tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18370478.post3839856039442341333..comments2023-10-29T08:19:07.422-04:00Comments on STONE SOUP MUSINGS: Government can be a force for goodKathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06875378679299157108noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18370478.post-42586205501061427282007-09-04T12:41:00.000-04:002007-09-04T12:41:00.000-04:00Abi, I'm afraid I have to agree with you about the...Abi, I'm afraid I have to agree with you about the "I've got mine" mentality in this country. The only reason health care polls well is because the problem is becoming insidious and starting to affect people who once felt untouchable. It shouldn't take that to open people's eyes, but like so much in this country, people prefer to turn their heads and ignore the problems.<BR/><BR/>Stephen, I understand your concerns, but the Canadian health system, and even our Medicare system, are not socialized medicine. Doctors are not paid by the government to practice medicine and patients can choose which hospitals, clinics or doctors they want. The plans basically operate like a big insurance company. They process the medical bills and tell the health providers how much they're willing to pay for various procedures. Hospitals and doctors can choose not to accept Medicare, and I believe the same goes for the Canadian plan. <BR/><BR/>Regarding quality, recent studies show that America's health care has fallen considerably in some areas (longevity, infant mortality, etc.) and is no longer the best in the world. If you search "health care" at the top of this blog, you'll find lots of posts that give links to statistics and data.<BR/><BR/>I favor a single-payer, not for profit plan, because it would cover ALL Americans with the basic level of care our seniors and the disabled currently get through Medicare, and it doesn't eliminate insurance companies since people can still buy supplemental policies on their own. Medicare has an excellent record of financial stewardship too, about 98% of the money that goes into Medicare gets spent on medical services. Compare that to private insurance where up to 30% of the money gets spent on administrative expenses like huge CEO salaries. <BR/><BR/>I hope I'm not the one rambling now (smile), but I wanted to touch on some of the issues you mentioned. It was good to hear from you.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875378679299157108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18370478.post-10313504521267320252007-09-03T23:31:00.000-04:002007-09-03T23:31:00.000-04:00I think your thoughts are great. I used to think ...I think your thoughts are great. I used to think that a more socialized health care was the way to go.<BR/><BR/>I am still an advocate of government involvement in the industry, but I would be quicker to support some kind of legislation that made the health care industry more competitive.<BR/><BR/>Socialized health care is better than what we have when we look at the big picture, but our economic system and corporate culture, in my mind offers something in terms of quality that no socialist system has proven to be able to do.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing. Sorry to ramble on your blog, but I'd love your thoughts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18370478.post-92033605201331535602007-09-03T18:49:00.000-04:002007-09-03T18:49:00.000-04:00I think more and more corporations are also on our...I think more and more corporations are also on our side - for example, the auto industry, for some of the same economic reasons in the SLC article.<BR/><BR/>But all the practical, economic benefits of single-payer, not-for-profit health care are no match for two very powerful forces: the private healthcare lobby, and the millions of Americans whose basic philisophic outlook is, <I>I've got mine and f*ck you</I>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18370478.post-45473027792410706792007-08-31T15:18:00.000-04:002007-08-31T15:18:00.000-04:00Good post and one that puts the focus where it sho...Good post and one that puts the focus where it should be, instead of the trivial matters of neglect.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283557503536810926noreply@blogger.com