Americans - would you support single-payer?

[MAGAnificent]

Your article is an opinion piece, written in 2010, without statistical evidence, by a conservative for a conservative think tank.

The Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy is a California-based free-market think tank which promotes "the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility" through policies that emphasize a free economy, private initiative, and limited government. from Wikipedia.

It was founded in 1979 by a wealthy English chicken farmer , Sir Anthony Fisher. It is hardly a definitive report on how Canadians regard their health care and insurance system.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/my-heart-my-choice-williams-says-1.879413

Is the Canadian Broacasting Company a US conservative think tank?

 

[weaver2]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/my-heart-my-choice-williams-says-1.879413

Is the Canadian Broacasting Company a US conservative think tank?

You didn't quote Canadian Broacasting (sic). You quoted Pacific Research Institute.

 

[LouC]

I voted OTHER.

If it improved medical care in the United States, for all, without damaging the lives of caregivers.

 

[BirdinHand]

Did you miss where I wrote that those who are currently on Medicare should not have their taxes raised to front the costs for a one payer system?

Half of Congress is eligible for Medicare and earns multi-6 figure salaries a year plus other income streams.

Lower income individuals with only social security income wouldn’t see any sort of major income tax changes.

 

[MAGAnificent]

You didn't quote Canadian Broacasting (sic). You quoted Pacific Research Institute.

And in the next post backed it up with a CBC article. Do try to keep up.

 

[aociswundumho]

Will single payer ever come to pass?

Yes, it is inevitable. Government failure leads to more government, not less. My guess is 25 years. It will be an abject failure right from the very beginning.

It won't as long as Republicans have enough power in congress to filibuster it. Their existence is to protect/increase the wealth of the wealthy. They take the Grover Norquist pledge to never raise taxes. As long as they can keep that white working class conned into voting for them then we will keep the capitalist system we have. Lots of money to be made denying health care to Americans.

Obama could have gotten UHC passed during his first two years, but Democrats wouldn't vote for it. Democrats don't even vote for it at the state level, otherwise states like California would have it by now.

 

[jpevans]

I never paid them. My point was that public entities also charge ‘user fees’ for their services.

I don’t know for sure, but wouldn’t emergency ambulance service be covered under Universal Healthcare?

 

[rickc]

In other words, you support the general concept, yet no specific legislative proposal.

Perhaps, you should look at Medicare for all this way: Medicare (for some) costs in premiums alone about $150 monthly per person, so to supply that benefit to a 4 person household should cost them $600/month (or $7,200/year) in premiums.

I am still working. Guess I just make too much money. My monthly premium is $243. But that is way cheaper than blue cross I used to pay and Medicare has much better coverage.

 

[WorldWatcher]

I am still working. Guess I just make too much money. My monthly premium is $243. But that is way cheaper than blue cross I used to pay and Medicare has much better coverage.

If you are working, I’ll bet that is only 75-80% of the premium with the employer paying the rest.

WW

 

[rickc]

If you are working, I’ll bet that is only 75-80% of the premium with the employer paying the rest.

WW

Oh absolutely not. Medicare doesn't work that way. They take it out of my social security payment.

Americans who get their health insurance through work never realize what health insurance cost. I think it is just a sneaky way they use to keep people from bitching about health care in america.

 

[aociswundumho]

I voted OTHER.

If it improved medical care in the United States, for all, without damaging the lives of caregivers.

You mean without lowering the salaries of the people who work in hospitals, correct?

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

The best one we’ve ever been to was Syracuse, but it had its own VA issues as well, namely what you mentioned - almost every ****ing time you go in there, there’s a different doctor. You can’t get used to a good doctor because they shuffle them around and you never see them again.

Huntsville - ok so we were moving from Syracuse to Huntsville and hubs had chest pains. We went to the Syracuse VA and they wanted to cath him immediately, as he was a heart patient. He refused, as we already had the moving truck packed and our lease was up. He explained that we would be in Huntsville the next day, and we would go then. We got to Huntsville and they told us to call Birmingham. Birmingham gave us a 5-month wait for an emergency cardiac appointment. We explained to them exactly what Syracuse told us to say, and they did not care. 5 months for his appointment.

Crikey, how long ago was this?
Our experience in Memphis was in 2000.

 

[rickc]

You mean without lowering the salaries of the people who work in hospitals, correct?

Exactly

No reason to cut the providers compensation.

Cut out the administrative cost and profits from the insurance companies and others who are not directly involved in providing health care Seems to me that in itself would reduce cost. Not having all the administrative cost for all the different insurance companies would reduce cost even more.

 

[LouC]

You mean without lowering the salaries of the people who work in hospitals, correct?

Yes, without lowering the salary or hourly wage of any non licensed medical care employee.

I would understand the need to consider compensation for those in the industry who have attained their positions after extensive schooling and extensive licensed training.

 

[Allan]

I don’t know for sure, but wouldn’t emergency ambulance service be covered under Universal Healthcare?

It is in my province.

 

[aociswundumho]

Yes, without lowering the salary or hourly wage of any non licensed physician or non licensed medical care employee.

I would understand the need to consider compensation for those in the industry who have attained their positions after extensive schooling and extensive licensed training.

You mean licensed, not non-licensed, correct?

 

[Superfly]

Crikey, how long ago was this?
Our experience in Memphis was in 2000.

My employee’s Memphis experience was around 2005.

My experience with the Birmingham VA was early 2000s. Don’t remember exact year.

 

[LouC]

You mean licensed, not non-licensed, correct?

Thanks, I failed to edit that sentence properly!

I fixed it.

 

[Bullseye]

Perhaps you should compare Exxon's brutal killings, land takings, pollution, environmental destruction, oil spills, outright flaunting of laws, illegal treatment of indigenous people, tax evasion, illegal financial manipulation of smaller countries monetary system to how Social Security or Medicare work systems work.

Medicare and Social Security are running out of money - the amount brought in by taxes is forcing them to draw down on other assets; which are projects to run out within 10-12 years.

 

[aociswundumho]

I edited this quote to reflect what LouC meant:

Yes, without lowering the salary or hourly wage of any licensed medical care employee.

I would understand the need to consider compensation for those in the industry who have attained their positions after extensive schooling and extensive licensed training.

So you would support reducing the salaries of all unlicensed healthcare workers, in order to make single payer more affordable?

 

[WorldWatcher]

I am still working. Guess I just make too much money. My monthly premium is $243. But that is way cheaper than blue cross I used to pay and Medicare has much better coverage.

If you are working, I’ll bet that is only 75-80% of the premium with the employer paying the rest.

WW

Oh absolutely not. Medicare doesn't work that way. They take it out of my social security payment.

I didn't say that Medicare works that way. You talked about your employer premium.

If I were to retire today my Medicare premium would be $244.60 per month. That doesn't include Medigap insurance to fill in the week spots. And that per individual, my wife as to pay the same amount for her coverage as it is not two person spousal coverage.

Americans who get their health insurance through work never realize what health insurance cost. I think it is just a sneaky way they use to keep people from bitching about health care in america.

I used to be more prevalent under defined benefits plans that some aspect of medical coverage was included in retirement. But since the demise of pensions and the rise of 401K type retirements being on the individual, non-Medicare medical in retirement is a thing of the past.


WW

 

[ttwtt78640]

Half of Congress is eligible for Medicare and earns multi-6 figure salaries a year plus other income streams.

Lower income individuals with only social security income wouldn’t see any sort of major income tax changes.

Based on what, exactly?

 

[rickc]

Medicare and Social Security are running out of money - the amount brought in by taxes is forcing them to draw down on other assets; which are projects to run out within 10-12 years.

Simple fix. Just raise taxes. Republicans never will. They want them bankrupt where they will be easier to get rid of.

I believe the wealthy in this country have had a nice run over the last 50 years. Every since Reagan and trickle down. The other 90% of Americans have suffered for it. Time to pay the piper.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

My employee’s Memphis experience was around 2005.

My experience with the Birmingham VA was early 2000s. Don’t remember exact year.

According to Medicare, I guess Birmingham cleaned up their act a bit.


Birmingham , AL — The Birmingham VA Health Care System received a 4-star patient experience rating in Medicare’s latest Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient survey report.

Birmingham VA scores high marks for patient experience | VA Birmingham health care | Veterans Affairs

The Birmingham VA Health Care System received a 4-star patient experience rating in Medicare’s latest Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient survey report.

www.va.gov

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

That depends on how the “free” (federal?) universal healthcare system is funded.

NO ONE EVER SAYS IT IS FREE so stop erecting the stupid straw man about "QUOTE free UNQUOTE".