OK, I don't want to be contraversial, but America is the ONLY indistrialized country in the world that lacks proper healthcare. Americans always talk about how great their health care is...but it isn't? Because even if it's great for you, it sucks for the millions and millions who have no coverage AT ALL. And even compared to other univesal health care systems, the US private system falls short. I think democracy is supposed to be what's good for everyone, not just what incoveniences those few who are rich/lucky enough to already have coverage.
In my years of using LJ, I've seen tons of entries on my friends list from younger American people who were sick and couldn't so anything about it because they didn't have the money. That isn't right. I see this as a victory for these people. I honestly can't fathom how people can see this as a negative thing overall. :\
My handwavy "these aren't real numbers" estimates lead me to conclude that it is probably *possible* to get the best health insurance in the world in America. And that what may happen is that very best tier will possibly (probably? I'm less sure about that, but I wouldn't quibble it either) go down in quality to maybe 90% of what it is today.
Possibly this makes me a communist, but I am okay with the very best possible health care becoming not as good, if it means that millions of people get to have pretty decent lower tier health care, instead of none at all.
The big question, of whether that will actually be the result (at *either* end of the scale), is of course years from being answered.
I like the idea that we can help people who need a lot of help to continue living. Human life is kind of a big deal, and extending it to our citizens is pretty effing awesome.
That said, I just don't know that socializing it is the answer. Maybe it is? But, like, Big Gov is already up our butt cracks about everything we do and everywhere we go anyway. I don't really like the idea of More Laws and stupid red tape and forms and migraines between me and a physical check-up. I don't want them knowing if I'm on birth control or levothyroxine or whether I've had surgery. It's not their business, dammit. We already sacrifice too damned much freedom and privacy in the name of being safe. I don't like it for those reasons.
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In my years of using LJ, I've seen tons of entries on my friends list from younger American people who were sick and couldn't so anything about it because they didn't have the money. That isn't right. I see this as a victory for these people. I honestly can't fathom how people can see this as a negative thing overall. :\
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Possibly this makes me a communist, but I am okay with the very best possible health care becoming not as good, if it means that millions of people get to have pretty decent lower tier health care, instead of none at all.
The big question, of whether that will actually be the result (at *either* end of the scale), is of course years from being answered.
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I like the idea that we can help people who need a lot of help to continue living. Human life is kind of a big deal, and extending it to our citizens is pretty effing awesome.
That said, I just don't know that socializing it is the answer. Maybe it is? But, like, Big Gov is already up our butt cracks about everything we do and everywhere we go anyway. I don't really like the idea of More Laws and stupid red tape and forms and migraines between me and a physical check-up. I don't want them knowing if I'm on birth control or levothyroxine or whether I've had surgery. It's not their business, dammit. We already sacrifice too damned much freedom and privacy in the name of being safe. I don't like it for those reasons.
Also, it costs a lot and our money is fake.
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