialists recently and would hate to be on Canadian style waitlists for each.
 
Selfishly, yes - have everyone (or anyone) else pay more taxes to supply me lower cost medical care.
 
Of course I'd like to be able to go to a doctor and get checked when I'm feeling bad and not have to debate if the bill will be worth it. It seems like we've been paying off hospital bills for a long, long time and just when we have a month left, someone has to fall off a bus and go to the ER. :doh
 
I don't have a problem with single payer on a state level, or as a contractual benefit to veterans, or as a benefit of insurance that the recipient pays into such as Medicare (FICA taxes), but the Constitution doesn't provide the federal government with the power for the federal government to create, manage, and provide a single payer medical system on a national level to anyone and everyone. I agree with that status. A single payer system that would cover 330 million people is probably untenable. We have a hard enough time with the federal government running the VA medical system - I would hate to see how they could and would screw up a one size fits all system for every US citizen. States are a better place to provide such a service if the citizens within that state want their state government taxes to go toward paying for such a government run system.

I can't keep from pointing out, that there seems to usually be a similarity between the people that complain about the government oppressing them or threatening them or just not treating them right, and the people that want the government to provide more services to and for them like a single payer medical system or higher minimum wage guarantees or the new calls for a minimum basic income from the government. Anyone else see the irony?
 
Selfishly I want to be in a country where healthcare costs are controlled and our payments are actually going for healthcare, not to pay for advertisers, government lobbying and CEO bonuses. Oh, and a country where a procedure which can be had for $400 in one part of the country doesn't cost $4000 where I live.
 
Moderate Right said:
Just curious. Please look at this from a totally selfish perspective, meaning not giving a crap for your fellow citizen. If given the choice, regarding your particular situation unique to you, would you prefer keeping what you have now the way it is or would you prefer some form of nationalized health care?
Click to expand...

I think the way you are wording this question is revealing as to your insight on the question. It seems to suggest that people who want single payer want it because they are freeloaders and want society and big government to give them free healthcare.

That is not the case. I have my own health insurance. But I still think there should be some kind of single payer basic safety net for those who can't afford it. This would be like a system of public education for those who can't send their kids to private schools. That was the model Obama originally had in mind. I see healthcare just as important a public good, if not more, than public education.

I end up paying for their healthcare anyway. But the question is: do I want to pay for $10/mo high blood pressure medicines, or wait until the guy ends up with a heart attack at 3 am in the ER because of undetected and untreated high blood pressure, and pay for emergency bypass surgery and 2 weeks in the ICU. They may be my employee, so think about the time lost at work, which I end up paying for. Think about the total social cost of time away from family, from other responsibilities, etc...

So rather than a "selfish" perspective, I think you are thinking about a "shortsighted" perspective.
 
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From a purely selfish point, yes, I want single payer. Maybe if I lived in a world where other people being physically or mentally sick didn’t have a negative impact on me then I would be against single payer, but people interact with each other, and that includes me.
 
Moderate Right said:
Just curious. Please look at this from a totally selfish perspective, meaning not giving a crap for your fellow citizen. If given the choice, regarding your particular situation unique to you, would you prefer keeping what you have now the way it is or would you prefer some form of nationalized health care?
Click to expand...
What we have now is nationalized health care, go back to a free market system and I'm happy, bye.
 
I would like a system like they have in Germany.

It can't happen here because the leeches in our current system have grown rich enough to become "stakeholders" that can dictate policy. They are the ones that turned Obamacare into the abortion it became.
 
Moderate Right said:
Just curious. Please look at this from a totally selfish perspective, meaning not giving a crap for your fellow citizen. If given the choice, regarding your particular situation unique to you, would you prefer keeping what you have now the way it is or would you prefer some form of nationalized health care?
Click to expand...

I would prefer a system that took a portion of my income (and everyone else who could afford it ) to provide at least some basic level of healthcare to everyone.
Including me.
 
<alt>doxygen said:
I would like a system like they have in Germany.

It can't happen here because the leeches in our current system have grown rich enough to become "stakeholders" that can dictate policy. They are the ones that turned Obamacare into the abortion it became.
Click to expand...

My wife spent three days in a German hospital, a daughter five, I came away impressed.
 
Yes But:

We need to massively reform health care delivery, changing who pays the bills will barely help with the main problems.
 
Moderate Right said:
Just curious. Please look at this from a totally selfish perspective, meaning not giving a crap for your fellow citizen. If given the choice, regarding your particular situation unique to you, would you prefer keeping what you have now the way it is or would you prefer some form of nationalized health care?
Click to expand...
Part of the reason I want some form of program that provides healthcare to everyone, no matter their means, is because I do not think means should determine whether someone can address health problems they have and avoid death from them.
 
brothern said:
Yes. I have family that are heavy users of healthcare (genetic disorder), as well as my parents are now in their late 60s and will likely become heavy users.

