[ckingalt]

http://www.scotusblog.com/cover-it-live/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...m8V_story.html

It looks as though the United States is going to get their own version of the NHS even if most don't want it. I must say I was against "Obama Care". I don't object to providing health care to everyone in principle but I am truly fearful for the impact on America's economy. There is something like a 2 trillion dollar bill attached to this plan.

[thecrimsonidol]

Was just about to post this.
I think it's a good idea overall, though I still think the idea of people having to spend the money on insurance rather than introducing it in some new tax system (as we have here) is a reasonable source of complaint.

None the less, a good idea in principle, and an interesting decision by the court.

[tc92]

To repost from the US Elections thread:

So Obamacare looks like its standing then. Despite Obama saying repeatedly in campaigning that it wasn't a tax, it seems his legal team argued, successfully, that it is constitutional as a tax.




EDIT: Seemingly, the states may be able to opt out of the extension of Medicaid. A win for Obama overall, but those states who sued seemed to have won on that specific issue which they brought the case on.

All abit hazy atm.

EDIT 2: See pp. 31-32 of the Supreme Court ruling which explains how it can be unconstitutional as regulating commerce, but constitutional as a tax.

Here is essentially the main point:

Those subject to the individual mandate may lawfully forgo health insurance and pay higher taxes, or buy health insurance and pay lower taxes. The only thing they may not lawfully do is not buy health insurance and not pay the resulting tax.

[Herr]

It will be the beginning of the end of their world leading healthcare system all in the name of access when it could clearly be tackled by just regulating their health insurance industry like the Swiss do.

[King Kebab]

Very welcome news.

[whyumadtho]

(Original post by Herr)
It will be the beginning of the end of their world leading healthcare system all in the name of access when it could clearly be tackled by just regulating their health insurance industry like the Swiss do.

What?

[concubine]

(Original post by whyumadtho)
What?

I think he meant 'world leading if you have money'.

[Snagprophet]

(Original post by Herr)
It will be the beginning of the end of their world leading healthcare system all in the name of access when it could clearly be tackled by just regulating their health insurance industry like the Swiss do.

In theory it is world leading. But what would you describe as 'world leading'? Something that supports anyone or one that supports anyone with the money for it? Because that's like calling the most expensive and one-of-a-kind mansion complex 'world leading' even if it affects barely anyone.

[BatteryHuman]

Very good news indeed, it's a shame that meanwhile our healthcare system is being ripped to shreds.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Revilo1]

I think that this is definately a step in the right direction for the USA - the idea that so many people could suffer or even die due to not buying insurance seems crazy. Although the fact that you still have to buy the healthcare - or essentially get fined - does seem a bit odd. Regardless, the number of Americans who said they planned to move to Canada due to this did make me laugh

[Risserd]

(Original post by ckingalt)
http://www.scotusblog.com/cover-it-live/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...m8V_story.html

It looks as though the United States is going to get their own version of the NHS even if most don't want it. I must say I was against "Obama Care". I don't object to providing health care to everyone in principle but I am truly fearful for the impact on America's economy. There is something like a 2 trillion dollar bill attached to this plan.

did you think SOMETHING had to be changed though? and do u believe a decent affordable health care is something evey civilised nation shoud have? (im not talking about the nhs, which is the worst system in the western world).

[Aphotic Cosmos]

(Original post by Herr)
It will be the beginning of the end of their world leading healthcare system all in the name of access when it could clearly be tackled by just regulating their health insurance industry like the Swiss do.

The United States leads the world on a handful of healthcare metrics, for the most part it is vastly outgunned, especially on a value for money basis, by the single-payer and hybrid systems of the entire rest of the developed world.

[Yoko Ono]

(Original post by ckingalt)
http://www.scotusblog.com/cover-it-live/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...m8V_story.html

It looks as though the United States is going to get their own version of the NHS even if most don't want it. I must say I was against "Obama Care". I don't object to providing health care to everyone in principle but I am truly fearful for the impact on America's economy. There is something like a 2 trillion dollar bill attached to this plan.

It's definitely not getting its own version of the National Health Service. The US health system will stay resolutely private, but everyone will be forced to get health insurance and insurers will be subject to new regulations like not being able to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions. Which is far from heaving a public health service like ours.

