Universal Health Care

[Armistead]

The Democrats are pushing this issue big time, while Republicans want things to remain private. However, we
have millions of children with no health care, not to mention millions of adults. Why they can get treated in a hospital, they only get basic care. In general medicine, they get really none. Insurance rates are sky high and now most small businesses have dropped medical insurance or offer it at a high rate. I had to drop it to stay in business, as all my competitors dropped it.

Should we as Christians support universal health care.
I see no real fix. Private health care is built on profit now. The Medical industry creates new diseases everyday, along with all the pill makers. You only have to watch TV long enough to think you need a pill. It seems the goal of the medical industry today is to keep you sick on pills, but alive for a very long time. Childhood obesity will be the next big money maker for the medical industry.

I hate the government in anything, but it seems greed may be worse than government.

Should we as Christians be supporting Universal Health Care or is there a better fix. Certainly I think there are better plans that UHC, but they would never pass.

 

[Solidlyhere]

The OP is trying to make this Universal Health Care a Jesus-based issue: "Should we as Christians support universal health care?"

This is a bogus question.

This sounds a lot like the Moral Majority: "ALL Christians must believe ____ ."

Then, the MM says: "This is who all Christians must vote for."
Which, translated, means: "If you're pro-Choice, then we aren't gonna vote for you."

Please, OP, if you are interested in supporting a cause, please don't clothe it in a requirement for Christians to support.

 

[Dannager]

The question you should be asking yourself is:

"Should I, as a human being, support universal health care?"

 

[LJSGM]

It seems to work pretty well in other countries.

Although, doctors wouldn't be so extravegantly paid, but perhaps they won't do it just for the money any longer.

 

[fuzzymel]

Works fine in the UK.

 

[ContentInHim]

It doesn't work too well in Canada. Canadians come to the states all the time for procedures they are refused or scheduled for months away. I believe this is now changed, but it used to be that Canadian doctors could only earn so much and no more. Even British doctors weren't that restricted.

I, as a Christian, believe that a certain baseline health care MAYBE should be provided like immunizations, physicals, glasses, dental care. But anything above that should be private.

 

[LJSGM]

New Zealand offers a heath insurance above and beyond the one offered through the state, so that you don't have to wait in line if you need an appointment, but you do have to pay for it. The only concern really is possible operations, they are on a most need basis as well as time waiting. America has this problem with transplants as well. My father had to wait two years for a new kidney because he was already old. We also have a problem with wait time for appointments (depending on the location) I had to wait a month for my doctor appointment.

 

[ContentInHim]

Was that for an emergency dr. appointment?

Here in the states one sometimes has to wait for a "new patient" appointment. Dental is the worst - I called in September at 2 new dental places and both had wait lists until November, so chewed up $9.00 of gas going to my previous dentist instead.

 

[LJSGM]

Was that for an emergency dr. appointment?

Here in the states one sometimes has to wait for a "new patient" appointment. Dental is the worst - I called in September at 2 new dental places and both had wait lists until November, so chewed up $9.00 of gas going to my previous dentist instead.

No, that was for just a regular appointment. It has taken me two weeks to see my regular doctor for an ailment. I don't think there's such a problem in New Zealand. They have walkin clinics as well as we do.

I think if we arrange it correctly and do end up going with universal healthcare, there might not be any shortcomings. There might actually be an improvement. Right now, the healthcare system is in a bad state. I know, I work in it.

 

[Armistead]

I wish they would let small businesses buy in together as a larger group, as an association, so we could partake of the rates large corporations get.

The company that I worked with for 20 years was a small family business that eventually went out of business. In the end, they could hardly provide medical insurance. When I first worked there, they had great coverage, but in the end it was 60/40 coverage costing $650.00 per month for family coverage. Of course they had a lot of old people fighting disease in the end.

My wife worked with BB&T before she was disabled from a car wreck. Even though she doesn't work there, she is considered an employee for life. We have great coverage at a meager cost of $160.00 per month for our family.

If small companies could join together, most could afford these rates.

