Hello there! So great to communicate with you once again over the interwebs. :-)
Those incidences you state are indeed tragic and unacceptable in any country, especially the USA. We need great minds, not government bureaucrats, to address these critical issues head on and find a viable solution. I for one strongly support the notion of decoupling insurance from employment. I don't think coverage should depend on your employer's willingness to subsidize your healthcare premiums. Insurance should be portable. Opening up the insurance market so that providers can compete across state lines, something that the government does not allow at present, would indeed bring down the cost due to competition.
While our system is imperfect and has serious shortcomings, I would not trade it for the Canadian system because here at least I don't have to queue up for potentially months long periods to see a specialist or to have a non routine test administered. People become ill and die from waiting for treatment in Canada too, despite its vaunted universal healthcare system. Also the tax burden depresses the economy. If Obama had his way, a 20% VAT would be imposed on most goods, in addition to numerous other taxes, especially on the so called rich, who wouldn't be so rich anymore after the government has sapped their earnings to pay for its misguided and grandiose social welfare schemes.
I don't object to for profit healthcare insurance. I do object to abusive practices like everyone else of course and the industry needs reform, although I disagree with the concept of excessive government control of insurance companies.
I don't claim to have a solution but for me anyway, more government intervention is not the answer. Look at the mess that is SSI and Medicare/Medicaid. Those entitlement programs are a disaster. Just because they have the government's imprimatur does not mean they are well run or equitable in the distribution of benefits. If the government cannot efficiently administer such programs as these, how can it be trusted to manage one sixth of the GDP?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-02-24 09:29 am (UTC)Those incidences you state are indeed tragic and unacceptable in any country, especially the USA. We need great minds, not government bureaucrats, to address these critical issues head on and find a viable solution. I for one strongly support the notion of decoupling insurance from employment. I don't think coverage should depend on your employer's willingness to subsidize your healthcare premiums. Insurance should be portable. Opening up the insurance market so that providers can compete across state lines, something that the government does not allow at present, would indeed bring down the cost due to competition.
While our system is imperfect and has serious shortcomings, I would not trade it for the Canadian system because here at least I don't have to queue up for potentially months long periods to see a specialist or to have a non routine test administered. People become ill and die from waiting for treatment in Canada too, despite its vaunted universal healthcare system. Also the tax burden depresses the economy. If Obama had his way, a 20% VAT would be imposed on most goods, in addition to numerous other taxes, especially on the so called rich, who wouldn't be so rich anymore after the government has sapped their earnings to pay for its misguided and grandiose social welfare schemes.
I don't object to for profit healthcare insurance. I do object to abusive practices like everyone else of course and the industry needs reform, although I disagree with the concept of excessive government control of insurance companies.
I don't claim to have a solution but for me anyway, more government intervention is not the answer. Look at the mess that is SSI and Medicare/Medicaid. Those entitlement programs are a disaster. Just because they have the government's imprimatur does not mean they are well run or equitable in the distribution of benefits. If the government cannot efficiently administer such programs as these, how can it be trusted to manage one sixth of the GDP?