theXman

Hey, you think you are smarter than a 5th grader.

garylewa

Thank you. I feel if valid points are made there is no reason to resort to name calling, everyone has differing views and has had different life experiences that shape ones outlook on nearly every topic. One of my criteria for a well-rounded individual is the way a person can debate with another that has a differing view point. I have also learned alot from someone else's different point of view on issues (some of the best on here are Swajames and Calvin; Dranged (John), Craig and I agree on most things so we usually don't verbally spar).

Kudo's for your previous public service and your wife's continuing work. I bet she has a full plate. We have a friend that teaches in the inner-city and she has heartbreaking stories.

Also, congratulations on your district's rankings; I would always vote in support of our levies if we had rankings and achievements such as yours.

325/528

I was at a urologist's office today and we were discussing medication costs. BCG is a medicine instilled into the bladder to treat bladder cancer. The urologist pays $112 for it. The medicare allowable here is $117. Medicare only pays 80-90% of the $117 and the patient or patient's secondary insurance is billable for the other 10-20%. Looks pretty profitable to me.

porsche911targa

Exactly why we are ranked number 37 in the world for health care. The real question is, what do we need to do to jump from number 37 in the world to number 1? Everybody is a critic, but nobody is addressing this question. Are you all REALLY happy with a ranking of number 37? And, please don't give me the example of choices, etc. There are not many choices with private insurance. There's so much that they won't cover either and I have had to haggle with them over lab fees and out of band doctors, etc., and many of them have a lifetime limit on how much they will pay (depending on the employer's plan).

Folks, let's come up with ideas on how to jump from #37 to #1...........

goodman

Since you ask, I'll correct you. They did not come out like a bunch of roaches. They came out like human beings with dignity and pride, sometimes waiting patiently for hours to cast their ballots.

swajames

The minute a reasonable safety net is available to all, providing good quality preventative-focused care, irrespective of your ability to pay, the US will shoot up the rankings. There's no doubt or dispute about the quality of care available here - it's awesome.

The WHO rating focused on a number of factors to arrive at their ranking. At the heart of the issue, and it is one of the main reasons that the US scores poorly in their rankings, is the lack of general access to the care that people need. To the extent a public option can be made available, leaving those who demand more with the ability to maintain their preferred arrangement, the US will place much higher in the tables. It's the lack of access and (to some degree) a lack of focus on the preventative side of medicine is what's creating and perpetuating the issue. For those of us in work and with good insurance, the care we get is very good, and it is very far removed from the number #37 player that the tables would otherwise indicate. For those without coverage, however, that #37 rating is probably justified.

sixcard

Having been traveling, I have missed most of this thread. I?ll have to go back and read every post. It's looking like I will have plenty of time.

My concern is not with Government Health Care per se, but with Government Any Kind Care. Their track record of having programs work as planned or work well or work at all is dominated by dismal failure.

What have they ever done well?

>Amtrak? (No pun)?..NO. >Roosevelt Great Depression Stimulus?..NO? >Johnson?s Great Society?..NO. >Fanny and Freddie?..NO. >Post Office?..NO. >Bush border control?..NO. >War on Drugs?..NO. >Medicare?..NO.> Clunkers?..NO.> Social Security?..NO >Not to mention Carter's rescue debacle.
>Any?

And typically when a program falters the Government solution is to do more of it.

That gets kind of tiring for those of us who foot the bill.

sixcard

pukka

Amtrak was screwed from the start since they have to lease the track from the corporate railroads who make buttloads more money hauling freight. I can't argue much with anything else - they are valid points.

However, government deregulation hasn't done much better. Just look at how much we are paying to keep the financial industry afloat - and there's no certain end in sight.

Which bill would you rather pay?

garylewa

None of them

pukka

Unfortunately, that is not an option.