Text 35911, 51 rader
Skriven 2009-09-10 09:50:34 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
  Kommentar till text 35843 av Bob Ackley (1:300/3)
Ärende: (2/2) Universal health insurance
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Bob Ackley wrote to Robert Bashe on Tuesday September 08 2009 at 07:36:

BA> I don't know or care how your system works.

That, at least, is doubtless the truth. But you should have added: "nor am I
interested in learning anything".

BA> I know how the system works in this country and I know precisely what
BA> the proponents of whatever Obamacare (and Hillarycare back in 1994) is
BA> officially called are aiming for, and that is *free* health care for
BA> everybody (except the rich, of course).

If true, that is naturally impossible. Health care costs money and must be
paid. Either you pay per visit or you have health insurance, or you pay for
universal health care in taxes, or some other system. But one way or another,
you pay. And not only the "rich" (please define - everybody has their own
ideas).

Frankly, I doubt that either the Clintons or Obama are for "free" health care
except for those who can't afford either per visit payments or medical
insurance. The thing that sits so poorly with many Americans is simply that the
federal government wants to implement universal health care - and by definition
the federal government is inept, corrupt, self-seeking and bureaucratic.

The only problem is: when you eliminate the federal government, what do you
have left? The present patchwork of state laws, private insurance, Medicare and
charities doesn't really provide what anyone outside the system would term
"universal health care".

BA>>> The hogwash about health care being a 'most basic human right'
BA>>> necessary for life is exactly that, hogwash.

RB>> Apparently you've never suffered from a lack of medical care, Bob.
RB>> Lucky you, may things stay that way for a long time.

BA> Actually I have, although it wasn't a life threatening problem it
BA> could have been...

That story pretty well explains your aversion to government-organized health
care, but shouldn't sour you on the idea of universal health care completely.
All it means is that the systems have to be better thought out than they were
in your case.

I might mention that in Germany, pensioners were given free government health
insurance until the early 1970s. It's not free anymore, or sometimes even
available. See - times are hard all over.

Cheers, Bob

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