Are we as human beings entitled to free healthcare?
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As much as I love the idea, it will not work.
The government would have to set fees. Doctors would not make as much money. Would be doctors will go into other fields that are not controlled as much as health care.
Doctor and nurse shortages, then medicine, basically free health care and very long waits for service, if you were to get it at all.
It is socialism plain and simple.
I think it should be free health care for children up to age 18, but only if the parents did not have health insurance.
The government would have to set fees. Doctors would not make as much money. Would be doctors will go into other fields that are not controlled as much as health care.
Doctor and nurse shortages, then medicine, basically free health care and very long waits for service, if you were to get it at all.
It is socialism plain and simple.
I think it should be free health care for children up to age 18, but only if the parents did not have health insurance.
Well plenty of countries on Europe/Canada have it in working order as we speak. Why wont it work for us?
Also things like the library are socialist establishments and if you ask me they work very well.
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In Canada many ppl in need of special studies come here to get them and avoid the months long waits. Many MRI studies and Cat scans are done in US facilities to just get the study done before their disease gets any worse. How can that be a good thing? When you are sick you want to get well and do so quickly. Waiting is long there b/c the Canadian govt does not have the funding for more equipment and they do not update their facilities when new technology is available either.
Not knocking Canadian medicine but this is but one example of why that would never fly here in the US.
Not knocking Canadian medicine but this is but one example of why that would never fly here in the US.
The federal government should be involved in two things.
1) National defense
2) Research and Development.
They exceed in both of these areas. Every thing is is "EPIC FAIL".
I haven't studied how "WELL" it works in Europe, so it actually may not be working well, I wouldn't know. Also you have to keep in mind we are not Europeans, and frankly I never want to be.
Canada and europe are small in comparasion to us, and they can't make it work. Quality of health care will suffer. If we need something done right in America we go to the free market to make it. The goverment can't even make a decision on a single bill unless it takes a year. Disaster, is the only word that comes to mind. The answer is in prevention not in the cure anyway, maybe we can get the goverment to ban everything bad for us......
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It's kinda simple(at least for me)...I rather pay for the best health care then get free decent quality health care,our doctors are the best in the world and people wanting to be doctors from other countries come to American to learn to be the best.Canada and Europe are small and not trillions of dollars in debt,How would the Government pay for the doctors,the hospital,supplys,medication and other needs without raising taxes...it's impossible for our country to do this.This topic will open a can of worms!
Nothing is free. With "free" healthcare comes tax raises up the rear.
Do all humans have the right to be healthy? Sure. Is it practical to attempt this for everyone? Not necessarily. I do firmly believe, however, that there is ALOT more that the government could be doing as far as preventative healthcare. Nutrition courses should be mandatory in public schools. Kids should be required to take physical education classes more than just once a week. We are one of the most obese nations in the world. If we could teach more ways to keep ourselves healthy, we won't need so much healthcare.
Do all humans have the right to be healthy? Sure. Is it practical to attempt this for everyone? Not necessarily. I do firmly believe, however, that there is ALOT more that the government could be doing as far as preventative healthcare. Nutrition courses should be mandatory in public schools. Kids should be required to take physical education classes more than just once a week. We are one of the most obese nations in the world. If we could teach more ways to keep ourselves healthy, we won't need so much healthcare.
That isn't the case nationwide. Besides, it isn't all physical education. Kids need to learn better basic nutrition habits as well. For my nutrition class last year, we did some work in a 2nd grade classroom. Some of the kids didn't even know what a carrot was-at 7 years old! That's really sad, and needs to be changed. Furthermore, when we gave them healthier snacks, they found that they really enjoyed them and wanted their parents to start packing those sorts of things rather than chips and cookies. Kids don't just naturally learn how to eat healthfully- they need to be taught how to do so. True, it really should be up to their parents to do this, but the fact is that many parents don't. It's far cheaper to incorporate, say, a monthly nutrition class into classrooms than it is to pay for someone's healthcare who is morbidly obese and has diabetes, heart issues, high blood pressure, etc.
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Someone should take a hammer to Junior's X-Box, for starters. Untuck his shirt (he's 8, not on his way to a job interview), put a shovel in his hand, and make him dig a hole. It doesn't matter what the hole's for. It doesn't even matter if you don't plan putting anything IN the whole. Junior will come in at dusk with calloused hands, a sweaty brow and an empty stomach, ready to get the meal he earned and the rest he needs. If he wants some R&R, give him a book so he can learn a skill, like how to dig a better hole.