They keep talking about doing this, but alas nothing is being done.

 

[Armistead]

The question you should be asking yourself is:

"Should I, as a human being, support universal health care?"

Well as a human being, do you?

 

[Dannager]

Well as a human being, do you?

Yes.

 

[Armistead]

Yes.

Do you not think there is a better way. Restricting lawsuits, letting small businesses buy in together, ect.


After all it's not free, someone is going to pay for it.

Of course if we can pay for stupid wars, we should be able to afford UHC.

 

[Dannager]

Do you not think there is a better way. Restricting lawsuits, letting small businesses buy in together, ect.


After all it's not free, someone is going to pay for it.

Of course if we can pay for stupid wars, we should be able to afford UHC.

I think that, in the short run at least, universal health care will do us a lot of good. I do not think that the shared cost will be prohibitive, especially if (as you mention) we stop funding this very costly war.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

No, it isn't the government's job to provide healthcare. People want easy answers and don't mind surrendering their freedoms to get it.

 

[Jet_A_Jockey]

The problem is that the ins. companies blame their rising costs on the uninsured, but with the cost of healthcare to small businesses it's no wonder why so many must do without and use ER services. Last time I checked the insurance policy cost here at work it was around 350 or so biweekly for a family plan, so 700 a month. Thats more than I pay in rent, not to mention it still has deductibles and shared-costs for prescriptions and e.r. visits. This is a HMO type plan also btw.

 

[LJSGM]

Sure, New Zealand might have higher taxes then we do, but when you add up all the healthcare premiums and deductibles and costs, as well as our taxes, we're probably paying even more in the end then they are, and everyone gets care. Even the poor.

Another thing that New Zealand has is the dole, something like our welfare system, except it is very easy to get, you just become unemployed and you can go on the dole. There are no homeless people in New Zealand. My sister-in-law, when she came over to America, was very curious about the homeless that she saw here, she only met one homeless person ever, and he was there by choice for some reason. You'd assume that people would abuse the system, but in reality, the unemployment rate in New Zealand is lower then America.

Universal healthcare might not be as bad in the end as some think.

 

[ContentInHim]

No, that was for just a regular appointment. It has taken me two weeks to see my regular doctor for an ailment. I don't think there's such a problem in New Zealand. They have walkin clinics as well as we do.

I think if we arrange it correctly and do end up going with universal healthcare, there might not be any shortcomings. There might actually be an improvement. Right now, the healthcare system is in a bad state. I know, I work in it.

I'm sorry for your wait. Fortunately I've got 2 doctors who are really great. When I'm sick, they usually squeeze me in at the end of the day. Also, since I have NO insurance, they bill me at Medicare scale which generally is about 20% off. Doesn't happen often, but I really appreciate it.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Another thing that New Zealand has is the dole, something like our welfare system, except it is very easy to get, you just become unemployed and you can go on the dole. There are no homeless people in New Zealand. My sister-in-law, when she came over to America, was very curious about the homeless that she saw here, she only met one homeless person ever, and he was there by choice for some reason. You'd assume that people would abuse the system, but in reality, the unemployment rate in New Zealand is lower then America.

Universal healthcare might not be as bad in the end as some think.

Unless you lock up mentally ill and have a very permissive attitude towards drug use, you have to have homeless people. NZ has such a small population you probably aren't aware of them. It's like in the US where if you were in a state with the same population as NZ, you wouldn't see them either. But if you go to a big city with millions, you are going to find some.

The US has welfare and housing for the poor. But you can't get into housing if you are an addict. As well, the mentally ill, who can't be locked up unless they are a danger to themselves, will often not go. So anyone who is homeless is there by choice.

 

[Stinker]

No, it isn't the government's job to provide healthcare. People want easy answers and don't mind surrendering their freedoms to get it.

Since the U.S. is in a healthcare crisis, it now is the Government's job to get involved. In the preamble of our Constitution there are listed a number of reasons it was formed. In that number, there is: ..... to promote the general welfare... Right there gives the Government authority and responsibility to get involved in this healthcare/welfare crisis.