Universal Health Care

ChiefUSAFRet's picture

Well folks the third Democrat to announce his candidacy for president, Obama, has announced that he will pursue Universal Health Coverage for the entire population. Universal Health Coverage really means "SOCIALIZED MEDICINE."

For all of you that served any time in the military services you had first hand experience with socialized medicine. Don't get me wrong, because all of the services tried their best to provide the best health care possible, but because it is run by the government, it is now and always has been mediocre at best. I am not blaming the health professionals in the military. It is a government run system, and we all know what that means.

The United Kingdom has had socialized medicine for decades and every tax payer pays an enormous premium to obtain mediocre health care. The National Health Agency just directed all hospitals to delay elective surgery for 20 weeks due to budget constraints. A substantial percentage of the people purchase private health insurance to ensure they receive timely care.

Is this the kind of health care we want in this country?

The leading contenders in the 2008 Presidential race keep saying that we cannot condone the fact that 46 million Americans do not have health insurance. This represents only 15.3 percent of the total population. The end result is that 85% of the population will receive mediocre health care to make sure that everyone is covered. Of those 46 million not covered by health insurance I seriously wonder what percentage are just irresponsible and couldn't care less whether they get health care or not and would rather play the lottery.

I think the best way to ensure that everyone is covered by health insurance is for the government to establish a minimum standard of health insurance and allow insurance companies to compete. For those who cannot afford the premium the government could subsidize it. This would be the most effective and less costly method of providing health care for those less fortunate, and those unable for valid reasons, to pay for their own insurance.

The United States of America was not founded as a "Nanny" state!

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The time has come for Universal Health Care
Submitted by Thomas Finnegan on Wed, 01/31/2007 - 11:22am.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people are willing to pull the ladder up after themselves... Those of you against universal health care say you either don't want to pay for illegals or welfare mothers health care, or the founding fathers didn't establish a "nanny state". What a load of steaming hot... anyway, what does the term "Provide for the General Welfare" mean in the U.S. Constitution?

Further, if you'd pull your heads out of where ever you've got them stuck, you'd realize that you are ALREADY paying for the illegals and welfare mothers now! And you're paying HIGH RETAIL prices too! The are in our emergency rooms all over the country - will you have those people thrown out on the street? Some hospitals are doing that - mmmm, what would Jesus do?

Universal health care is as necessary to our economy as a good highway system. Calling it "socialized medicine" is a red herring from the days of the McCarthey hearings! The only people who aren't one catostrophic illness or job loss away from being rendered destitute by medical bills are our government and military retirees. Even from a right-wing nut job point of view the lack of universal health care is a giagantic drag on business! Ultimately, that will be who pushes it over the top - the CEO's who don't want to pay for it - like WalMart!

The big losers will be big Pharma and some big insurance companies. We'll still get to see our doctors.

Thomas Finnegan

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What would Jesus do: health care?
Submitted by dollaradayandfound on Wed, 01/31/2007 - 12:07pm.

I used to feel like that. However, I think many now think He would simply say: Get off your rear and go to work somewhere that they have insurance for employees, I'm tired of healing you jokers!
This is a case where they don't want to mix religion and government!
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't!

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Universal Health Care....yes!
Basmati's picture
Submitted by Basmati on Fri, 01/26/2007 - 11:37am.

Chief, I'm sorry that you got less than top-notch health care in the service, when I was in the service I thought it was quite good. I was in traction two months in a military hospital so I got to see the system up close and personal for quite some time.

As far as "Universal Health Care" goes, I think it's an idea whose time has come. Like other bloggers have previously mentioned, many of the poor today are flooding emergency rooms with non-emergency cases. They simply have nowhere else to go. Personally, were I to be in their shoes and it was my child that was sick...I would do the same thing they do.

I think the debate first needs to establish just what exactly does "universal health care" mean? I notice that you equate the term with "socialized medicine", and I disagree with your categorization. In my mind, "universal health care" establishes a "floor", a minimum standard of healthcare for all Americans regardless of income. That in my mind consists of free clinics, free well-baby visits, etc.

I don't see universal health care replacing the existing private pay medical industry. The Paris Hiltons of the world can pay for their own liposuction, that's not something that I believe should fall under the aegis of "universal health care". And if someone doesn't want to wait in line at a free clinic, they can pay out-of-pocket for a private provider (or have an insurance PPO, etc).

Medical costs have skyrocketed in the past 30 years....but let's also remember the incredible advances that have been made in that time period as well! There's a cost...and it's not insignificant....associated with each and every medical breakthrough.

I won't pretend to have all the answers on this complicated issue, but I believe that characterizing "universal health care" as a synonym for "socialized medicine" is a gross oversimplification.


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Well said chief
ArmyMAJretired's picture
Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Fri, 01/26/2007 - 8:21am.

I too went occasionally to sick call and waited for whatever doctor was available. I think overall the military system is FAR superior to anything the civilain world offers. Civilian docs spend maybe 5 minutes with a patient, running from room to room.

When I was growing up, we rarely went to the doctor and when we did, my parents wrote a check for the full amount. We had "hospitalization" coverage for MAJOR events. Unfortunately, Americans today use the healthcare system so much because it only costs "$15 or $20".

Emergency rooms are flooded with non-emergency patients. Something has to happen, but the same government that has screwed up Social Security and Medicare SHOULD NOT be the answer!


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"Just when I thought I was free...they sucked me back in"
AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Sat, 01/27/2007 - 1:57pm.

There is just no getting away from this venus fly trap pf postings, so entre vous!
With the appropriate context set by Basmati, that the issue isn't free everything for everyone, let's lay some facts out: Our wealthy congressmen, Senators, executive branch, and judiciary all have healthcare bought and paid for by the taxpayer. Our illustrious military retirees on this board, whose salaries were paid by taxpayers, have health care expenses covered, in large part, by taxpayers. What makes me more special than police officers, firemen, my neighbors, or anyone else who did not happen to have tax payer funded raises and compensation?
How do "culture of lifers" turn such a blind eye to the quality of those lives? Many of the wealthy conservative legislators who will vote against universal health care checkups for impoverished children are themselves taking physicals paid for by you and I. Does this make sense? Is this a characteristic of our country to be proud of? No and no is how I answer those questions.

Cheers,
Kevin "Hack" King


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re: Universal Health Care
Submitted by Proud2BWcat on Fri, 01/26/2007 - 6:27am.

Hello Chief from a fellow USAF guy, 19th Bomb Wing, RAFB.

I have always been a big supporter of the free market, let the private companies indeed compete for health insurance. No one should go without and their is ample evidence that the social medicine system is costly and below the standards we are used to.

It appears at first glance that some of these dem's candidates want to impose this on us; I'm totally against this.

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Health Ins.
Submitted by bladderq on Thu, 01/25/2007 - 11:08pm.

I can agree with much of what you say. I am amazed at times when I see people say they can't afford coverage. It can be expensive and it won't be what you might get under a company's group policy but it is afforable w/ higher deductibles. I pay $71 on my 21 y/o boy child.
$3000 deduct. He's healthy and it's better than nothing.
My problem is that the healthcare system is out of control and has been spiraling that way for 30 years. Not everyone needs an MRI just because the hospital has one or because the DR wants to CHA. I am also sorry but it just doesn't make sense that in the course of our life we will use 80%+ of our healthcare expenditure in the last years of our life. & I am getting older..55.
Maybe Gov. Richardson can hook with former Colo. Gov Lamm.

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