Scan Medical Insurance - Where do you stand with universal health care?

Where do you stand with universal health care?

*Note: I put this here because I wanted to get responses from those that have spouses and families My husband and I watched Michael Moore’s “SICKO” last night and I have to say it’s quite disturbing. Of course we didn’t really need a documentary to tell us that our healthcare system in the United States is out of control, but it certainly put things into perspective. I look at what I have to pay for health insurance and how I still end up having to pay insane dollar amounts even WITH medical insurance. And I know what to expect for those that have no health insurance because my husband went through a stage of having to wait his 90 days before being granted health insurance. To which we never used because the deductible was far beyond anything we could afford. So just curious, what are your views on universal health care? Or what are your views of SICKO? (If you have seen it) I’m looking for both positive and negative views here. I’m curious to hear where other people stand. And also, please state what country you live in the event you are living elsewhere. And what types of coverage you have in your country or at least how it works. Bottom line: Do you pay? If so, how much? Medicaid/Medicare is an option if you qualify. And I’m a married woman with children and I do not qualify…. I went to college, have a degree, have a great job! I have BCBS insurance through my job. Group health insurance. I was paying $400 a MONTH for my son who was a newborn just to have coverage. And I paid it, because I couldn’t let my baby have no health insurance. I have coverage and I’m not in favor of universal healthcare, but I’d be interested to look at ALL sides of it and weigh the good, bad and the ugly. So I really don’t think job/no job vs insurance/no insurance, in favor or not, is the greatest of assumptions. But you’re still more than entitled to believe as you would like as we all have our own stance on the issue. Funny you mention that…I haven’t changed jobs in 6 years because I have good health insurance and a good retirement plan. And I am positive that I can make more money elsewhere…..but you weigh out your options. This is mine….

Public Comments

I will pay my own way thanks. I think this is the wrong area for this question, sorry.
I do NOT want universal healthcare. Rich people and people that can afford it fly to AMERICA to get medical procedures done. They do that for a very good reason! Do YOU want to wait 6 months to see a doctor? You will HAVE to with Universal Healthcare. My husband and I work hard for our family and have Health Insurance (BlueCrossBlueShield) for our family. We worked hard to be educated and responsible people. We pay taxes, what more should we have to do? No way on Universal Healthcare. And Michael Moore should give up. He is one sided.
Of course EVERYONE in the United States deserve health care and not just the politicians. However it looks like the only thing the government wants to give us is a law that says WE have to health insurance and WE have to pay for it ourselves. How that even starts to make sense is beyond me!!! Besides are government being a self serving pain in the backside, the real enemy her is the health insurance companies and the hospitals. Third world countries have better healthcare then we do! Valerie X, just wait... those wonderful benefits that you get now are soon going to be a thing of the past. You are just lucky. We have BC/BS too, degrees, and work hard too, big deal. I know people with PhD's that don't have health care. Don't you read the papers and see how the health care is being taken away right and left.
I'm all for universal healthcare! I''m paying enough as it is...I would be so glad of getting rid of this 3k a year expense..
Medicaid is always an option
We have group health through my husbands company. However, if we were to go universal like England or other countries, then our taxes will increase tremendously. So, we will pay for it no matter which way we go. This way, we have a choice of which plan to choose and what company we want. We don't have to go group insurance, we can go individual. Just how much we are willing or capable of paying each month is the kicker.
I think that the poor people of the country want to have Universal Health care and those who work and pay for their own health care are against.... I personally, am against. I think that by allowing everyone health care with no cost is a huge mistake. Sure our country's health care system isnt perfect but it's the best out there. Universal healthcare will result in longer waits at the emergency room and poorer treatment, not to mention the fact the hospitals will be very overfilled.. I think it's a bad idea.
