Forum Overview :: Balance of Power
 
I think Obamacare OR single payer could work in the US, but by blackwater 05/22/2017, 1:00am PDT
The political situation would have to improve a lot. People have to face some unpleasant truths.

* Health care is not a "market." Most of the time, you don't know the actual price of any medical procedure or device until after you buy it. There are usually only a small number of providers for the service (in an emergency situations, there's usually only one-- the hospital where the ambulance brought you.)

* The price of fixing young people is very low. The price of fixing old people is essentially unlimited. It is a money pit that will consume basically any amount of resources that we can throw at it, for diminishing returns. And so...

* Every system will involve "death panels." Basically the people who decide that no, it's not worth spending $500,000 so that your grandfather can have another 2 weeks of life. Right now in the US, this function belongs to the insurance companies, who are constantly looking for technicalities that allow them to not authorize some treatment. In the UK, the National Healthcare Service takes on this function directly and decides that some things are covered for some people, and some aren't. The problem is that if USGov did this people would constantly be bitching and moaning about it. So it's outsourced to private parties who act as blame sponges (and also profit sponges, incidentally.)

* We have a huge doctor shortage. The medical schools are not graduating enough doctors, and the law forbids non-doctors from doing a lot of medical stuff. But if we fix the shortage, the current crop of doctors will find it hard to pay the huge debts they picked up going to medical school.
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Vote em out by Mysterio Lollerson 05/21/2017, 3:44pm PDT NEW
    Never get past the fact that they call it Cobra having grown up on G.I. Joe NT by NA 05/21/2017, 3:45pm PDT NEW
    This faggot by Vested Id 05/21/2017, 6:34pm PDT NEW
        Yep, still not taking the side of those shits. by Mysterio Lollerson 05/21/2017, 7:18pm PDT NEW
        I find you to be ridiculous by cnn.com -- hahaha 05/21/2017, 7:19pm PDT NEW
            Oops, guess I haven't used this machine in awhile, that was me NT by laudablepuss 05/21/2017, 7:20pm PDT NEW
            I don't understand health care policy very well by Vested Id 05/21/2017, 8:23pm PDT NEW
                I'm probably even dumber than you but by Worm 05/21/2017, 9:23pm PDT NEW
                    That's why the slogan is "Repeal and REPLACE" not "Repeal and jack off" NT by you weaselly shitsack 05/29/2017, 1:09pm PDT NEW
                I think Obamacare OR single payer could work in the US, but by blackwater 05/22/2017, 1:00am PDT NEW
                The things I find myself doing at 4am thanks to a sick dog. by Mischief Maker 05/22/2017, 2:22am PDT NEW
                    If I at least guess the dog's name, will you tell me if I am right? NT by Peter "Meeps" Vagina 05/22/2017, 2:42pm PDT NEW
                    Re: The things I find myself doing at 4am thanks to a sick dog. by Vested Id 05/22/2017, 7:14pm PDT NEW
                        Re: The things I find myself doing at 4am thanks to a sick dog. by blackwater 05/28/2017, 10:54pm PDT NEW
        Yes. The goal for Rs is to free up enough $ to pass tax cuts w/ reconciliation. NT by MM 05/21/2017, 8:03pm PDT NEW
            And get slaughtered in 2018 NT by Vested Id 05/21/2017, 8:19pm PDT NEW
                So? There're lucrative jobs waiting in lobbying firms and Fox News for them all. NT by MM 05/21/2017, 9:33pm PDT NEW
                    This is a very dumb response NT by Vested Id 05/22/2017, 6:34pm PDT NEW
 
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