You’ll pay more in some respects but a lot less in others. Here in Britain, for example, all prescription medicines for children and the elderly are free, as well as for people on certain types of state benefits, and even if you are working age and not on benefits, if you need repeat prescriptions then for £38 - that’s less than $62 - you can buy a prescription-pass which pays for all your prescriptions for a year. And even over-the-counter medicines are enormously cheaper than in the US - as little as a fifth of the US price in some cases.
Who pays? Those who work. Or is the government going to invent a magical inflation proof printing press. I will bring home 50% of my pay so everyone can enjoy free dental and cosmetic surgery
Haven’t made enough to pay taxes for the last two years. I won’t be paying. Need insurance, but………… At least I’m not supporting the leaches on welfare.
It is paid for in increased taxes in addition to the co-pay. Right now, insurance for a family costs as much as maintaining an auto mobile. I got rid of a car and ride my bike/take the bus to work (which has its own benefits). If people voluntarily went back to a one car family, there wouldn’t be a healthcare crisis. I’ve been observing government programs for 30 years. On average, they cost about twice the free-market price. With government care, you’ll be giving up a lot more than a second car.
Not to mention that the Feds doing any such thing is utterly unconstitutional. Socialized healthcare, like socialized education (which we already have) can be done constitutionally - you convince the states to run it. That way, there is some competition.
Yukoner, you have no freakin’ CLUE if NHC works for you! But you just go ahead and be their little guinea pig! If it works for you, THEN I’ll check it out for me!
I think that no one should be without health care in this wealthy country of ours, just as I think no child should have to go to bed hungry. Unfortunately, some DON’T have health care, and some children DO go to bed hungry. So I have to pay a few more bucks in taxes? I can do that. People go on about “welfare states” and the dread “Socialism” - what about helping the less fortunate? Is there an “ism” for that? Just helping others? If you can’t afford it, then you need some help - if you CAN afford it, but just don’t want to, then you really need help.
As of right now, all full-service hospitals accept all patients, regardless of ability to pay. This means that the rates are set to cover their costs (plus profits) - which, in turn, means that those who can pay subsidize those who can’t.
IF each of us made sure to not smoke, take damaging drugs, drink and drive, over eat, eat junk foods etc., in other words we would but be responsible for our selves, not only would health insurance be DIRT CHEAP
but there would be little need for so many health professionals, big hospitals and huge pharmacutical companys.
Now you know how 80% of us can lower health costs…but will we?
JFri check your geography man. I live in Canada and we have had a NHC for more than 30 years. Yes I pay taxes and part of that covers health care. My taxes also covered schooling for my kids and now for my grandkids.
Fifteen years ago I spent three weeks in hospital and had heart bypass surgery. If I had been in the US I would have had to sell my home to cover the cost (est: $300,000-400,000) Because of Medicare my cost was $0. Dang straight that our NHC works for me.
By the way, the standard of living in Canada is as high as it is in the US. You need to take the blinders off and do the right thing as a nation.
Your over the counter drugs costs will almost immediately go down, for one thing. If prescription and healthcare costs in the US were lower, competition would cause the pharmacies to stop charging you up to five times what people in other countries pay, because thay would know that if they charged too much people would just go to their GP and get a prescription for the drug instead.
You won’t actually end up paying much more, unless you are earning good money but living without any health insurance. What the NHS is is basically an insurance firm owned by the government, and you don’t need any other. The only thing private healthcare does better here is long-term rehab. for drug addiction etc, and really non-urgent things like tattoo removal. For anything life-threatening, the NHS does it better anyway - and although you have to pay more taxes you save by not needing to pay for private insurance. Or if your company was paying for your health insurance, then it won’t have to anymore, so it will be able to pay you a higher salary.
Two years ago a mate of mine (the real-life model on whom Snape in the Harry Potter books was based), who was 68 at the time, had £100,000-worth of state-of-the-art, specialised cancer surgery which could not have been done better anywhere in the world and he says that he couldn’t imagine better care. As a retired teacher nearing seventy, if he’d been in the US I would expect that either he wouldn’t have been able to afford the insurance that would cover that sort of surgery, or if he could then it would have cost him much more than his National Insurance contributions ever did.
What part of 30% vs. 5% do some of you not understand?
That’s the difference in insurance vs. Medicare overhead, the 25% part that results in denied care and dropped policies, disastrous bankrupcies when there’s a medical emergency.
And all for a US system that WHO rates number 37 in the world.
Solution: Medicare eligibility age drops a year every year, and the cap is raised to cover it. Or just drop it to zero now, and get it over with. Pull the band-aid off all at once.
GROG Premium Member about 15 years ago
We all pay Roz. And you, too.
pouncingtiger about 15 years ago
Isn’t that the truth. D@mn straight!
Yukoner about 15 years ago
NHC works fine for me.