I was breaking my back as soon as I could swing a hammer or pull a rake, and the work got harder as I got older. If I wanted a Sega, I paid for it with the money I earned. If I wanted a comic book, I paid for it with the money I earned. When it came time to get a car, I paid for it with the money I earned. The only things that were expected were food, clothes and hot water, everything else and I was on my own. Kids these days use hand sanitizer and have wheels in their shoes. They live under fluorescent tubes 8 hours a day and then they go home where they're raised by their 32" flat screen parents. Every time I see some kid with a cell phone or a PSP, or wheels in his shoes, I want to knee him in the face.
I was breaking my back as soon as I could swing a hammer or pull a rake, and the work got harder as I got older. If I wanted a Sega, I paid for it with the money I earned. If I wanted a comic book, I paid for it with the money I earned. When it came time to get a car, I paid for it with the money I earned. The only things that were expected were food, clothes and hot water, everything else and I was on my own. Kids these days use hand sanitizer and have wheels in their shoes. They live under fluorescent tubes 8 hours a day and then they go home where they're raised by their 32" flat screen parents. Every time I see some kid with a cell phone or a PSP, or wheels in his shoes, I want to knee him in the face.
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The schools I went to gave you PE twice a week in elementary, everyday for 6 weeks in middle, and everyday in high school for 18 weeks for 9th and 10th grade then it is your choice if you want it or not.
But free health care is a crappy plan that wouldn't work!
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I really wish someone would have dont that to me, maybe I wouldn't be so lazy and fixing a dock like I just got done doing wouldn't have been so hard.
Health care is not free in Canada. I pay over $100 a month for a family of 4 for basic premiums in addition to the premiums I pay through work for extended coverage. It is mandatory to have coverage up here. It comes into play when you need surgery or emergency room patching. On average I payout just over $200 a month for a total of about 80% coverage.
Under the basic government medical coverage, we do not pay for these services. Dental is not covered beyond the visit fee and basic items. Prescriptions are not covered under basic, nor is any elective surgery.
The health care system here is better than in many other countries for the most part, but it is slow-moving, and we often find ourselves paying full prices down south for procedures not offered, or not covered in Canada. It is not uncommon to wait several months (6-8) here for something like an MRI.
But all that being said, we will never be turned away from a hospital for lack of coverage. It just doesn't happen (that I am aware of) and I do not have to sell the kids to pay for a cast on a broken arm.
It may look nice to others, but our medical system cannot sustain itself over the long haul as our population slowly ages. Add to that an influx of immigrants all seeking "free medical" for their 95 year old aunt and it's a major drain on the infrastructure.
It's a good system in theory, but is being abused terribly and I fear it may not be around much longer. People with self-destructive habits like smoking and drug abuse take a major toll on the system as well.
So to answer the original question - yes, I think basic medical should be for everyone but the government needs to regulate the profession and the users more closely to sustain it. Don't even get me started on GPs and their "specialist networks". They pass you around making sure each specialist get's their fee from the government for seeing you.
Under the basic government medical coverage, we do not pay for these services. Dental is not covered beyond the visit fee and basic items. Prescriptions are not covered under basic, nor is any elective surgery.
The health care system here is better than in many other countries for the most part, but it is slow-moving, and we often find ourselves paying full prices down south for procedures not offered, or not covered in Canada. It is not uncommon to wait several months (6-8) here for something like an MRI.
But all that being said, we will never be turned away from a hospital for lack of coverage. It just doesn't happen (that I am aware of) and I do not have to sell the kids to pay for a cast on a broken arm.
It may look nice to others, but our medical system cannot sustain itself over the long haul as our population slowly ages. Add to that an influx of immigrants all seeking "free medical" for their 95 year old aunt and it's a major drain on the infrastructure.
It's a good system in theory, but is being abused terribly and I fear it may not be around much longer. People with self-destructive habits like smoking and drug abuse take a major toll on the system as well.
So to answer the original question - yes, I think basic medical should be for everyone but the government needs to regulate the profession and the users more closely to sustain it. Don't even get me started on GPs and their "specialist networks". They pass you around making sure each specialist get's their fee from the government for seeing you.
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The Canadian system my not be perfect, but it is currently much better then the system in place in the US, IMO. Yes, there are wait times for surgeries, but that's true in every country. The difference in the US is your wait times are much more relative to your financial status then here in Canada.
The closest system to free health care that I am aware of is from your good friends from that lovely country called Cuba.
As to weather everybody is entitled to it...that's kind of a tough question, because everybody is going to have a slightly different opinion. I think all people deserve access to medical care with some exceptions. I don't believe it could ever be "Free" and successful, but it should be within every patients means. I see nothing wrong with a single person pulling in $200,000/yr being charged more for a particular medical service then a single parent pulling in $30,000/yr. I don't think people should be turned away from a hospital (and I know this happens every day in the US) just because they don't have any (or the right kind of) insurance. It should be regulated to some extent, and should not be run for profit. Because, when it's run for profit, patient care will suffer in an attempt to maximize the margins.
