Why socialist medicine is not the answer

[fabr]

Back in February my dad's knee started bothering him so he makes an appointment at the va. He gets in about week later, they take xrays and find nothing wrong, give him scripts for pain meds and muscle relaxers. Two weeks go by meds aren't working and his knee is getting worse so he calls again for another appointment, has to wait about two weeks this time. Sees a different doc this time and he says you may need an mri but he can't schedule one cuz he is not a specialist. He gives him more meds and sends him on his way. My dad waits a couple more weeks calls again to see about the mri so they make another appointment, he goes just to find out that this appointment was just to make another one with a specialist. He is not happy at this point, he goes and sees the Orthopedic and he says yup you need an mri and says that they will schedule it, mind you the otho is at a different location over an hour away so my dad gets a little pissy with the doc so the doc makes him wait three weeks for the mri. He got the mri on June 3 and he goes next week to the local office to go over his mri even though he was told over the phone that his knee is shot and needs surgery.

This is just an example of our government run health care, just imagine if all of our health care was ran by our government.

And that care is provided for our VETERANS no less. How do you think a plain old citizen will make out? Sorry but the same similar thing happens with medicare also. Another gov run program. Is/will private health care ever be perfect? Hell no, but IMO , better than the alternative-HERE.

[Dunebound69]

I recently read an article about heath care on our Indian Reservations. It spoke of the program running out of money by mid year. Residents were denied x-rays, cat scans, mri's, etc because our government funding was underfunded and miss managed. It truly scares what will happen.

[cleppla]

Do you think if we had universal healthcare and it was underfunded there would not be a lynching of our elected officals?

From what I understand.  We pay almost TWICE as much as some other countries who have universal healthcare and everyone is covered versus the US who only the reasonibly healthy people covered.  Something wrong here??

[cleppla]

Back in February my dad's knee started bothering him so he makes an appointment at the va. He gets in about week later, they take xrays and find nothing wrong, give him scripts for pain meds and muscle relaxers. Two weeks go by meds aren't working and his knee is getting worse so he calls again for another appointment, has to wait about two weeks this time. Sees a different doc this time and he says you may need an mri but he can't schedule one cuz he is not a specialist. He gives him more meds and sends him on his way. My dad waits a couple more weeks calls again to see about the mri so they make another appointment, he goes just to find out that this appointment was just to make another one with a specialist. He is not happy at this point, he goes and sees the Orthopedic and he says yup you need an mri and says that they will schedule it, mind you the otho is at a different location over an hour away so my dad gets a little pissy with the doc so the doc makes him wait three weeks for the mri. He got the mri on June 3 and he goes next week to the local office to go over his mri even though he was told over the phone that his knee is shot and needs surgery.

This is just an example of our government run health care, just imagine if all of our health care was ran by our government.

You give an example of poor serivce with the VA.

Do you have any positive reports?


My landlord shattered his leg when he kicked a spinning truck tire on jacked up truck.  He walked on it for a few days and then decided to go to the VA and have it looked at.  They admitted him right there and then. Removed the blood clot that was developing and had a specialist come in and fix his leg.   He was extremely happy with the service he recieved.

[fabr]

Do you think if we had universal healthcare and it was underfunded there would not be a lynching of our elected officals?

From what I understand.  We pay almost TWICE as much as some other countries who have universal healthcare and everyone is covered versus the US who only the reasonibly healthy people covered.  Something wrong here??

They lie through their teeth to get elected time and again. What makes you think this would be any different?

[cleppla]

I guess I am less pessimistic about the whole issue.

[fabr]

Nothing wrong with that but with age comes pessimism. And unfortunately realization. Notice I said realization not reality. Subtle difference but one day you'll get it too.

[artie on edge]

Nothing wrong with that but with Kansan age comes pessimism. And unfortunately realization. Notice I said realization not reality. Subtle difference but one day you'll get it too.

 

[fabr]

 

[jsbm]

No I do not have any positive examples of the va. My father only started going there a little over a year ago when he got cut to part time and lost his benefits and could not afford the cobra ins. Up until his knee I guess you could say he was satisfied.

I think you are comparing apples to oranges when it comes to your landlord and my father. A broken leg to me falls under emergency care and should be dealt with quickly. Its been over six months since his first appointment and he still is in limbo. When he got his xray and it came back with nothing wrong but yet his one knee was twice the size of his other maybe the mri should have been scheduled then instead of almost five months later and three wasted appointments. I have several customers that have had their knees replaced and all of them got it done in less than three months from their first appointment, but they all had private insurance. See the difference.