Claire Jordan about 15 years ago
You’ll pay more in some respects but a lot less in others. Here in Britain, for example, all prescription medicines for children and the elderly are free, as well as for people on certain types of state benefits, and even if you are working age and not on benefits, if you need repeat prescriptions then for £38 - that’s less than $62 - you can buy a prescription-pass which pays for all your prescriptions for a year. And even over-the-counter medicines are enormously cheaper than in the US - as little as a fifth of the US price in some cases.
lewisbower about 15 years ago
Who pays? Those who work. Or is the government going to invent a magical inflation proof printing press. I will bring home 50% of my pay so everyone can enjoy free dental and cosmetic surgery
Yukoneric about 15 years ago
Haven’t made enough to pay taxes for the last two years. I won’t be paying. Need insurance, but………… At least I’m not supporting the leaches on welfare.
stuart about 15 years ago
It is paid for in increased taxes in addition to the co-pay. Right now, insurance for a family costs as much as maintaining an auto mobile. I got rid of a car and ride my bike/take the bus to work (which has its own benefits). If people voluntarily went back to a one car family, there wouldn’t be a healthcare crisis. I’ve been observing government programs for 30 years. On average, they cost about twice the free-market price. With government care, you’ll be giving up a lot more than a second car.
Not to mention that the Feds doing any such thing is utterly unconstitutional. Socialized healthcare, like socialized education (which we already have) can be done constitutionally - you convince the states to run it. That way, there is some competition.
Joemama1962 about 15 years ago
Unfortunately, the only money the government has is what we give them. So, we are paying, not them.
The Duke 1 about 15 years ago
Yukoner, you have no freakin’ CLUE if NHC works for you! But you just go ahead and be their little guinea pig! If it works for you, THEN I’ll check it out for me!
risitas about 15 years ago
Amen, Brewskie Birdie!!!
Ushindi about 15 years ago
I think that no one should be without health care in this wealthy country of ours, just as I think no child should have to go to bed hungry. Unfortunately, some DON’T have health care, and some children DO go to bed hungry. So I have to pay a few more bucks in taxes? I can do that. People go on about “welfare states” and the dread “Socialism” - what about helping the less fortunate? Is there an “ism” for that? Just helping others? If you can’t afford it, then you need some help - if you CAN afford it, but just don’t want to, then you really need help.
GROG Premium Member about 15 years ago
Ushindi Try living in Canada. Then you’ll know what you’re in for. There’s a little extra and then there’s what you’re actually going to pay.
JP Steve Premium Member about 15 years ago
Well put, Ushindi!
lincolnhyde about 15 years ago
As of right now, all full-service hospitals accept all patients, regardless of ability to pay. This means that the rates are set to cover their costs (plus profits) - which, in turn, means that those who can pay subsidize those who can’t.
EarlWash about 15 years ago
IF each of us made sure to not smoke, take damaging drugs, drink and drive, over eat, eat junk foods etc., in other words we would but be responsible for our selves, not only would health insurance be DIRT CHEAP but there would be little need for so many health professionals, big hospitals and huge pharmacutical companys.
Now you know how 80% of us can lower health costs…but will we?
Yukoner about 15 years ago
JFri check your geography man. I live in Canada and we have had a NHC for more than 30 years. Yes I pay taxes and part of that covers health care. My taxes also covered schooling for my kids and now for my grandkids.
Fifteen years ago I spent three weeks in hospital and had heart bypass surgery. If I had been in the US I would have had to sell my home to cover the cost (est: $300,000-400,000) Because of Medicare my cost was $0. Dang straight that our NHC works for me.
By the way, the standard of living in Canada is as high as it is in the US. You need to take the blinders off and do the right thing as a nation.
pouncingtiger about 15 years ago
@Maresha, pertaining to your first posting today, you mean like from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1992 and 2000 to 2008. Am I right?
Claire Jordan about 15 years ago
Your over the counter drugs costs will almost immediately go down, for one thing. If prescription and healthcare costs in the US were lower, competition would cause the pharmacies to stop charging you up to five times what people in other countries pay, because thay would know that if they charged too much people would just go to their GP and get a prescription for the drug instead.
You won’t actually end up paying much more, unless you are earning good money but living without any health insurance. What the NHS is is basically an insurance firm owned by the government, and you don’t need any other. The only thing private healthcare does better here is long-term rehab. for drug addiction etc, and really non-urgent things like tattoo removal. For anything life-threatening, the NHS does it better anyway - and although you have to pay more taxes you save by not needing to pay for private insurance. Or if your company was paying for your health insurance, then it won’t have to anymore, so it will be able to pay you a higher salary.
Two years ago a mate of mine (the real-life model on whom Snape in the Harry Potter books was based), who was 68 at the time, had £100,000-worth of state-of-the-art, specialised cancer surgery which could not have been done better anywhere in the world and he says that he couldn’t imagine better care. As a retired teacher nearing seventy, if he’d been in the US I would expect that either he wouldn’t have been able to afford the insurance that would cover that sort of surgery, or if he could then it would have cost him much more than his National Insurance contributions ever did.
pbarnrob about 15 years ago
What part of 30% vs. 5% do some of you not understand?
That’s the difference in insurance vs. Medicare overhead, the 25% part that results in denied care and dropped policies, disastrous bankrupcies when there’s a medical emergency.
And all for a US system that WHO rates number 37 in the world.
Solution: Medicare eligibility age drops a year every year, and the cap is raised to cover it. Or just drop it to zero now, and get it over with. Pull the band-aid off all at once.