I do feel there should be universal healthcare or at least more affordable healthcare. I am very, very fortunate to work for an employer in which me, my kids until the age of 19 and spouse (If I had one) are fully covered and I pay ZERO dollars for this. I have been at this job for almost 20 years. Not most are able to get jobs that offer the benefits that my job offer but doesnt mean they shouldnt be entitled to healthcare options OTHER than medicaid. You have to be damn near poor to even qualify for those services THAT THE TAX PAYERS pay for anyway!!!!
i thought sicko was very thought provoking. my wife and i had several conversations about it in the days that followed our viewing of the movie.I don't understand why the general working class middle income American (which the vast majority of us are) are so opposed to ANY social reform especially when it is as basic as health care. Poor people get free health care anyway and guess who pays for it. My wife and I pay an outrageous amount for health care that we hardly use. It amazes me that the rest of the western world can take care of their population, but we turn our backs on our own here and make it so that many people who do an honest day's work have to choose between food or health care. Man I can't wait to see the neo-con rants that are to come.
Mike Moore is sick he's only in it for fame and fortune that fat slob could careless about you that being said i do not want goverment involved in health care i have 3 friends who are Doctors and my oldest daughter and they all say if you think the quality of health care is bad now just wait until the goverment gets involved and starts telling Doctors what test and such they can run and what they can't it's bad enough now insurance companies telling doctors what they can and can't do let uncle sam get involved and it will be a diaster.. I say no
I live in the United States and my opinion is this: No matter how much money you spend, whether it be on medical insurance or medical care, eventually you will suffer illness and death.
I live in the USA and I am against universal health care for the simple fact that my husband and I work hard and pay LOTS of money for health care. We are responsible and consider that our family's health is important and so we prioritize it. Do we like spending $700 a month with a $1500 per person deductible - of course not. But, why should we have to pay extra taxes to help those that choose not to work or buy health care for themselves, and then have less choices and longer lines for the medical services we do need. No thanks. Never seen any trash that Michael Moore directs. He is a fat hypocrite.
Totally against it. I worked hard enough to land a job that provides great and cheap healthcare. (also bluecrossbluesheild). and the only way it will be a thing of the past is if we let our corrupt gov. take over. I want to have the right to CHOOSE which doctor I will see. And to CHOOSE to get a second opinion if needed. All univeral healthcare will do is raise taxes even higher on the working class to pay for the ones who dont.
I'm in the USA Right now I'm paying over $700 a month for "major medical" insurance for a family of three in good health. That means $40 copay for every visit, no coverage for medications, a $5000 deductable. What it will cover (supposedly) is catastrophic illness, if we get cancer or something. They also reserve the right to cancel my insurance at any time. So if I go to the doctor's for something like allergies, the insurance company may decide they don't want to pay for that and cancel the insurance. When you have individual health insurance, they can decide that one mistake on a long and complicated form is grounds for retroactive policy cancellation (as reported in the news). I believe there should be some form of nationalized health insurance, guaranteed. It might have to be something like I have, to take care of the big stuff, but we all shouldn't have to live in fear of losing even that. Especially since companies are moving to outsource more and more of their employees - which means fewer and fewer people who can get insurance through work. Also, I think that a national health system will encourage entrepreneurs to step out and start new companies. I know so many people who feel trapped in their jobs because they need health insurance.
I believe that offering universal health care will result in less doctor and scientist competiton. This competition leads to medical discoveries and vaccine break-throughs. By socializing our health care, the US will lower the standard of care. Yes, it sucks to pay so much. It is awful that some people can't afford any coverage. Let's change the existing system. Let's stop letting the pharmacutical company's dictate the course of disease. Let's stop allowing the major medical centers to bill health care companies (like BCBS and Medicare) erroneous ammounts for tubing, one-time use surgigal instuments, gauze and other things. I got a bill that listed gauze 4x4's for $21. I can run to Walgreens and pick up a pack of 200 for $2-sterile. We have to act as responsible patients first. We, as Americans, have to be knowlegeable of our own health and do things responsibly in our lives to prevent as many health concerns as possible. It is not okay for us, as responsible citizens, to simutaneously eat fast food daily, smoke, lead sedintary lives and wonder why the health care system is overly-taxed. We are ultimatly resonsible for ourselves and need to act in such a way as to not abuse the system. At the same time, the system needs to grow up and get honest about it's own motives. However, socializing the health care of the U.S. will not allieviate these problem, it will magnify them.
