Don't sick and/or get accident if you don't have money

[Dunkopf]

mom'sfolly :

I feel that the lack of a universal insurance coverage option limits entrepreneurship, and limits start-ups. I know many programmers who stay with their staid companies because they need the health coverage for their families. These people are not poor, but they are universally very smart. They weigh the risks, and don't make the leap to smaller more innovative companies that can't offer insurance coverage. I think there would be more start-ups and innovation if people had the option of a guaranteed reasonable cost insurance.

There were a lot of small business owners that were very excited at the prospect of paying a reasonable amount of money into universal health coverage as was originally proposed and then being able to level the playing field a little between them and huge companies that have a big pool of employees that spreads out cost and lowers premiums for them. Then the propaganda machine financed by the insurance and pharmaceutical industry kicked into gear. A lot of people forget that the drug program for seniors is a massive unfinanced giveaway to the Pharm companies. It looks good up front. Then you realize it's just a huge subsidy to big business. Canada has much cheaper prices on the very same drugs because they negotiate pricing instead of paying whatever the pharm company feels is the best for them.

So now instead of having universal healthcare we have upcoming in 2012, mandatory insurance or a very small fine collected through your taxes. That was added in to placate the insurance companies. It will save the country billions but it has not fully accomplished what it was first started as. It has also upset a lot of people that would have been much happier with the original plan if they would have given it a chance. Not really their fault though. Media has incredible power.​

 

[Dunkopf]

Quote:
Bravo for him. He lost his wealthiest person in the world status doing that kind of stuff.

I say if the baby is already born into this world than do everything you can to be sure he or she is as healthy as possible. That includes pre natal care which is sorely lacking in under developed countries and the USA. Fortunately most developed countries have a good health care system in place so they have much lower infant mortality rates. Some day the USA will add their name to the list of developed countries instead of just the wealthiest with some of the best health care in the world for those that can afford it.

 

[bakerjw]

Chickened is right. No one here is going to change anyone's mind.

But...
We have a 14+ trillion dollar debt.
We have a 15+ trillion dollar unfunded Social Security liability.
We have a 19+ trillion dollar unfunded Medicare prescription drug liability.
And a 79+ trillion dollar unfunded Medicare liability.
Source: http://usdebtclock.org/

Even though I am one of those people labelled by Dunkopf as "Dense", my perspective tells me that we have a big big problem. We are living in a sand castle at the waters edge and the tide is coming in. We are caught in the middle of the battle between the left and the right and neither one has our best interests in mind. Remember, if you're not stocked up on basic necessities, it's never too late to start.

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
Bravo for him. He lost his wealthiest person in the world status doing that kind of stuff.

I say if the baby is already born into this world than do everything you can to be sure he or she is as healthy as possible. That includes pre natal care which is sorely lacking in under developed countries and the USA. Fortunately most developed countries have a good health care system in place so they have much lower infant mortality rates. Some day the USA will add their name to the list of developed countries instead of just the wealthiest with some of the best health care in the world for those that can afford it.

I admire Bill Gates for his Philanthropy. He started out as an unknown and brilliant man, worked his way into wealth, and then helped those in need.

 

[Dunkopf]

Quote:
Baker I don't consider you as dense and I apologize if you took it that way. The dense people are the ones that read a post but don't actually understand what is being said. It happens all the time. You say one thing and the reader only has eyes for one comment and doesn't bother to read what you actually said. They want you to be in a package and don't want to consider you might not fit in that package.

I agree our debt is horrible. Something has to be done. The debt started spiraling out of control with the Bush tax cuts. The far left will have you believe those cuts only included the wealthy. Fact is they include anyone that makes enough to pay taxes. The first year I filed under the new plan I got around 6000 back. I usually get back around 700. Reason was the child tax credit. A lot of people rely heavily on that credit now that it's there. Bush was a genius for putting it in there. Now the wealthy are guaranteed that nobody will cut their tax cuts because they would have to stop the other credits that help out those that actually need help. Bush wasn't anywhere near as stupid as he wanted everyone to think he was.

The only thing that can be done to save us is to raise taxes across the board. The other thing is universal health care from cradle to grave. The alternative would be for the government to stop paying the bills for emergency rooms. Just provide a tent to go die if you don't have insurance. There are many many ways to cut health care cost. There are millions of people that would go into medicine if they could get the education for free. The military already does it. They pay for the education of medical officers and the officer serves a six year stint as I remember plus he is on reserve the rest of his life basically since officers can be re enlisted until they are too old regardless of MOS. So why can't Uncle Sam do that and then have the doctors work in their system for reasonable pay. After their contract is up they can get a job pandering to wealthy people.

What is the solution for medicare besides letting people die after they have paid into the system their whole life? Put aside the ideologies and face the facts. Private health care doesn't work anymore. There are too many baby boomers still above ground and medicine has extended their lives about 10 years over what the avg was when medicare was first introduced.

No Baker. I won't change your mind but there are people that will read the junk I write and then actually think about it a little and maybe change their mind. Too many people only have half the story out there.

 

[chickened]

I agree he is a very generous man. And did not need Uncle Sam to force him to do it. Pretty compassionate for an evil rich guy/corporation.
Quote:
Bravo for him. He lost his wealthiest person in the world status doing that kind of stuff.

I say if the baby is already born into this world than do everything you can to be sure he or she is as healthy as possible. That includes pre natal care which is sorely lacking in under developed countries and the USA. Fortunately most developed countries have a good health care system in place so they have much lower infant mortality rates. Some day the USA will add their name to the list of developed countries instead of just the wealthiest with some of the best health care in the world for those that can afford it.

I admire Bill Gates for his Philanthropy. He started out as an unknown and brilliant man, worked his way into wealth, and then helped those in need.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Interestingly enough, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, two of the richest men in the world, say that taxes should be raised on the wealthy. Buffet even recommends raising corporate and capital gains taxes.

http://www.advisorone.com/article/warren-buffett-and-bill-gates-talk-taxes-and-philanthropy

 

[chickened]

I did not know that, although if you want BG to take care of every aspect of the peoples life I suppose you would need to raise taxes or send us all a billing.

Buffet also said that the BUsh-era tax cuts should be extended even more to the lower, middle and upper-middle class. They all give tremendously to private charities which I am in favor of..

mom'sfolly :

Interestingly enough, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, two of the richest men in the world, say that taxes should be raised on the wealthy. Buffet even recommends raising corporate and capital gains taxes.

http://www.advisorone.com/article/warren-buffett-and-bill-gates-talk-taxes-and-philanthropy​

 

[Matthew3590]

Quote:
Bravo for him. He lost his wealthiest person in the world status doing that kind of stuff.

I say if the baby is already born into this world than do everything you can to be sure he or she is as healthy as possible. That includes pre natal care which is sorely lacking in under developed countries and the USA. Fortunately most developed countries have a good health care system in place so they have much lower infant mortality rates. Some day the USA will add their name to the list of developed countries instead of just the wealthiest with some of the best health care in the world for those that can afford it.

USA is a developed country. Unless you mean add to the list of other developed with health care plans.

 

[mom'sfolly]

What Dunkopf means is that in terms of infant mortality, the US does not rate very highly in developed world. While higher than most third world countries, it is much lower than most of the developed world. I think that the US is some where around 50th worldwide. This is generally considered one of the bench marks for a good health care system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate