LordBoreal51

A free market for Health Care is great, but unless there's a government run competitor which provides basic services to those without any money, then the Insurance Companies can mark up their services all they want without any consequences.

MosbyMarion

^Not really, because people will simply skip insurance and have savings.

Kei-o-lei

since there has never been a "free market for health care" I'd leave that ideological-based social experiment at the door: too risky; not "conservative" enough

since virtually all countries have a mixed public/private hybrid I'd keep that

since the public option seems to work well for the aged in the US, I'd expand it to all

Kei

hellojan

To me, the bottom line has been drawn at improving access. I'd like to make it so that working families are able to get themselves and their children to family doctors, specialists, etc when necessary.

Co-ops and tax credits are probably the easiest way. Raising taxes can buy access but doesn't address rising costs. Here's an interesting thought: take away the ability of an insurance company to invest on Wall Street. If you look at the three biggest increases in insurance premiums in the last 25 years, they all come at times when the market is down or flat. Insurance companies, not able to make money in the market, have to force premiums up.

The idea of tort reform is as foolish as government intervention in procedure pricing. I don't want the federal government telling my doctor what eye surgery should cost. I don't want them telling me the maximum amount I am eligible to sue for when they operate on the wrong eye.

MosbyMarion

^Mistakes happen. Anything medical has a risk associated with it. If you expect your doctor to carry that risk for you you will get a lot of uneccesary costs.

Schmoomcgoo

The idea that the US has the best health care in the world, in terms of overall survival rates, is a fallacy. In terms of infant mortality we rank 41st and in overall life expectancy we rank 46th. These are the numbers despite spending more on health care than any other country. Health care in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

hellojan

Mosby, I don't think "mistake" is a good word for accidentally killing a patient or amputating the wrong leg. Doctors are offered the rewards of high salaries and comfortable benefits - 8 weeks off a year, anyone? - because of their skill set and also because of the risk they take on.

I'm always confused that Republicans shy away from the responsibility factor here. If a doc makes a mistake, it's their responsibility to incur the cost of that error - as dictated by the market.

Mr. Bojangles

Believe what you want, but there are A LOT of people who use illegal drugs in this country and the fact that it is illegal does not stop anyone who wants drugs from obtaining them. People you know, who you would never expect of smoking weed or blowing coke, probably partake in such activities. There are many responsible and discreet drug users who would be more than happy to pay a tax rather than go to jail. It is dangerous and irresponsible to continue to waste money and let criminals handle these enterprises where what you see (or what you're told) is not always what you get.

I come from a working family, everyone I've grown up with comes from a working family and there has been no problems whatsoever with access to healthcare. People get the treatment they need in most cases, especially if they have a job.

The problem is the people who don't have healthcare are STILL getting the treatment they need. From working at an inner-city hospital I saw many people who treated the ER like it was their family doctor. Only one problem though...they didn't have health insurance. Tons, literally tons of people who don't have healthcare just simply go to the ER because they HAVE to treat you. When all is said and done, the hospitals are left with the bottom line. How do they pay for it? They certainly don't cut doctors wages, slack on much needed equipment, or reduce staff. Instead they jack up the costs of tests and procedures. They also order many (usually unnecessary) procedures to be done on patients, not because of tort reform but because they need their financials to be back in the black. Naturally, this increase puts added pressure on insurance companies to increase their premiums so they can still make a profit. Technically half of the money we pay to insurance companies is the direct effect of people without insurance who are still receiving treatment because of this medical loophole.

MosbyMarion

You and I both know that doctors being sued for amputating the wrong leg is not the problem here. When doctors are forced to go AGAINST their professional wisdom when advising patients, for fear of a lawsuit should something happen, then we have a problem. No procedure is completly safe, and no human can be complely mistake-proof. If doctors are expected to take out insurance on every procedure, then they WILL pass that cost on to their patients.