SURVEY: Single Payer Health Care for the US -- Yes or No?

[Scott]

There is currently a bill in the US House of Representatives to move toward Medicare for all, which would mean a single-payer system.   This would be roughly similar to many developed countries.   In your opinion, do you think the US should move toward a single payer, government funded medical care system?

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.

 

For further reading:

 

 

[Samui Bodoh]

"...do you think the US should move toward a single payer, government funded medical care system?"

 

Yes.

 

In Canada it covers all the people, has better outcomes and costs HALF of the US system. It is far, far superior.

 

Duh!

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Samui Bodoh

[Crossy]

Yes absolutely, but I'm a Brit.

 

Any single-payer scheme should retain the option for those who can afford it or have the insurance cover to "go private" for better / faster treatment just like the NHS does.

 

[Tug]

Yes 100% I want something for my taxes I want my fellow citizens covered an illness shouldn’t ruin a life’s work 

[Cryingdick]

I chose allow people to have a choice. This poll is going to be highly biased to a group of expats that are 60+

[Cryingdick]

15 minutes ago, Tug said:

Yes 100% I want something for my taxes I want my fellow citizens covered an illness shouldn’t ruin a life’s work 

I am confused do you live in Thailand? If so you only pay taxes if you earn more than. $92,000 a year.

Edited March 3, 2019 by Cryingdick

[simple1]

41 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yes absolutely, but I'm a Brit.

 

Any single-payer scheme should retain the option for those who can afford it or have the insurance cover to "go private" for better / faster treatment just like the NHS does.

 

I agree in principal, but...here in Australia we have the same, the issue is so many specialists being trained, work in the government funded healthcare for a few years, then switch to private hospitals. Outcome being very long waiting lists for specialist care for those on government care and from time to time not the same quality of procedure.

[EVENKEEL]

I'm happy with my Blue Cross - Blue Shield. Leave me alone.

[Chomper Higgot]

55 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

I chose allow people to have a choice. This poll is going to be highly biased to a group of expats that are 60+

Don’t worry, the outcome of this poll isn’t binding on the US Government.

 

However, elections are.

 

Support for single payer healthcare amongst US voters is in the majority, regardless of political affiliation.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

48 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

I am confused do you live in Thailand? If so you only pay taxes if you earn more than. $92,000 a year.

Why is that something that confuses you.

 

I don’t know any US expats working in Thailand who earn less than $92,000 a year.

[Crossy]

42 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Outcome being very long waiting lists for specialist care for those on government care and from time to time not the same quality of procedure.

 

Indeed, the UK is similar, most specialists work in both the government and private schemes, bet you can't guess which they prefer. 

BUT

You will get the treatment and it won't bankrupt you.

 

[Boon Mee]

Single payer health care is flat out Socialism and would bankrupt the US economy. 

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

 

[kingstonkid]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...do you think the US should move toward a single payer, government funded medical care system?"

 

Yes.

 

In Canada it covers all the people, has better outcomes and costs HALF of the US system. It is far, far superior.

 

Duh!

 

 

 

In theory, you are correct BUT, as a Canuck that moved here with a severely bad back and heavy meds to find out that I could get surgery here that eliminated my pain and my drug dependency I disagree.

The problem with the Canadian system is that family doctors have to take on too many patients to be effective.  Also the cost to start a family practice is too huge compared to what they get paid by the government.

I had to go to emergency 6 times to get them properly diagnose my back and they finally admitted me.  In order to get a pain med shot, I had to travel from Kingston to Toronto by bus early in the morning 2.5-hour drive get the shot then travel back.  It was a year plus wait to get the same shot in Kingston.

 

This may seem crazy but if they took a look at the system that they have here with the different hospitals i think it would benefit them.

 

As to the cost of drugs Yes that can be regulated but the industry lobbyists will kill the Dems.

 

The startup costs as well as maintaining and investigating the rampant fraud that will ensue from doctors and those that call themselves doctors will be a high cost.  My suggestion before they even look at opening it up to Medicare is to resolve the present issues with medicare then look at establishing a system where people like here can get the 30 baht plan or can get coverage to go to better facilities.  

Let's face it no matter what the rich or people that are willing to pay extra will always get better service.

 

 

[zydeco]

"Yes, Medicare should be expanded to allow coverage of all citizens."

 

I'll agree to that as long as it is as says, for citizens.

[lannarebirth]

I voted yes to expand medicare though it was only the closest option. It's only a pass through program which is filled with abuse, just as Medicaid is. I would like to see the healthcare system operated by the government not just paid for by it UNLESS the government can get a lot better at cutting costs by providers. As bad as the government can be at some things it is worse when it pays the private sector.

[Emdog]

3 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

I am confused do you live in Thailand? If so you only pay taxes if you earn more than. $92,000 a year.

not true by a long shot. If so, where did you get your info?

[Jingthing]

I voted yes but I think it would better to throw the entire system out including Medicare and Medicaid and start a Canadian style system from scratch.

 

People say too expensive but that's the point. An effective single payer system started from scratch could address the absurd overpricing built into the U.S. system so the result of coverage for all at a much lower cost per head could be easily realized. 

 

America used to mean Ameri-CAN. Not with health care. I'm not optimistic. American can't. 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Jingthing

[ross163103]

Whenever something like this is proposed I immediately think of who's going to pay for it; the tax payers that's who. The govt doesn't make money, they use tax money to run the govt and fund projects. Plus the US is at a minimum, 22 TRILLION in debt--and probably a lot more if the truth be known, how about we pay that down before we spend any more............before the Chinese call in all that debt.

Saying all that, the US does need cheaper healthcare; costs are ridiculous over there.