[nosceteipsummm]

I'm an uninsured 23 year-old American female. Every time I go to any sort of doctor, it's self-pay. Checkup at a GP's office? At least $100. Teeth cleaning at the dentist? Around $150. Monthly medication cost (even with generics)? $80. Any visit to the ER? At least, AT LEAST $2,000.

It's not okay that I would rather wait it out when I get bronchitis. It's not okay that I can't do ab exercises because I can't afford the $5,000 operation to fix my hernia. It's not uncommon to hear stories of people who developed a serious infection because they couldn't go to the doctor. That's wrong.

Obama's plan (as it stands) won't fix the main problems of US health care, but it might be a start; I, for one, am looking forward to insurance companies not being able to deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I don't know what's going to happen...there's a very big chance it could devastate our economy. I also don't think we could jump directly into a national health program (there would have to be reforms of our education system/fees for medicine).

All I know is that the US should work toward a system where everyone can get the treatment they need.

[ckingalt]

(Original post by nosceteipsummm)
I'm an uninsured 23 year-old American female. Every time I go to any sort of doctor, it's self-pay. Checkup at a GP's office? At least $100. Teeth cleaning at the dentist? Around $150. Monthly medication cost (even with generics)? $80. Any visit to the ER? At least, AT LEAST $2,000.

It's not okay that I would rather wait it out when I get bronchitis. It's not okay that I can't do ab exercises because I can't afford the $5,000 operation to fix my hernia. It's not uncommon to hear stories of people who developed a serious infection because they couldn't go to the doctor. That's wrong.

Obama's plan (as it stands) won't fix the main problems of US health care, but it might be a start; I, for one, am looking forward to insurance companies not being able to deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I don't know what's going to happen...there's a very big chance it could devastate our economy. I also don't think we could jump directly into a national health program (there would have to be reforms of our education system/fees for medicine).

All I know is that the US should work toward a system where everyone can get the treatment they need.

In bold is why I oppose Obama's plan. I agree that we should provide health care for everyone. I only disagree because I don't believe we should provide everyone with health care even if "there's a very big chance it could devastate our economy."

I would rather wait it out when I have bronchitis than lose my job or business.

[ckingalt]

(Original post by Risserd)
did you think SOMETHING had to be changed though? and do u believe a decent affordable health care is something evey civilised nation shoud have? (im not talking about the nhs, which is the worst system in the western world).

SOMETHING had to be changed, but I would rather do nothing than do the absolute wrong thing at the absolute worst possible time.

[tc92]

(Original post by nosceteipsummm)
I'm an uninsured 23 year-old American female. Every time I go to any sort of doctor, it's self-pay. Checkup at a GP's office? At least $100. Teeth cleaning at the dentist? Around $150. Monthly medication cost (even with generics)? $80. Any visit to the ER? At least, AT LEAST $2,000.

It's not okay that I would rather wait it out when I get bronchitis. It's not okay that I can't do ab exercises because I can't afford the $5,000 operation to fix my hernia. It's not uncommon to hear stories of people who developed a serious infection because they couldn't go to the doctor. That's wrong.

Obama's plan (as it stands) won't fix the main problems of US health care, but it might be a start; I, for one, am looking forward to insurance companies not being able to deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I don't know what's going to happen...there's a very big chance it could devastate our economy. I also don't think we could jump directly into a national health program (there would have to be reforms of our education system/fees for medicine).

All I know is that the US should work toward a system where everyone can get the treatment they need.

No one's pretending the system is perfect, nor indeed that it is working at all. Everyone acknowledges it can't go on like this. But adding trillions in healthcare bills in the middle of one of the worst economic crises of our era is not the answer. The states can't afford it. The public can't afford it.

[Phantom Lord]

Good

[Bill_Gates]

Well done obama finally something big!

[Captain Crash]

(Original post by Herr)
It will be the beginning of the end of their world leading healthcare system all in the name of access when it could clearly be tackled by just regulating their health insurance industry like the Swiss do.

You do realise Obamacare is probably closest to the Swiss system than any other Western healthcare system?