US Healthcare

Nothing. It isn't broken.

In order to drag the debate out of the 'Anti-Obama' Thread, I thought I'd start this one.

So, as we all know, Obama plans for Healthcare reform in the US have been met with, at times, vitriolic debate. The fact that the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare, without equivalent additional healthcare benefits whilst leaving 75 million people without insurance or underinsured, the system is clearly in need of reform of some sort.

What should America do to fix it's healthcare system?

Nothing. It isn't broken.

In order to drag the debate out of the 'Anti-Obama' Thread, I thought I'd start this one.

So, as we all know, Obama plans for Healthcare reform in the US have been met with, at times, vitriolic debate. The fact that the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare, without equivalent additional healthcare benefits whilst leaving 75 million people without insurance or underinsured, the system is clearly in need of reform of some sort.

What should America do to fix it's healthcare system?

In order to drag the debate out of the 'Anti-Obama' Thread, I thought I'd start this one.

What should America do to fix it's healthcare system?

I don't know much about US healthcare policy but I do know that even though I am very fit physically I would not be able to get medical insurance in the US due to a pre-existing condition that I was diagnosed with at birth. There seems to be an inherent unfairness in a system that can effectively exclude you because of your genes, no matter how well you take care of yourself or what actions you take to make yourself a better risk. It is unlikely that insurers could exclude me on the grounds of race or gender, but its apparently fine to discriminate on the grounds of genetics. Go figure.

Speaking as someone who has extensive experience of MEDICAID provision - I find it shocking how little is understood by Europeans about the American healthcare system. It does approach the standard of the NHS. The fact that millions of Americans are uninsured is clearly true - however it does not tell the full story. Many of these recieve basic emergency care under the MEDICARE and the MEDICAID systems.

Paid insurance schemes, though expensive, and not available to many Americans provide an appreciable higher level of service than the NHS.



I speak as a Socialist and a supporter of European style medical provision. We must not however view the American system in simplistic terms.

Nothing. It isn't broken.

Certainly a problem, but don't forget the fact that those without insurance in the USA are not entirely on their own in terms of financial support. Some would argue that MEDICAID approaches NHS standards.

Nothing. It isn't broken.

Many might well argue that the NHS needs as much fixing as the American system. Breakthroughs such as implant dentristry inevitably seem to start in the USA and spread to Europe.

Im no fan of Pollard, nor do I consider the JC a sensible news source, but a few interesting points are raised here.

http://www.thejc.com/blogpost/ignorant-myths-about-us-healthcare

ps i just saw you went to Eton and Stamford, explaining why a rich snob like you would not want give the chance for someone less privelaged than you an equal opportunity to life and good health!

In order to drag the debate out of the 'Anti-Obama' Thread, I thought I'd start this one.

So, as we all know, Obama plans for Healthcare reform in the US have been met with, at times, vitriolic debate. The fact that the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare, without equivalent additional healthcare benefits whilst leaving 75 million people without insurance or underinsured, the system is clearly in need of reform of some sort.

What should America do to fix it's healthcare system?

Way-to-stereotype : /

From what I see the system is not broken. There are plenty of free hospitals around here who treat the poor, in fact I think there is one over in Atlanta called Grady which is HUGE and reaches out to all the poor in Atlanta.