Health Care / US insurance system is a mess-?

If the government gets a hold of it, look to see the decline of health insurance in US.

Universal health care sounds appealing, but at this time, it is likely not a feasible approach. Too much greed and not enough concern about the public good by doctors, insurance companies, politicians, etc. And then there are too many people leading unhealthy lifestyles. For example, people who smoke, people who do drugs, people who eat too much and become obese.

There is blame to go around for everyone.

Maybe when attitudes change about a great many things across the board is when universal health care should be explored. If implemented right now, it would be a disaster for this country.

So for now, I think that the best thing that this country could do is perhaps to regulate insurance and medical companies, use its influence to drive down prices for everything, stop discrimination against pre-existing conditions. There are a number of ways to make health insurance affordable, not impossible, for all. It is just a matter of whether the government and the people have enough guts to take a temporary profit loss and do those things.

There is a fundamental problem, which is that doctors are still driving to work in Porches and Ferrari's and then driving home to their million dollar mansions. How is anyone going to convince them to take less money?

I just read an article today saying that doctors are dropping Medicare patients because Medicare doesn't pay the doctors enough.

It is a really screwed up mess, but I don't see how it can be fixed when doctors are as greedy and money-driven as Wall Street executives. I can't imagine that doctors will accept a system where everyone has health care, because then the doctors would actually receive less money. Any government-run health care system would want/need to control costs, but like I said, how are you going to convince doctors and other health care people to reduce costs and lower their standard of living?

No it would cost more, be more burdensome and we would lose tons of doctors to other Countries.

Take a look at what they control. The educational system in the United States is a joke compared to those in Europe. Social Security and Medicare are running out of money. Even look at VA care which is government backed.

How will the Government make our health care system better when they can not even run the systems that they have now?

No, a government run healthcare system would be ridiculous.... think of your state-run DMV offices only 50 times worse. The government should regulate the healthcare systems though, particularly the insurance companies. Insurance systems/companies are bloated with unnecessary expenditures and greedy executives. They cost more and more and benefit the user less and less each year.

A universal health care system sounds wonderful on the surface. Free health care... for everyone? Fantastic! I wouldn't have to worry about my mom, who is seventy and has no health insurance of any kind, or my nieces and nephews. My sister could get the dental work that she needs done. My brother could get the dental work that he needs. Universal health care? Woo-hoo!

But no, not really. First of all, our government is completely incompetent.

Second, our government is too partisan. Most of our politicians tend to pander only to special interest groups, and tend to not play well with the other side of the aisle.

Third, I'm currently living in a country which has universal health care (Germany). I've spoken to many Germans about this issue. Some of them say that they love it. They love not having to worry about paying for anything. But many have told me that the high sales tax rate (20%), and the ridiculous cost of gas ($8 a gallon), are killing them financially. They would rather pay for medical care as needed, rather than have such high taxes. Many of them have fears of the economy going belly-up, just like it did before Hitler was elected.

No, I think we ought to work on our health care system as it is, rather than converting to a universal system, even if it means that in the meantime, I have to fear for the health and safety of my family.

A good answer to this is. Pick the name of the politician/president who you despise. (Some will say bill clinton some GW. either one.. doesnt matter).. Now say you really want HIM to run health care. Rather than your governor... oh.. and you hate HIM right? or your mayor?

Wouldnt we rather take responsibliity for our OWN health care/ insurance.? Let churches and non-profits do what they do best in helping those without family or recourse. Bill clinton or Gw will just mess it up.. and they do it at 75cents on the Dollar.

No.. government does almost NOTHING better than letting people take responsibility.

Look at Sociali Security. It is bankrupt.. but it could have been filled to overflowing for all generations to come by now.

and government squandered it. If you REALLY think about it you should be so pissed off that you become a wacko nut job like me.

SOcial security is BANKRUPT.. and it should have had TRILLIONS by now.

Republicans and Democrats are equally to blame.

GET GW OUT OF MY POCKETBOOK>.. (or bill clinton or obama/socialist that he is)

Hawaii tried that recently. Free heath care for all children . It went belly up in 7 months. Answer is the government can't do anything.

Kent makes the best points of all. He deserves best answer.

yes, the government should provide free health care for its citizens - and only its citizens.

also, free education for that matter.

as a tax payer, i wouldn't mind paying my fair share for the service. have some exceptions, eg. non-essential cosmetic surgery, that people can pay for themselves... but the rest should be provided.

cost less? it wouldn't cost more.

scrap the iraq war and stop underwriting gready insurance companies and banks, and we should have room for a tax cut.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sytifiIpoLc