Selfishly, I'd like to know and ensure that these family members of mine receive help with their healthcare needs.
Click to expand...

Interesting take on your parents who are in their late 60's. I never really considered that aspect regarding my poll question. I mean Bernie and others want "Medicare for all", which would mean your parents wouldn't count in that scenario since they are already on Medicare (I assume) and wouldn't be any better or worse off. But, if we had some other single payer nationalized health care that wasn't technically "Medicare for all" then your parents might be better off because they would be paying no premiums (per say) and no out of pocket costs. Who ever knew that healthcare was so complicated?
 
Due to my MS I would prefer a universal healthcare system and if that means national so be it. One way or another the Pharma industry needs to be brought under some kind of cost control. My medication is $7400 here per month.
 
Beaudreaux said:
I don't have a problem with single payer on a state level, or as a contractual benefit to veterans, or as a benefit of insurance that the recipient pays into such as Medicare (FICA taxes), but the Constitution doesn't provide the federal government with the power for the federal government to create, manage, and provide a single payer medical system on a national level to anyone and everyone. I agree with that status. A single payer system that would cover 330 million people is probably untenable. We have a hard enough time with the federal government running the VA medical system - I would hate to see how they could and would screw up a one size fits all system for every US citizen. States are a better place to provide such a service if the citizens within that state want their state government taxes to go toward paying for such a government run system.

I can't keep from pointing out, that there seems to usually be a similarity between the people that complain about the government oppressing them or threatening them or just not treating them right, and the people that want the government to provide more services to and for them like a single payer medical system or higher minimum wage guarantees or the new calls for a minimum basic income from the government. Anyone else see the irony?
Click to expand...

In Canada we actually have at least 10 payer health care. Funding is a mix between federal and provincial with the province administrating it. The Fed sets minimum standards which provinces can go above. Other than that it is up to the province how it arranges health care in the province.

Where i am we have walk in clinics all over the place. So for general check ups i can actually go to a grocery store which has a clinic attached, get an appointment time do some shopping and then wait for my appointment to come up.

Depending on the nature of the problem referrals to other doctors and services will be made.
 
Spartacus FPV said:
I like my costs, I like my doctor, I would like to keep my doctor. I've had to see several specialists recently and would hate to be on Canadian style waitlists for each.
Click to expand...

I also have pre-existing conditions and have talked with many around the world and from what I hear them describe of their trials and tribulations, I would not want their system with a ten foot pole. But, most of them wouldn't want the US system with a ten foot pole either.
 
<alt>doxygen said:
I would like a system like they have in Germany.

It can't happen here because the leeches in our current system have grown rich enough to become "stakeholders" that can dictate policy. They are the ones that turned Obamacare into the abortion it became.
Click to expand...

I agree with your first part, but Obamacare was the worst thing that could have happened to this country.

As long as you have lawyers that can play on the emotions of a jury and get multi-million $$$ compensations for a lost arm during surgery, you will never be able to get a system similar to the German health insurance.

As long as you have the majority of doctors who are free agents to set their own prices, you will never be able to get a system similar to the German health insurance.

As long as you have Americans that can sue a hospital for not getting the attention they "deserve" - no German health insurance possible.

As long as you have Americans who expect the hospital to provide them with the basic necessities like a robe or slippers - no German health insurance possible.

As long as you have Americans who can chose which hospital to go to - no German health insurance possible.

Etc. etc. etc.

Basically, everything Americans think they are "entitled to" or they "deserve" it, would have to go out of the window first.
 
Moderate Right said:
Interesting take on your parents who are in their late 60's. I never really considered that aspect regarding my poll question. I mean Bernie and others want "Medicare for all", which would mean your parents wouldn't count in that scenario since they are already on Medicare (I assume) and wouldn't be any better or worse off. But, if we had some other single payer nationalized health care that wasn't technically "Medicare for all" then your parents might be better off because they would be paying no premiums (per say) and no out of pocket costs. Who ever knew that healthcare was so complicated?
Click to expand...

No, I'm just thinking of other single payer systems that seem to be able to provide similar coverage at less cost than what is actually delivered in the United States.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
Yes But:

We need to massively reform health care delivery, changing who pays the bills will barely help with the main problems.
Click to expand...
The issues we currently have arise in part from the providers having more say in the laws and regulations than those who need care.
 
brothern said:
No, I'm just thinking of other single payer systems that seem to be able to provide similar coverage at less cost than what is actually delivered in the United States.
Click to expand...

You have to reduce the malpractice suing first and the notion that everybody is deserving of a first-rate service.
 
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