I don't mean to knock the va, just our version of government based health care. Medicare\medicaid is even worse. In my area try to find a doctor that will take it and when you do most of them say they are not taking on any new patients.

Heres my example of dealing with medicare\medicaid.
My mother-in-law had a stroke a little over a year ago, she was 64 at the time and had no health insurance. My father-in-law retired the year before and his ss was under 1100 a month so they could not afford insurance. I was able to get her on medicaid but with a share of cost at 1700 a month. Tell me how a house hold that brings in less than 1100 month is going to be able to afford 1700 a month. She gets released even though she was still having issues and was told to follow up with her primary which was a complete ass but they where stuck with him cuz they could not find any one to take medicaid. When she turned 65 and got medicare they found a new primary that just started up his private practice and they get a letter from medicare stating that there claims where denied cuz he had not been in practice long enough. He retired from the Airforce after almost 30 years of service. He was good enough to treat our soldiers but not private citizens, fortunately he was able to work out the issues with medicare. 

[trojan]

Sheesh, when are you blokes going to figure who/what is the problem and sort it out?
Why is the US sooo different to the rest of the world that its public servants cant do what essentially all other countries can....
The rest of the world is still waiting for you guys to justify the claim of "the greatest Nation on earth" rather than constantly proving you are gifted at unintentional satire. Australia is "God's Own [Country]".... get over it....

Here's a clue to the problem: all the rhetoric surrounding sending troops into battle, especially recruitment offices IN the poorer area schools, ALL THE WHILE knowing what the VA is and does and being fully aware of the history of returned service men in the country.

Here's another: how you get all indignant and upset about "electing" the Socialist-Muslim-Arrogant-Racist-Terrorist-Negro and bicker about EVERY thing he does, when demonstrably he's carrying on Dubya's legacy which you seemed to support with the same consideration.

And another: the only people that benefit from non-public health are the shareholders. You have to be rich to get the SAME level of care as poor people in poor countries. It's only the very rich that can afford the care described as "the best in the world" and worst comes to worst they can take their publically funded private jets to Canada and get that care there....

[fabr]

Trojan,it is interesting how you ,who has no experience in the least with US systems,  presume to lecture us on what WE are doing wrong. The above really points that out. You get all your facts from the "major media" and wikipedia? LOL!!!!!  PLEASE explain how it is that you think a gov run and administered system would be preferable to a properly guide lined and regulated private system. A few rules that benefit ALL patrons,protects those that are CURRENTLY getting caught in the middle(and THAT is the MIDDLE CLASS) without real health coverage. Those hard working people that pay their taxes,go to work every day ,actually contribute to those that "can't afford" thru taxes are left out. THAT has to stop. I agree BUT a gov run and administered program-HERE?- I hope the hell not. 

[Islander]

Maybe you should stop blaming thee government and using them as such a scapegoat.  I thought in a democracy YOU put the people in control there.  I'm betting that if everyone who had such a big problem with the elected officials got together, you would have (somehow)60-75% of the population there.  Now explain to me how over half of the population at any one time can disagree totally with their ELECTED officials, and them still have office.  I'm not saying that USA is the only country with that problem, but it sounds much more like a dictatorship to me when the people have no control.  I can't see how a country can force democracy down the throat of so many foreign countries when it has so many problems at home.  They are not gods or super-humans, they are just pompous a##holes who have power that is given, and no longer earned.

[fabr]

You explained how OUR gov (doesn't)works.  All you do here is lie to get elected and then do whatever you want. Just because YOUR gov does as it should doesn't mean OURS does. WHenever you have 50% of the people looking for a free handout and are willing to be lied to about it the system breaks down. THAT is why we cannot trust our gov to do the responsible thing. They are more interested in getting re-elected FOR LIFE in effect by making hollow promises instead of  doing the right thing and making the right choices.  TERM LIMITS would stop a very large part of that.

[Nutz4sand]

I have said it before and I'll say it again.

We do not elect our officials in this country. Delegates do. At least at any office higher than Town Mayor and in bigger towns while you cannot be sure there.

The biggest problems we have is the "Secret vote"!

Poeple think the secret vote is great as it give them the ability to vote in private for whom they like.

BULLISHT!

WHat it does is allow those who DO vote (delegates) to vote ANY DAM WAY THEY WANT.  Since they are bought and sold like stocks they vote towards whoever is lining thier bank accounts.

Trust in this. There are more and more poeple each day who are tired of the crap we see. Not enough are pissed yet. Most wish and think it should simply be made right like its "supposed" to be by those assigned to watch our elected officials and keep them in check. But reality is its not gonna be done by them since they to are paid off.

When the time comes it will have to be done the hard way.