True health care change Now
Hey guys, so, I just watched this PBS Frontline news/documentary(?) piece. It was AMAZING. Like seriously. And let me tell you about my feelings in the past of health care
. So, about two years ago, I seriously heard about single-payer health care (like the facts about implementing it here in the states rather than like, Cuba has the best health care system in the world and pays the least and has single payer, etc) and was totally convinced that this was the best thing since sliced bread and needed to be implemented immediately. I heard a lot of anti-single-payer stuff that was all about not trusting the government and overspending,etc of nationalized systems. In my mind, I was like, ummm, we're already paying about 30% overhead which is WAY higher than other nations, and yeah, I'm like the next guy in calling the government Big Brother for taking over too much control, but if the choices (as I saw them then) are trust big brother or trust insurance companies, I choice big brother. In any case, in debating over this, I never got anywhere. The closest I got what the president of Colorado Medical Society ( a BIG deal in CO) to say that yes, she thought single-payer was the way to go, but there was Just no way right now, which I saw at that point as a victory and at this point as the big flaw of single-payer. We don't have a society that is going to accept a government run program, and in two years time, that hasn't budged at all, although many people have become bankrupt* in the lack of change, people have died, etc etc etc. ie the problem is NOW and the solution needs to be Now as well.
* as a side note, Half of all bankruptcies in the US are proceeded by extensive medical costs in the year prior to the bankruptcy.
Anyways, I've never seen ANY evidence of a solution that is in any way close to providing what single payer does, all the amenities such as ALL people being covered, less overhead (ie insurance co CEOs aren't affording private jets, etc), GOOD coverage (rather than catastrophic), preventive coverage, plus affording the Good access that the rich people of our country can afford.This piece changed my mind on that and SERIOUSLY made me think this could happen NOW (ie this is my Obama, raising my hopes and all).
So, anyways, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check it out. It's cut into 5 segments about 10-15 minutes long, so you could just take the week and watch each segment over breakfast or something.
Sick Around the World
(if you go to the bottom it says watch online)
. So, about two years ago, I seriously heard about single-payer health care (like the facts about implementing it here in the states rather than like, Cuba has the best health care system in the world and pays the least and has single payer, etc) and was totally convinced that this was the best thing since sliced bread and needed to be implemented immediately. I heard a lot of anti-single-payer stuff that was all about not trusting the government and overspending,etc of nationalized systems. In my mind, I was like, ummm, we're already paying about 30% overhead which is WAY higher than other nations, and yeah, I'm like the next guy in calling the government Big Brother for taking over too much control, but if the choices (as I saw them then) are trust big brother or trust insurance companies, I choice big brother. In any case, in debating over this, I never got anywhere. The closest I got what the president of Colorado Medical Society ( a BIG deal in CO) to say that yes, she thought single-payer was the way to go, but there was Just no way right now, which I saw at that point as a victory and at this point as the big flaw of single-payer. We don't have a society that is going to accept a government run program, and in two years time, that hasn't budged at all, although many people have become bankrupt* in the lack of change, people have died, etc etc etc. ie the problem is NOW and the solution needs to be Now as well.
* as a side note, Half of all bankruptcies in the US are proceeded by extensive medical costs in the year prior to the bankruptcy.
Anyways, I've never seen ANY evidence of a solution that is in any way close to providing what single payer does, all the amenities such as ALL people being covered, less overhead (ie insurance co CEOs aren't affording private jets, etc), GOOD coverage (rather than catastrophic), preventive coverage, plus affording the Good access that the rich people of our country can afford.This piece changed my mind on that and SERIOUSLY made me think this could happen NOW (ie this is my Obama, raising my hopes and all).
So, anyways, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check it out. It's cut into 5 segments about 10-15 minutes long, so you could just take the week and watch each segment over breakfast or something.
Sick Around the World
(if you go to the bottom it says watch online)