Socialized Medicine or Free Market -- poll

Best for the US

  • Socialized Medicine

    Votes: 20 62.5%
  • Free Market

    Votes: 12 37.5%

  • Total voters
    32

HereIStand

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I think the biggest issue with what currently exists there is that it didn't take from or build upon what has successfully served many other countries; it tried to reinvent the wheel.

Hopefully you guys find something that works for everyone there :) That's all that matters, politics be darned.
It's hard to emulate here what works elsewhere. Until the recent influx of non-Western immigrants in Europe, many countries in Europe were ethnically homogeneous. Also, many of these countries have state supported churches. There's a common ethnic and religious point of reference that people identify with, even if they're not church goers. We don't have that in the States, which is why socialized schemes are difficult to implement here.
 
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I do recognize that socialized health care in general would be a disaster.
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It sure is a disaster in... oh, every single other advanced nation, you say?

The best part of having a non-public health care system is watching my family and friends needlessly suffer and die when they would be having their health care problems treated in literally any other advanced country.
 
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Who wants to pay much more for medical care, have fewer choices, wait longer for it, and get lower quality when it finally becomes your turn? No thanks!
If things are as you say, than how come the US is actually lower on the list of countries by average life expectancy than any other developed nation?

I'm fine with fewer choices if it means my mom doesn't have to be at constant risk for having a heart attack because she can't afford her medication. Or my dad, in a similar situation for strokes.

Silly me, though. Not wanting people to die for no reason.
 
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HereIStand

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The best part of having a non-public health care system is watching my family and friends needlessly suffer and die when they would be having their health care problems treated in literally any other advanced country.
Sorry to hear that. Can't say that any of my family or friends have ever suffered or died due to lack of treatment.

As noted elsewhere, most of the countries you cited are religiously and ethnically homogeneous. We're not. The U.S. is the only country based on an idea (individual identity and liberty), not common religion and ethnicity, as in most of the world.
 
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Sorry to hear that. Can't say that any of my family or friends have ever suffered or died due to lack of treatment.

As noted elsewhere, most of the countries you cited are religiously and ethnically homogeneous. We're not. The U.S. is the only country based on an idea (individual identity and liberty), not common religion and ethnicity, as in most of the world.
What does the US's lack of homogenity have to do with the effectiveness of single-payer health care?
 
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jimmyjimmy

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While I don't think the US government should have socialized medicine, I still think there should be price controls on prescription drugs. I take a medication called Abilify. Without insurance, I would be out of luck because it costs over $1,000 for 30 pills. I still pay nearly $300 for a one-month supply with my insurance, which is absolutely ridiculous for someone who is covered.

Mind you, I'm far from being a liberal, and I do recognize that socialized health care in general would be a disaster. Still, there needs to be price controls on prescription medication, otherwise these pharmaceutical companies will charge obscene prices. It should never cost beyond $100 for 30 pills of whatever drug.

Why should a company be forced to sell its products at a price lower than they wish to sell them? That is completely unjust.
 
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Mountainmanbob

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The best part of having a non-public health care system is watching my family and friends needlessly suffer and die when they would be having their health care problems treated in literally any other advanced country.

I don't see anyone dieing in the States for those reasons.
 
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pakicetus

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archer75

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That sounds reasonable. That's not how the pro-subsidized health care argument is presented in the States though.
Here, if you say "blended", they'll just say "it's blended now!"
 
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RDKirk

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First, the poll is bad.

As an American example, socialized healthcare is that provided by the Department of Defense: The facilities are owned by the DoD, all the staff are DoD employees, all policies and procedures are DoD mandated. Nobody is proposing true socialized medicine for the US, and no Western country has it as the primary health care system.

What is normally proposed is Single Payer coverage, with the government as the single payer. The American example is Medicare. Facilities are privately owned, staff are privately employed, policies and procedures are developed by the private healthcare providers, and the government works with what they've got (providing sticks and carrots as necessary). "Medicare for All" would be "single payer," not "socialized."

In either case, nobody is proposing elimination of private insurance or private healthcare providers. There would always be room for private insurance and private facilities for care that would not be covered by either government method (such as elective plastic surgery).

A hybrid system has been mentioned, and certainly should be examined. Some areas of care ought actually to be socialized for reason of national security. For instance, what if there actually were a significant biological attack on a city. Should Walmart and Walgreen be expected to respond to it? Ludicrous. Inoculation and vaccination programs should be fully socialized--the CDC and the PHS ought to totally run it, with PHS facilities (and stockpiles of various vaccines) always available. They should exercise the system continuously with annual programs like flu vaccine.

On the other end, things like cosmetic surgery would continue to be fully private practice, no coverage at all by government.
 
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HereIStand

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Why doesn't this problem seem to apply to police and fire departments?
Far simpler problems to solve by comparison. By some estimates, health care constitutes one-fifth of the economy. It's also a major industry in many cities.
 
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RDKirk

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Hard to compare civilian to military life, where you do as your told, or you are not in the service.

Irrelevant to the point of health care delivery--except to prove that a truly socialized system can get health care out to inhospitable and unprofitable locations that profit-driven providers won't bother to go.
 
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HereIStand

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Irrelevant to the point of health care delivery--except to prove that a truly socialized system can get health care out to inhospitable and unprofitable locations that profit-driven providers won't bother to go.
It's great that the military does that, but we all pay for it. A profit motive is necessary in civilian life, otherwise people won't (in general) bother.
 
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RDKirk

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It's great that the military does that, but we all pay for it. A profit motive is necessary in civilian life, otherwise people won't (in general) bother.

That's why I say a certain segment of health care delivery ought to be truly socialized (that is, wholly owned and operated by the government)--because there are segments of heath care that can't be done profitably at an acceptable level.
 
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The best way to guarantee the best socialized health care is that the politicians are not exempt. In fact, all decisions that the politicians make are without any exemptions for them. If they have to live under it, they will make sure it is beneficial for both them and their friends and families.
 
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