Canadian Healthcare from a Canadian...

[JWsleep]

I agree with you both, Schneed and Firstdown--these are serious problems that moving to single-payer system would create. On the administrative issues, however, there is some savings to be made by somehow streamlining billing and such into a single, standard format, as opposed to many competing formats. But you then often lose information--like in the English system, at least as it's sometimes represented.

As for Docs wanting lots of money--given the enormous amount of schooling, the incredible need for their services, and the importance of what they do, they should be well-compensated, no doubt. And in places where they are not, you get doctor shortages--a real worry. So it's gonna cost to keep our quality up. We need to find a balance, and (this is part of the problem), we are going to need to RAISE TAXES to pay for this sort of thing. No free lunch. I'm for taxing the top-teir and cutting things like corporate tax breaks and subsidies (especially on farming--that's just a payout to ADM and other HUGE argi-businesses, not mom and pop farmers, if there are any left!). But that is political trouble.

I agree: Medicine is complicated, and not just for doctors!

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

I agree with you both, Schneed and Firstdown--these are serious problems that moving to single-payer system would create. On the administrative issues, however, there is some savings to be made by somehow streamlining billing and such into a single, standard format, as opposed to many competing formats. But you then often lose information--like in the English system, at least as it's sometimes represented.

As for Docs wanting lots of money--given the enormous amount of schooling, the incredible need for their services, and the importance of what they do, they should be well-compensated, no doubt. And in places where they are not, you get doctor shortages--a real worry. So it's gonna cost to keep our quality up. We need to find a balance, and (this is part of the problem), we are going to need to RAISE TAXES to pay for this sort of thing. No free lunch. I'm for taxing the top-teir and cutting things like corporate tax breaks and subsidies (especially on farming--that's just a payout to ADM and other HUGE argi-businesses, not mom and pop farmers, if there are any left!). But that is political trouble.

I agree: Medicine is complicated, and not just for doctors!

Why not steam line the current system for a start. I currently pay over $700 a month for a family of four so its not like I'm not paying for my share for ins. If I thought the goverment could provide a better product for around the same cost I'd be all for it but if we look at the goverments past there's no chance of that. I am allready stuck paying for social security (which has major problems) and medicare which has the same problems so why would I want to compound the issue with more of the same. Maybe if the goverment could fix these two programs which are running way above projected cost then maybe I would entertain health ins.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

We need to find a balance, and (this is part of the problem), we are going to need to RAISE TAXES to pay for this sort of thing. No free lunch. I'm for taxing the top-teir and cutting things like corporate tax breaks and subsidies (especially on farming--that's just a payout to ADM and other HUGE argi-businesses, not mom and pop farmers, if there are any left!). But that is political trouble.

I agree with much of your analysis. Where I take issue is with raising taxes.

For sure I believe that something like this should be paid with taxes but our government already takes a ridiculous amount of our money for so many things that they run very poorly. I'd love to see the taxes I ALREADY pay be used for this.

The answer is not always raising taxes. When are we going to straighten up as a country and tell our politicians to spend our money more wisely rather than just taking more to pay for things that need to be paid for?

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

I agree with much of your analysis. Where I take issue is with raising taxes.

For sure I believe that something like this should be paid with taxes but our government already takes a ridiculous amount of our money for so many things that they run very poorly. I'd love to see the taxes I ALREADY pay be used for this.

The answer is not always raising taxes. When are we going to straighten up as a country and tell our politicians to spend our money more wisely rather than just taking more to pay for things that need to be paid for?

YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!!!!
USgovt=FAT, FAT......................the water RAT

FRPLG for President

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

I agree with much of your analysis. Where I take issue is with raising taxes.

For sure I believe that something like this should be paid with taxes but our government already takes a ridiculous amount of our money for so many things that they run very poorly. I'd love to see the taxes I ALREADY pay be used for this.

The answer is not always raising taxes. When are we going to straighten up as a country and tell our politicians to spend our money more wisely rather than just taking more to pay for things that need to be paid for?

First this would be the biggest program that the goverment ever took over and taxes would go up atleast as much is now being spent on health ins now. Then the next year taxes would go up some more because its not enough then more & more & more. 50% tax rates for anyone making over 45,000.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by firstdown

First this would be the biggest program that the goverment ever took over and taxes would go up atleast as much is now being spent on health ins now. Then the next year taxes would go up some more because its not enough then more & more & more. 50% tax rates for anyone making over 45,000.

Welcome to the United Socialist States of Europe if this happens.

The government would take all of our money and we'd be WORSE off health-wise than before they began emptying our pockets for "healthcare".

Allowing the government to run this would be a disaster.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Buster

Welcome to the United Socialist States of Europe if this happens.

The government would take all of our money and we'd be WORSE off health-wise than before they began emptying our pockets for "healthcare".

Allowing the government to run this would be a disaster.

100% correct and it seems that the people who complain the most about how goverment runs push this the most. Don't make much sense and when you ask them to point out any federal gov. programe that is working and is efficent they never have an answer.

[JWsleep]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

I agree with much of your analysis. Where I take issue is with raising taxes.

For sure I believe that something like this should be paid with taxes but our government already takes a ridiculous amount of our money for so many things that they run very poorly. I'd love to see the taxes I ALREADY pay be used for this.

The answer is not always raising taxes. When are we going to straighten up as a country and tell our politicians to spend our money more wisely rather than just taking more to pay for things that need to be paid for?

Yeah--no doubt there's tons of pork in the budget already--it's frightening to think about. I'm all for using that, but it would require congress to do something they do not usually do--take money from their pet re-election projects and use it for something for everyone.