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+--- Thread: Universal Health Care (/showthread.php?tid=773)
RE: Universal Health Care - Jared I - 12-13-2006
Glenn,
If you are buying DingDongs is a two pack you are doing it wrong. In the 12 pack box they come individually wrapped. Just a question, how many tasty Hostess snacks can you name?
RE: Universal Health Care - Kelena - 12-13-2006
Hmm. Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, Ho'-Ho's and then that's about all I know about that!
RE: Universal Health Care - Rob Tucker - 12-13-2006
Actually, I know a millionaire who lives on 200 acres in Malibu who goes to Cuba for his medical needs. It's his opinion that the medical care is better there. He can afford anything he wants. He keeps going back.
There are others I know who have been going to India and Thailand too.
RE: Universal Health Care - Green - 12-13-2006
We live in a "FREE" country, just make sure you have LOTS OF MONEY otherwise god forbid if something happens, YOUR SCREWED !! I know people that have lost their homes over illness !!(unless your a politician, etc., there's socialized medicine and everything else for them !!
RE: Universal Health Care - Rob Tucker - 12-13-2006
I think the main problem with health care in America is it is comprised of 1/3 doctors, 1/3 lawyers, 1/3 MBAs.
The rest of the world has a head start on us. They get to come here for a medical degree and then go home and actually practice medicine instead of paperwork.
RE: Universal Health Care - toucano - 12-13-2006
"I think the main problem with health care in America is it is comprised of 1/3 doctors, 1/3 lawyers, 1/3 MBAs."
You forgot to add:
1. the often unreasonable patients/consumers who abuse/overuse the system without any real medical need. Like using the emergency room for obviously non-critical matters. Ask any ER doctor or nurse.
2. the pharmaceutical industry. No comments about their role in the high cost required.
3. politicians at the Federal level unable and/or unwilling to 'rock the boat'. Why should they? They get funded by PACs, have a resident doctor in the legislative chambers, and certainly access to great medical care at no cost to them personally.
So I'd amend the equation to be: "I think the main problem with health care in America is it is comprised of 1/6 doctors, 1/6 lawyers, 1/6 MBAs, 1/6 patients/consumers. 1/6 the pharmaceutical industry, 1/6 politicians."
I probably forgot some other guilty parties.
RE: Universal Health Care - Lee DeJongh - 12-15-2006
I teach Medical Students and Family Practice Residents as part of my routine. Most are US citizens but, in the past year, I've had students from Columbia, Belize, Afghanistan, Iran, Roumania, Poland, Canada, The Barbados, and Egypt. Only the students from Canada and Barbados are returning to their home countries. All the rest are remaining in the USA. The US currently recruits and imports 100's of foreign trained doctors per year, particularly from India which has a surfeit of medical schools.
I would point out that we have Medicaid in all states to my knowledge, and we have Medicare for the seniors. Many states have other programs for the working poor. and many places have free or lowcost clinics. Not ideal but a far cry from the statement that there is no care other than that you purchase.
The real people I think suffer are the working poor who are not covered at work (recall that in Hawaii, if you work 20 hours per week, your employer must provide health insurance. Not so in other states). Particularly young families with small children.
It is also a false bogeyman to blame Pharm companies so much. They have to make a profit for a variety of reasons. The bigger point is that todays drugs are so superior to previous years that we are very blessed in having them. The technological improvements have and continue to bring vast improvements. AT A COST.
Still, I quite commonly see patients 90 or 100 years old in pretty good shape. I couldn't say that 20 years ago.
I think the big future gains will come with lifestyle changes, diet, exercise and numbers 1 an 2, stop smoking and stop drinking.
Last little point (and I will step off my box) Universal Health CAre (which I support) isn't much good if you don't have the nurses, doctors, and medical facilities. How far is Kapoho from ANY care?
RE: Universal Health Care - Green - 12-16-2006
Funny how the cost of pharmacuticals and healthcare skyrocketed in the last several years just as we got all those annoying ads on TV from the drug companies pushing their dope. Then there is the historic huge profits have made during this same time !
RE: Universal Health Care - JerryCarr - 12-16-2006
Pharmaceutical company advertising is an overlooked issue in the cost of health care. The companies say they have to push the product to increase demand to cover development and research costs, but TV ads are expensive and that cost gets passed along.
I have some physician friends on the mainland who tell me that their patients often come in with lists of medications which they think are going to solve all their problems. These meds are often inappropriate, and valuable time has to be spent re-educating and reassuring the consumer. An educated consumer is usually a good thing, but drug company advertising seems excessive for that purpose to me. Educating the doctors about new meds is far more cost effective than inducing self-diagnosis.
Cheers,
Jerry
RE: Universal Health Care - Lee DeJongh - 12-16-2006
very true re: advertising of drugs. One big (pun intended) local drug is Viagra. I sit on the oversight committee for our local HMO. We tried to restrict Viagra to those GM workers who had it prescribed by Urologists only, not GPs, and then maximum of 10 pills per month. The workers would not have it. it is now a covered benefit for ALL GM workers no matter what age, 5 pills per week. Since it costs about 10 bucks a pill, this is no SMALL matter. Who to blame, Advetising.