http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030617/ts_nm/health_insurance_dc_1 Wait till the HMO pr firms get their grimy little hands on this report. I'm thinking "character assassination" against the U of M president. Maybe tie her to communism through the Affirmative Action question?
Of course, now we see the light. All we have to do is insure the ones currently uninsured. But what about the rest of us slobs who have to pay for our insurance and co-pays and stuff? To make it fair, we have to be covered, too. Voila, National health. I get really strong vibes that the left are starting a slow-cook on a healthcare crisis next year, just in time for the presidential election. Hunger and homelessness in dubya's America are probably about to boil over, too. Too bad the left doesn't have the presidency to really gin up a healthcare crisis like they did in '93. Even then the effort fell short.
Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them Smiley, should we not have universal health care? If not, why not? It is important for everyone to be able to be healthy.
Uninsured people do cost more than insured people - when they are getting medical care. But if they don't get medical care, they are cheaper than insured people. With the amount of care needed soon to explode (and the ability to pay for it likely less than now), the way to handle it is to reduce the amount of medical care given. Offering real medical insurance to everyone would be a budget nightmare in a decade.
Re: Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them What fun is capitalism if there aren't sick beggars and homeless people? It's like playing a game where there are no losers. Somebody has to lose. (the answer Republicans don't want to admit)
Even if we didn't provide any coverage to the uninsured, we would still be spending far more per capita than civilized countries. Most (industrialized) countries cover everyone at less than half the cost per person and have a much healthier population.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them Yeah, like the beggar I saw at the entrance to the Alcatraz tour. He had a sign that read "Need Money to Buy Weed" The downtrodden gravitate to this liberal utopia, San Francisco. San Francisco treats the scum like valued citizens, yet they just get more numerous and obnoxious. How could that be, in such an enlightened paradise? I'm reluctant to hand over the health care business to the government, since we already have a system that's moderately functional. We can put a man on the moon, but we also buy $1000 toilet seats.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them What fun is communistic despotism if there aren't huge shortages of goods and services, dynsfuntional logistical systems, and political repression, all in the name of a system that somehow rids the economic and social fabric of the inequalities of capitalism?? Hint: there's a one way ticket to North Korea for you in the overnight mail...which, by the way, Kim Il Jong thinks is a purely evil capitalist tool.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them I like capitalism, just not the sadistic, perverted form that is popular with some in Texas like Bush II, DeLay, Gramm, and Armey.
I like this topic and if I took two minutes to look, I could probably find hundreds of reports just like yours Doc. This is not news to the HMOs and Managed Care companies. They know their precious profits and control freak like operating procedures are in jepordy. And they should be shaking in their proverbial boots. When enough people finally wise up and realize what's going on with healthcare in this country or, more likely, enough people come face to face with the medical related hardships currently endured by more than 41 million Americans, then this country will hopefully start demanding change and voting their postions. If the HMOs are going to do any character assasinating, they better prepare to chew up and spit out people like Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, the folks at the US Chamber of Commerce, numerous labor unions, the AMA, ANA, AARP, Families USA, and the list goes on. Last Friday (6-14) it was announced that the State of Maine has passed legislation becoming the first state in the nation to adopt a universal health plan for it's population. I'm not that familiar with this particular legislation, but let's wait and see what happens. Hopefully this will begin a trend toward accessible, affordable healthcare for all.
Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them Good! But FYI, the healthcare casserole in the crock-pot has been simmering for more than a decade. It's rancid, time to throw it out and start over.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Uninsured Citizens Cost More Than It Would to Insure Them Ow yeah... because from a society ruled by 'the market' it's one step down to communism. Yup... Good post man.