That being said, the exceptions I spoke of earlier:
People such as:
-Junkies who do not contribute to society, just siphon from it.
-Criminals who have committed serious crimes.
would be two examples to people who I wouldn't feel bad about "leaving behind"...especially when there are good hard working people who deserve the help much more. If there are no sick law-abiding citizens sick or hurt or in need of the health care system in some way...then the above two can be treated, but until that time, they're taking a doctor away from somebody who deserves it much more.
Also, if you're going to engage in dangerous activites where there is a high likelyhood you'll need the health-care system, you should have to arrange some sort of insurance or coverage for yourself so that the average taxpayer is not paying for what you are doing.
A couple of examples of what I mean are things like:
-"Xtreme" Sports.
Or here in British Columbia some people are exempt from having to wear a helmet (even though it is law) when riding a motorcycle because of their religious headgear. Even though there is nothing in their religion that says they have to ride a motorcycle. In that type of situation, I believe the person should either have to choose between using the safety gear that everybody else has to by law, or carry some special insurance so that if you do get hurt, it's not going to cost the general public...
But, I'll stop now, before I get too big of a rant going...
:hi:
The closest system to free health care that I am aware of is from your good friends from that lovely country called Cuba.
As to weather everybody is entitled to it...that's kind of a tough question, because everybody is going to have a slightly different opinion. I think all people deserve access to medical care with some exceptions. I don't believe it could ever be "Free" and successful, but it should be within every patients means. I see nothing wrong with a single person pulling in $200,000/yr being charged more for a particular medical service then a single parent pulling in $30,000/yr. I don't think people should be turned away from a hospital (and I know this happens every day in the US) just because they don't have any (or the right kind of) insurance. It should be regulated to some extent, and should not be run for profit. Because, when it's run for profit, patient care will suffer in an attempt to maximize the margins.
That being said, the exceptions I spoke of earlier:
People such as:
-Junkies who do not contribute to society, just siphon from it.
-Criminals who have committed serious crimes.
would be two examples to people who I wouldn't feel bad about "leaving behind"...especially when there are good hard working people who deserve the help much more. If there are no sick law-abiding citizens sick or hurt or in need of the health care system in some way...then the above two can be treated, but until that time, they're taking a doctor away from somebody who deserves it much more.
Also, if you're going to engage in dangerous activites where there is a high likelyhood you'll need the health-care system, you should have to arrange some sort of insurance or coverage for yourself so that the average taxpayer is not paying for what you are doing.
A couple of examples of what I mean are things like:
-"Xtreme" Sports.
Or here in British Columbia some people are exempt from having to wear a helmet (even though it is law) when riding a motorcycle because of their religious headgear. Even though there is nothing in their religion that says they have to ride a motorcycle. In that type of situation, I believe the person should either have to choose between using the safety gear that everybody else has to by law, or carry some special insurance so that if you do get hurt, it's not going to cost the general public...
But, I'll stop now, before I get too big of a rant going...
:hi:
As stated before...nothing is free. One thing that is a fabricated lie here in the US is that "people lack healthcare". That is not true. NO ONE is refused medical treatment. You might be stabilized in an emergency room in one hospital, and then moved to another that handles uninsured/underinsured patients, but you are NOT denied medical treatment.
To answer the question, NO... my copy of the Constitution says you are entitled to "life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness. IMO, other than that no one is "entitled" to anything. Especially if "you" are asking for someone else to pick up the tab.
See why I'm not King of the world, someone would kill me. ;-)
To answer the question, NO... my copy of the Constitution says you are entitled to "life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness. IMO, other than that no one is "entitled" to anything. Especially if "you" are asking for someone else to pick up the tab.
See why I'm not King of the world, someone would kill me. ;-)
As I said, no one in refused healthcare, so you will be able to "live". YOU might have to pay the bill somehow, like lose the cellphone, cable, internet, etc... but YOU are responsable for YOUR welfare, not others.
Besides, IMO if the government would get out of the way you might see more private charities pop up and be able/willing to assist others. It's one thing to give to help someone compared to being forced to do so by some government agency.
Funny with your take on it, how can we then condone abortion? Don't those babies have the right to "LIFE, liberty, and the persuit of happiness"? But that's a whole other arguement.
Besides, IMO if the government would get out of the way you might see more private charities pop up and be able/willing to assist others. It's one thing to give to help someone compared to being forced to do so by some government agency.
Funny with your take on it, how can we then condone abortion? Don't those babies have the right to "LIFE, liberty, and the persuit of happiness"? But that's a whole other arguement.
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