What responsibility does the U.S. have for providing health care to all citizens?

Mike D

Well this America and we have a free society. I'm not sure the US Gov't really has anything obligation, technically. HOWEVER, if the census is that the people of the United States elect officials who believe the Government should do "something" then the Government will put laws and programs into a effect.

There are a lot of problems with the heath care in the United States. At the same time, the health care system in the United States as the most skilled and best doctors and facilities in the world. It's the free market system that attracts the best talent. I don't care if you've seen Michael Moore's "Sicko" documentary, I can tell as a FACT that health care in Australia and England isn't even in the same ballpark as the US. I have had friends who broke limbs, one had a broken arm and the other fracture her leg. The woman who had the leg fracture was in Australia (Melbourne), they reset the leg (or whatever they did) and put a cast on her leg. When she came back to New York City and went the doctor - she said the look on the doctor's face said it all. He was mortified at what they had done to her leg. They were literaly 15 years behind modern techniques. I had thought that was a one time that - the EXACT same thing happened when my buddy broke his arm in England. Now, neither person had to pay for any procedure but the care wasn't that good.

The one positive thing that the "socialized medicine" system offers is "pre-emptive" care. Since it doesn't cost anything out of one's pockets, it encourages people to go to the doctor at proper intervals. I don't think Socialized Medicine can work in the United States.

I often get angry when you have liberals consistently use countries like Sweden, Canada or England as examples of how socialize medicine can work. The 3 countries that are always used don't have populations that even compare to the State of California - let alone the United States. The cost of the type of program in the US would bankrupt the United States. Want more proof, the US doesn't have socialize medicine, yet Medicare and Medicad cost the US Government a large percentage of it's budget (I had heard of astronomic numbers like 20% of the budget by 2020 - because of the baby boomers and people living longer).

What I would like to see is the US Government be more pro-active in encouraging small business to offer Health Insurance to it's employee's. Small Business employ a large percentage of people in the United States and many of these business' don't have the capacity of getting health insurance for the 20 year old cashier. At the same time, how much time in a doctors office is a healthy 20 year old going to spend? Not much. So if this 20 year old pays $50.00 a month and the small business pays $50.00 a month (all of which can be written off by the company AND employee) into the "Government Health Network" - something like that may work. The Government would get $1,200 a year toward funding this program and the Small Business gets a write and so does the employee (I can understand why the US Gov't would say no to writing off the employee $50.00).

Obvious, there are huge gaps in a plan like this. A 20 year old woman would cost the Gov't a great deal more on average because of the possibility of pregnancy. That is why I think if the employee could "write off" it's contribution would be helpful - sort of a way to "even out" the male/female differences.

Even if we are talking "basic health needs" - perhaps pay for one doctor visit a year and catastrophic care (including cancer treatment) as part of the Government Health Network. Now, the current health system would still exist, and while someone with health insurance would for the most could afford better care, there would be something in place. As for doctors, we can also make it worth there while to service patients of this Network. Doctors (especially good ones) make a lot of money and I think many would love any write off they could get.

Again, the US had a problem so many other countries don't have to deal with - mass undocumented immigration. The question would have to be - how to deal with that these people. They clearly "don't pay into the system", so why should they benefit. Undocumented immigrants cost the US Government and State Governments billions of dollars a year. It's a problem so many pro "socialized medicine" supporters tend to ignore.