Free(?), maybe not such a good idea; If you know any Canadians ask them about the quality of the free healthcare and the tax rate they pay to fund it. "Free" is not free, someone always has to pay.

[Jingthing]

Canadians overwhelmingly would not trade their system for the American system. 

[GalaxyMan]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...do you think the US should move toward a single payer, government funded medical care system?"

 

Yes.

 

In Canada it covers all the people, has better outcomes and costs HALF of the US system. It is far, far superior.

 

Duh!

Ditto Holland. It is MANDATORY and therefore very affordable. For those who still can't afford it, there are government subsidies, but nobody that is a legal resident in Holland is without health insurance. Nobody would sell me health insurance at any price in the US because of preexisting yadda yadda yadda (bad back, multiple surgeries). Preexisting is just something to be noted in your health record in Holland. The only reason NOT to do it would be to protect Big Pharma's profit gravy train.

[maprao]

3 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

I am confused do you live in Thailand? If so you only pay taxes if you earn more than. $92,000 a year.

Try above $103,900 (US) (tax year 2018) before you have a Federal Income tax liability. 

 

Still present a problem for a few in Thailand. What do you think crossy?????????

Edited March 3, 2019 by maprao

[lannarebirth]

3 minutes ago, maprao said:

Try above $103,900 (US) (tax year 2018) before you have a Federal Income tax liability. 

 

Still present a problem for a few in Thailand. What do you think crossy?????????

 

It should be noted that that is an earned income exclusion.

[crees]

I'm a 100 percent disabled Marine combat vet and get 100% free medical in America .. and no, when the government gets involved … I left and am happy to pay the hospitals here … out of my own pocket. The VA loaded me up on pain killers … no thanks.

[Thomas J]

There are several facts about Medicare that are never publicized.  Medicare fraud is greater than the combined profits of all of the private health insurance companies.  Medicare is "not a funded program"  Medicare premiums go into a Trust Fund and are immediately borrowed by the Treasury and replaced with Treasury Bonds.  That means that the U.S. government owes the Medicare Trust fund for the borrowed money.  It is estimated that to cover all of the obligations already incurred it would total 70 trillion dollars. There is nothing that is more inefficient and wasted than when you have third party bureaucrats spending taxpayers money on other people.  Politicians in any government program are loathe to ever limit it and promise ever increasing  benefits to garner more votes.  In talking to people who live in countries with universal health care systems like Norway and Canada they all describe huge delays in receiving treatment. If you want to control costs having the purse strings in only one persons hand like the government is ripe for manipulation and fraud.  You need to go back to a system where the "patient" makes choices.  Mandate that like social security each persons pay has a deduction for a medicare reimbursement account and a portion of that money goes for a major medical policy with a large deductible.  When someone goes in for treatment, they use the money in their account to pay for that service.  If they don't use the money in their account, the patient gets to keep it.  That puts people in the position of shopping for their treatment and not overusing health care.  Major medical policy kicks in when the bill exceeds the deductible.  You insure your car and home for major losses not to change the oil or cut your lawn.  In health care we cover sniffles when the  person goes to the emergency room. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmauldin/2017/10/10/your-pension-is-a-lie-theres-210-trillion-of-liabilities-our-government-cant-fulfill/#7164079865b1

Edited March 3, 2019 by Thomas J

[sqwakvfr]

Medicare for all would be a Mosnter that would have to provide coverage for over 300+ Millkon people.  Is there a government run Health Care system of comparable size in any other First Wold Country?    

 

Medicare in it’s present form has 4 main parts:

Inpatient

Outpateint

Drugs

Manageed Care

 

Inpatient care is more or less free at hospitals that accept Medicare.  Many of the people that i know also purchase Gap, Supplemental, Advantage Insurance from private companies. This new version of Medicare might take many years for it become reality.  The fight in the Swamp will be tough because there are Lobbyists for just about any industry that might lose out.  

[pegman]

1 hour ago, ross163103 said:

Whenever something like this is proposed I immediately think of who's going to pay for it; the tax payers that's who. The govt doesn't make money, they use tax money to run the govt and fund projects. Plus the US is at a minimum, 22 TRILLION in debt--and probably a lot more if the truth be known, how about we pay that down before we spend any more............before the Chinese call in all that debt.

Saying all that, the US does need cheaper healthcare; costs are ridiculous over there.

Free(?), maybe not such a good idea; If you know any Canadians ask them about the quality of the free healthcare and the tax rate they pay to fund it. "Free" is not free, someone always has to pay.

I just happen to be one. It's worth every cent we pay. Let me ask you, did you get good value out of Bush's $1t war in Iraq? My daughter will have an another baby later this month. It will only cost her the gas to the hospital. My mother broke her back a few years ago. She was in the hospital for months at no cost to her. The peace of mind in not having to deal with insurance corporations is priceless. Obviously the people of your country are getting gouged. They are either too stupid or weak realize it to do anything about it.

[pegman]

6 hours ago, Crossy said:

Yes absolutely, but I'm a Brit.

 

Any single-payer scheme should retain the option for those who can afford it or have the insurance cover to "go private" for better / faster treatment just like the NHS does.

 

In that "Class" system of yours are you a lesser or a better?

[attrayant]

6 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'm happy with my Blue Cross - Blue Shield. Leave me alone.

 

This poll is about what's best for the country, not what's best for you.  Is that something you're even capable of considering?

[ross163103]

1 hour ago, pegman said:

My daughter will have an another baby later this month. It will only cost her the gas to the hospital. My mother broke her back a few years ago. She was in the hospital for months at no cost to her. The peace of mind in not having to deal with insurance corporations is priceless.

I'm glad you and your family have had good service with the Canadian health care system and are happy with it. I know three Canadians that are tired of paying the high tax rate and getting less than good care.