gatorbait

Great post Alf! Every one needs to read this to truly realize we need to be better in the healthcare department.

My opinion is it's becoming more of a right, debate that all you want. More people than just myself feel that way. Japan, Germany, Canada and others have their complaints about their systems, but they are not collapsing. We could pick and choose the best parts of all systems around the globe to modernize and improve ours. If you guys don't want to go to single player, then we could just regulate the **** out of pharmacy companies, insurance companies and medical companies. That would go a long way, but we live in a country where profits and lobbyists would never allow that.

Universal care increases access, that is not even debateable. Waiting times will go up slightly for everyone besides the rich, but access will increase. Single payer will not single handedly increase quality but there are tons of measures we could take to increase it. Reducing administrative costs by not having to seek reimbursement from 100 different payers is not reducing resources. Downsizing 25% of administrators will help hospital's bottom line, not lower resources for providing care. Do you guys really think the current health system is working in America? We spend over 2 trillion a year on the stuff, and prices keep going up. It is not sustainable.

Fair enough, your two points/questions poke serious holes in the argument. Every other major nation would probably disagree with you and say that since they offer universal care, it has now become more than a luxury, it is almost a right for their citizens. You got me with your semantics, and I'm serious, you would make a good lawyer.

Dude, you don't get it. Single payer will regulate the costs and prices of everything in the medical field. Other countries pay a third of the price to see a doctor, get a surgery or medication. Why do you think that is? You obviously have no !@#$ing clue how reimbursements right now work in medicine. I'm a health administrator genius, we are going to have to downsize when we go to single payer, not increase the workforce. To say reimbursement and administrative costs will go up with single payer shows how little you know about it.

Thanks for reposting that Tasker, you would make a great lawyer. Let me rephrase my "opinion". Healthcare is a luxury that all Americans should have access to and be able to afford. Is that better for you?

I said it's becoming a right, and a lot of young people and countries feel that way too. That's what I think, disagree all you want. It won't change my day one bit. Thanks for the long response and lecture. There are fat and obese people in America? Some people will never take care of their health, no matter what? I know this. Single payer brings down costs, that is the most important factor in America. Costs and the bottom line override everything. Do you think people calling me an idiot matters to me? I'm an IB grad who had a full ride to a state university and I have a Master's degree. My opinion on certain matters gets ridiculed but I do not care. Less than 10% of the population has a Master's, which is sad. Everyone could use a little more education imo.

The ACA was a joke, it's not single payer or the answer. Insurance companies can't stay involved in the process. Millions still didn't have insurance or use the one they had. Single payer isn't perfect, obviously. What is? The current way isn't working. Costs and premiums keep going up and it's getting out of hand. Doctors won't have a choice. It's their career so they will have to stay doing it until retirement, or go be a consultant or do something else. Then, young people who will have Pell grants and help with their medical school can charge and make less in the future. Doctors are still heroes and it will always be one of the most important occupations, if demand goes down a tiny bit for the position we will still be okay. Don't believe me I don't care, just don't say no one ever told you about single payer when we switch to it in the future. Chupa mi penga bendejo. I could argue the semantics of it but it isn't that important if it's a right or not. Every major nation offers a basic level of care, and we will too. It is only a matter of time. Score one point for Tasker.

You got me there Tasker, I can't answer that one well enough to appease you. Other major nations look at it that way, and I do too. I understand how people don't see it as a right though, and it's all good. Have a great day sweeties, I love you all too. More access, regular checkups, the poor actually going to a doctor regularly instead of just going to the ER when something goes drastically wrong. There will be longer waiting times, that much is evident in countries with universal care. We are the only major nation that doesn't offer basic care to the poor. We are supposed to lead the world! That isn't a wish list, it's what will happen when we move to single payer. It's not as hard as you make it out to be. Lobbyists and corporations have done a great job making us think the wrong stuff.

Babe, you need to do your homework. Single payer will standardize costs and reimbursements. As a result, that will bring costs down. Taking the power to set prices away from pharm and insurance companies will bring the costs down. Having every facility switch to EMRs that can be shared with different facilities will increase quality. Doctors will no longer be sued for malpractice, but will lose their license if they produce repeated negative results. That will also increase quality and bring their rates down, so they won't have to charge more to cover their back end. Medical ID cards like in France will have your whole medical history, medical allergies, and other things to promote synergy and increase quality. Having a healthier population where everyone gets regular checkups and cares more about preventative care will lower costs and increase quality. There are tons of other benefits of going to single payer. Lobbyists and corporations have too much political power, we need to start doing what's better for us, not them.

