Didn't the GOP destroy the idea of Universal Health Care?

Hawkguy, I am fascinated by the number of people who are apologists for our profit-based system of health care that has allowed health-insurance companies to deny care to people with preexisting condition or even to rescind care when the cost becomes more than they are willing to spend. The new law will prohibit denial of coverage, but these angry apologists would repeal the law. Opposing care for people who need it has nothing to do with good sense or even compassion; it is about an emotionally-based fury to attack a group of caring politicians simply because (1) caring people do not validate anger and the primitive passion to teach the other side a lesson, and (2) angry people want to see people hurt, if they view those people as their oppositon.

As a country, the overall quality of our system ranks about 37--and it has been sinking for decades. The reason is that profit is increasingly more important than is quality or accessibility of care. Universal health systems of all other First-World Countries rank well above ours in overall quality because they are based on outcomes, not profits. Furthermore, the cost of medical care per person (and I include the 45 million or so Americans that have no health-care coverage whatsoever) in those countries cost about one-half what our system costs.

Sadly, I have lived long enough to know that there are people who opposed guaranteed, affordable access to health care until they or their loved ones were denied care. I suspect that no person who has replied to you has had to pay the $220,000-plus I would have had to pay for my recent heart surgery had I not had good private health insurance from my government retirement that backed up my Medicare coverage.

The common denominator among people who oppose universal health care is lack of credible substantiation—and for good reason: there is none. They are thus left with no alternative to misinformation, erroneous claims (evidenced by lack of any credible substantiation), flat assertions based on dogma rather than thought, and labels in lieu of arguments. Those who share the mob mentality of opponents of the reality of the crisis upon us because they receive applause from the members of their mob, but they nevertheless fail to enlighten and inform.

One of the most common mistakes made even by people who support health-care reform is the belief that malpractice suits are, to use his word, a “huge” part of health cost. Not true.

“MALPRACTICE INSURANCE COSTS AMOUNT TO ONLY 3.2 PERCENT OF THE AVERAGE PHYSICIAN'S REVENUES.” (Public Citizen Congress Watch, 2003, p. 57)

“In the United States, [tax-financed spending] per capita on health care is [greater] than . . . in Canada. In 2004, Canada GOVERNMENT-spending was $2,120 (in US dollars) per person on health care, while the United States GOVERNMENT-spending $2,724. . . However, U.S. government-spending covers less than half of all health care costs. Private spending for health care is also far greater in the U.S. than in Canada. In Canada, AN AVERAGE OF $917 was spent annually by individuals or private insurance companies for health care, including dental, eye care, and drugs. IN THE U.S., THIS SUM IS $3,372 . . . This difference is a relatively recent development. In 1971 the nations were much closer, with Canada spending 7.1% of GDP on health while the U.S. spent 7.6%.” (http://nextbigfuture.com/2009/08/comparing-healthc...

The GOP (and too many Democrats) are strictly pro Big Business, and unconcerned about the well-being of most of us. Some make the naked assertion that health care is not a right! Yet, approximately 45,000 people a year in this country die for lack of access to adequate health care (http://www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/medicine-hea... consequently, if health care is not a right, why not? Do these 45,000 people deserve to die because their employer does not offer health-insurance coverage, because they are unemployed, or because they cannot afford the premiums of insurance offered to individuals?

Look at the links offered because they bring up on your screen pro-corporatist propaganda that attempt to claim that the GOP offered a viable alternative.

If you asked this question hoping to read sound arguments grounded in credible fact and sound reasoning offering informed arguments from another perspective, you have to be disappointed.

Addressing your question, perhaps you can infer your answer; the untrue assertions, the lack of good reason on the part of the GOP “defenders” speak for themselves: there is no good reason for the GOP to continue to refuse to propose far less expensive health reform, including universal health care. It is not because of the pretexts they repeat over and again: too costly (as they ignore the fact that the US system is almost twice as costly as are health-care systems in countries that offer universal health care that produces far better outcomes that does our system

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Canadia...

It is because the GOP, along with too many Democrats, have been bought and paid for by well-heeled, powerful special interests whose further self-enrichment requires their continued, ruthless picking the pockets of the vast majority of us.

***All are welcome to disagree. It is reasonable to ask that your disagreement be based on sound reasoning and demonstrable (cited) evidence. Reactions straight from the gut are neither reasoned nor mature.

***There can be no universal health care if people who want to avoid paying for it while they are young and healthy insist on a selfish "right" to choose whether they will be covered. By the way, even young people can incur killer medical bills. A 15 year-old football player, in an instant, became a quadriplegic. SSI (which then--but not since Reagan--covered his expense of attending college) enabled him to learn to use equipment and tools he required to overcome his lack of mobility and his studies made it possible for him to find employment as an excellent technician for the government (the private sector would not provide reasonable accommodations for him to work outside the public sector).

It is true that lack of support, especially from the GOP, made a beefed-up Medicare for all impossible, but such coverage would cost about one-half per person as our profit-based system. Why do we need for-profit health-insurance companies that do all in their power to deny coverage in order to maximize profits?

Again, please speak on the basis of knowledge and understanding; this should not be a subject for venting one's anger.

Wow, i'm inspired with you enlightened question. that is an incredible point of view to take. shop that and you will pass some distance in existence. that is no longer the governments place to furnish wellbeing look after all human beings. in case you think of that is, I pray you dont get maximum cancers. contained in the protection tension, we've this ingredient called triage. Triage is whilst sufferers are divided by harm ranges. people who have not have been given any desire are placed to the realm, mutually as much less injured are cared for. in case you get maximum cancers or AIDS, that is a undeniable death sentence and for this reason the lowst precedence of all wellbeing circumstances. you would be left to die. additionally, every physique which would be a doctor under social medicine is a verifiable fool. like the questioner stated, decrease pay, bigger rules, fewer medical doctors, greater malpractice and misdiagnosis. Say bye-bye to the suited medicine contained in the international. Socialism has a technique of destroying each and every thing it touches; I examine with it as an "anti-Midas" touch; each and every thing it touches turn to SH*T!

The Obama administration lied to us, we were told it would reduce the defiict, rates will go downetc. the opposit is now obvious, rates are going up, and the deficit will be even larger especailly in years 12 and beyond. Just look at any country who has it, it is a bigger and bigger portion of their GNP. Rather then fist attacking it through the expense side, (the GOP wanted this via tory reform, interstate competition medicarre reform and more, we went right into this plan in total disregard of what more than 50% of the people wanted. In short the demcorates shoved it down our throats and they still can't tell you what is in the 2500 page bill. Soon, you will be required to buy insurance if you don't you will be fiend, and could go to jail if you don't pay the fine. Hopefully the 21 states fightng he law will win. This was just the first step in Obama lie, he wan'ts single payor and he knows private industry will just give up and pay a fine rather then insure people.

You are so naive.. We saw a Provincial Governor from Canada come to the US because of a waiting period. We have heard from so many who are still waiting for annual checkups in Canada!

The answer to your question is very simple.. as are you! The GOP wants accountability.. not public rip-offs! Is this not also an insurance thing? Look at the ads since Obama took office.. who was bought? One must note, if intellegent, that it does not matter the party.. it matters the morals supported in that party! A liar is what they are and who would suggest, except radicals, that if Obama ever told an absolute truth, it would be given prime time on every Communist supporting or Liberal network..

One has to look at Obama in the past.. as well as now.. He is totally and fully Communist oriented! Watch him teach in college! Earl

The American People have overwhelmingly rejected the notion of Government controlling health care. Just because you can imagine a better system doesn't mean that the Government can deliver it.

And just as an aside, blaming Republicans for your suffering is weak.

In 2014 Obamacare may actually start of looking pretty good but within 10 years the quality will be far worse than we have today and the costs will actually be a lot higher.

before medicare limited the supply of doctors by burdening them with paperwork and regulations and increased the demand for them by subsidizing the elderly to visit them insurance wasnt necessary to see doctors. it was so cheap to see a doctor that they came on less than a days notice, had a house visit, saw several members of the family in one visit, and it was paid for out of pocket with only one person working. insurance was reserved for serious emergencies. but medicine became so expensive because of government intervention people began to need insurance to see doctors for routine visits like yourself. then state governments began to pander to special interest groups and mandated that insurance companies cover certain procedures, like for mental illness, or drug rehab. but what if i just wanted catasrophic insurance, if i didnt use drugs or have a history of mental illness? too bad, the government is forcing you to buy it if you want any type of insurance. so the price of insurance went up. people started dropping coverage. now the government is saying see not enough people are covered by insurance we need to help you. but if you look at what really happened, the government caused the high prices that make insurance necessary to see doctors in the first place. then they caused the high prices of insurance companies. and now they want more power to fix the problems they caused in the first place? no thanks. that is like the government breaking my legs and then giving me crutches and then saying, " see without us you wouldnt be able to walk!".

so i would like to ask you, does the government like to see people suffer and pay higher prices? well its either that or government is extremely inefficient. in either case i wouldnt trust them to fix the problem.

Buy better insurance... I get in the same week that I get a referral. If you think it would be any better when every single person can take advantage of the system then you are truly blind.

Seems the GOP didn't have enough votes to stop anything The total idiots passed.

Yes. They love to see you in pain.

Name one government program that is efficient and doesn't cost more than twice what the Private sector would charge?

Social Security is taking Millions from you over your lifetime and you don't even understand that. Government is keeping the poor poor, but the Left thinks they help.

If you would be as stubborn to fight your diseases, you could be healthy by now without government interference.