Wrong Forum. Should be in a Forum focused on health. I believe that everyone in the US deserves an annual medical/dental/vision exam with age and gender appropriate tests and immunizations (e.g. men don’t have cervixes – and women don’t have prostates). Pregnant women should be entitled to prenatal care and children up to the age of 8 should have proper well-child exams – and immunizations. I believe that all Americans should be entitled to emergency medical care to prevent loss of life and deterioration of quality of life. Regarding Smoking, alcohol and recreational drug use: Smokers and alcohol-drinkers (even “social” users) should be required to pay a premium for their privilege of smoking/drinking. This can be waived upon successful completion of smoking/drinking cessation therapy (requiring at least a period of time when they must remain smoke/alcohol-free). Currently, drug use is a crime. Some kind of leniency/clemency should be in place so that addicts who want to quit can do so without being made into criminals. Regarding reproductive rights Being a parent is a privilege – not a right. Considering there are so many unwanted children out there, I believe reproductive therapy should not be covered by universal health care – at least until all the unwanted children have found new, adoptive homes. I do, however, believe that all forms of birth control should be a public right, from puberty on. About cosmetic plastic surgery, gastro-bypass procedures etc.: I believe that elective cosmetic plastic surgery should not be covered. I do believe that reconstructive surgery – such as following an accident or illness – should be covered. Outside of morbidly obese people, I do not believe that gastro-bypass procedures should be covered. And with the morbidly obese – all other avenues of weight reduction must have been attempted in order to qualify for this procedure. Gosh. There’s more. But I don’t have time to enumerate them at the moment.
I think not having universal health care is beyond stupid. It is not for nothing that all countries in the top 5 of happy people have universal healthcare. I think I should be able to go the doctor when I feel sick instead of having to balance it with whether I can afford my foodbill this month. No universal healthcare means a death (or at least bankruptcy) sentence if you end up with cancer unless you are poor (medicare) or rich I live in the Netherlands and we have a decent set up for universal healthcare.
NO to UHC......Re-distribution of wealth is SOCIALISM. SICKO was so full of errors it's frightening. +
Most of the political proponants to universal health care can afford whatever they want to have done or need done. You think Micheal Moore is poor? He made millions of every one of his politically motivated movies. When was the last time you saw him paying for the healthcare of anyone who is abusing the current health care system for those on State Assistance? He doesn't! Universal Health Care is a scam on many levels, and what most people stop to think about is where is the money going to come from to pay for it. Want an idea? Look into your current tax rates from everything from the food you buy the clothes the cars the gas the whatever. Tax rates rise so that the political hacks can push their agenda's. Both side of the aisle are guilty of this. I have paid for my own insurance for my entire life. I am a trucker, and with every other cost in my life increasing, what makes anyone think that I can keep paying more taxes for those who will not do anything in life to help themselves. Another issue is that those who recieve something for free, are always willing to ask for more, because they aren't the one's who are being mistreated with the tax codes on all levels. For those of you who think that medicaid or medicare are an option please wake up. Do you realize where they get the money to pay for these programs, the taxpayers wallets/purses. I really think that an education is something that people should be looking into, not how to get so-called freebies from the government. Have any of you ever been in the miltary?? Guess what, that is government funded healthcare. It is great for the politicians and the high ranking officers, because they always get the best things in life from the back of the taxpayers again. The lower ranks don't get the same quaility I can assure you of that. I was in the miltary!! I honor and respect all who do serve, but the medical benefits aren't as good as people think. Have you ever visited a VA Hospital near you or ever seen the way the Veterans family members are treated if they need healthcare from CHAMPUS? Get a clue folks, Universal Theft of taxpayer money is all that this program ever will be. Look at what they did with Social Security for example. Again, educate yourselves, don't be sheeple following the masses of a$$es around with your hand out waiting for something to be given to you. It will come with a cost, and when you give up what they ask you to give up as a right, you will never get it back. Politics does not belong in the healthcare system, and it is also unconstitutional for them to try to create this beareucratic mess that they want. The only thing that you "Deserve" in life (as one user suggest's) is what you EARN by being a productive member of society!!
The goverment can,t do anything right look at S.S do you want your health care in a lockbox I don,t
I'm saddened by these answers... The major reason people say they're against it is something to the effect of "well, I pay my way... why shouldn't everyone else?" That argument is not valid for many reasons: (1) It puts the onus on employers, who really pay the BULK of health care. It's crippling the working economy because, unless the employer is big enough, there's not enough risk to go around, and it's an extremely painful cost of doing business. (2) NOT everyone is paying. By law, emergency rooms cannot ask for payment before giving lifesaving treatment. So what happens-- do people go to the doctor when they have the tweaks of pain? No, because they don't have insurance. Instead, they wait until the pain becomes a heart attack, rush to the ER, and then WE are shouldered with the cost. Probably could have been a $1000 (at most) procedure to fix the heart problem, or even a few hundred dollars' worth of mediation, but instead the "system" ends up paying tens of thousands of dollars (3) Not everyone is paying. Young, "healthy" people often have no health insurance. Why? Because they (usually) don't need it. This means that the system cannot support the high-risk people, because there's not enough money coming in. If you MANDATE coverage to people like me (young, male, 30, no history of major disease), even at a low rate, that would really relieve the strain on others. The bigger the pool, the lower the overall risk! That's how really big companies can have good insurance, but really small companies pay through the nose. (P.S. these people who don't think they need insurance--what happens if they get in an accident or have an onset of a commicable disease? Then we're back in position No. 2! And they leech of the system again!) (4) Not everyone can get coverage. (5) We're talking about universal coverage here, NOT nationalization of the entire health care industry. There are hardly ANY plans to take over hospitals or doctor's offices. Really, the whole idea is just (a) to pool resources and avoid external costs, (b) to make sure everyone is paying into the system, and (c) to ensure that everyone has preventative, rather than emergency, coverage. The whole "the Government Bureaucrats will decide what treatment you get and what doctors you see" is complete hogwash spread around by the insurance industry to scare people. It worked with the 1994 plan by the Clintons and will likely work again. Sad really. -- EDIT: In response to this comment: "The goverment can,t do anything right look at S.S." Yes, let's look at Social Security. Before Social Security was enacted, elderly poverty was 60% or above. With the enactment of Social Security, elderly poverty began to decrease quickly. This report summarizes the correllation between SS expenditure and lack of elderly poverty: http://www.nber.org/aginghealth/summer04/w10466.html This was the most effective social program ever enacted. The problem is today that "elderly" has undergone a redefinition. In the 1930s, the average life expectancy was under 65. Thus, social security was meant for the aged who had truly worked a whole life. It was also meant as a backstop for "poverty," NOT an attempt at a true retirement plan for retirees to live comfortably. Today, the system still works, and we still have surpluses to take care of our retirees. But we're getting OLDER as a society and people are having FEWER children. That means more workers must take care of more and more retirees. Social Security has not failed; our demographics have simply changed. And why people can't see that I don't understand. Social Security (the retirement program) has relatively few administrative costs and is much more efficiently managed than most private benefit programs. It doesn't discriminate and still guarantees a base level of income for seniors. Yes, it may be a hassle, and yes the checks may not be as big as you hope them to be, but how is this a failure? It should be celebrated, not condemned.