I have radical ideas. Would it surprise you that we are the only major advanced nation that doesn't guarantee their citizens some basic form of healthcare? They look at it as a basic right, so their citizens can prosper and live a fuller life. Sounds good to me. When we go to single payer in the next decade or two, you can thank me for warning you about it now.

If everyone around here had to prove every opinion they had, we would never get anything done at work.

The quality of care the average American receives isn't close to being near the top, same with regards to education. I don't want a mandate, I want a basic universal level of care provided through our taxes. Hundreds of years ago when they wrote the constitution, healthcare wasn't a right like it is becoming now. The rich will still have better private insurance, with access to the best surgeons and doctors, and first class concierge services. Think about becoming a teacher these days, it isn't desirable at all. They need more support, better pay and benefits to attract better talent. New York actually takes care of their educators compared to Florida but it is getting worse. Standardized education right now gets students to take standardized tests; it doesn't prepare them for the real world or make them as truly educated as they could be. My ideas are radical around here, and I have already admitted universal healthcare is a step towards socialism. I just want to progress, not stay stagnant or go backwards. We don't have to become socialist by having single payer healthcare, but I understand everyone's argument. Except for richstadiumowner. Let's not forget about "social" security, and all the other programs. Does that make us closer to Nazi Germany or Venezuela?

Venezuela is a mess and averages about 60 murders a day. To use that as your benchmark, when there are numerous better examples, makes you look foolish. They are much smaller, much more unstable and much more corrupt. They don't have the same kinds of checks and balances like we do here. Trump is about as close to a dictator as America will probably ever have. For the 10th time, so you cavemen understand it. Show me, where did I say we need to be socialist? I want our taxes to cover quality healthcare and education. And I want us to be ranked in the top 10 globally, like we used to be in those two areas. Free markets, businesses and capitalism are fine, but we can do better in some areas.

Pass. Tom deserves whatever he gets. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

Haha now who doesn't get the joke!? I have a theory, Tom's ancient pecker stopped working years ago and whenever he calls someone an idiot he gets a little jolt between the legs. I would hate for him to stop, he needs us!

Yep, I cheer for all of that stuff, how did you know? There is tons of it in first world and advanced European countries currently, right? Those barbarians aren't civilized at all. Pointing to Nazi Germany, Cuba, Venezuela, Vietnam, dictators and Marxists is a great argument, nice job! Except the argument if that you need to get out more and are the true "tard"

Nope but I will be able to read it. Maybe it wasn't as funny as you think? Come on man, I'm young and naive. Shouldn't you be destroying me in these threads if you know so much?

Are you dense enough to think that by me saying those two statements I'm a socialist or think we need to be a socialist country? Single payer will happen and we will still be labeled a capitalistic nation. Come on reaper you can get me in better ways than that.

Did someone laugh at your joke? I must have missed it. Now that video by Nanker on the other hand was hilarious.

Thanks for another hard to read and jumbled word salad. Socialism=evil and 100 million dead. Got it. When the quality of our healthcare, education and infrastructure is top 10 again, I will be happy. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're in the bottom bracket of IQ in this country, well below the median of 98.

You geniuses keep claiming I am this or that. I'm advocating for progressing as a nation. I don't care what we call it. I'm not a socialist, but think whatever you want, I could not care less.

Huh? Wtf are you talking about? The average IQ in America is 98, so that means the average IQ on here is probably 98. That is scary and sad. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thestreet.com/amp/story/12712489/1/the-10-dumbest-states-in-america.html Most of the 10 dumbest states in America are red states, go figure.

Agreed and they absolutely can be. But let's not pretend like the heavily religious people who hate abortions and gay people aren't mostly far right conservatives. I also think most people who hate refugees, immigrants and Muslims are conservatives. I'm in the middle as an independent, which is the most reasonable stance to take imo. I vote for the best candidate, not just my party. Both sides have some good ideas. I don't think conservatives are more generous with their money though. Liberal billionaires have donated way more money than conservative billionaires during my lifetime. I love how the right believes in hard work, providing for themselves and getting the leeches off of the system. I feel that way too. I'm informed enough to realize not every liberal mooches off the government though as well.

Every Bills fan should be required to watch Tyrod's highlights from last year at least once a week. It is good for the soul and gives a slight glimmer of hope for the QB position this year.