100+ years ago, nobody had health insurance

Just think about it; over 100 years ago NOBODY had health insurance.

So why should EVERYONE be ENTITLED to have health insurance today ???

 

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100 years ago you could die from shaving.

 

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1000 years ago you could die from diahrea

What's your point?

 

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For the following reasons:
- No American Medical Association (trade lobby limiting the supply of physicians)
- No government regulation of the industry (no unfair restrains limiting competition, no oligololies)
- Limited services.

I think a better question would be why are countries with socialized medicine more efficient at delivering medical care? Why are their costs so low as compared to the United States. And you will find the difference is the control of special interests over the government.

 

Universally free healthcare won't necessarily be great. It just means everyone is condemned to the same cheap quality health care.

 

People are acting like spoiled brats expecting entitled medical care (at other people's expense) in todays society.

 

I don't think we should be looking backwards for our goals as a society. If there is any reward coming from the industrial revolution, it should be that we all get decent medical care, regardless of social status.

 

Well when government goes in an artificially restricts supply in order to drive up prices for special interests...then I don't blame them for acting like spoiled brats. If the government can come into the market and structure the market for medical services to perpetually favor a select few at the expense of the average Joe, I don't blame the average Joe for complaining about it.

If on the other hand you want to get government out of restricting supply of medical services and products...that is a different story.

 

That's because mainstream Republicans/"conservatives" have failed to provide a good alternative to what the Democrats are proposing. They've backstabbed the taxpayer with their latest Medicare bill. They can't make an argument for the free market to efficiently deliver health care because, in truth, they're anti-free market. This is the legacy of those who called themselves conservatives failing to be conservative, so of course the average person thinks that the Democrats have the answer this time!

 

Aren't you fiscally conservative ashura?

 

I am. I'm not saying I agree with Democrat solutions to health care. I'm saying I can understand why others would agree with it.

 

Never heard of prussia and otto von bismark have you. He implemented some form of health insurance( which i might add covered everyone) in the 1880's

 

Health care wasn't so expensive (or effective) 100 years ago. Today doctors have college loans to pay off, and expensive equipment to buy.

 

I agree the Republicans have screwed up recently on fixing some problems in health care. Namely they've done nothing about Tort Reform. IMO, Tort Reform would help drop health care costs a lot (but not completely solve all problems).

 

Another tired fallacy.

 

tort reform wouldn't be needed if we increased the supply of good doctors which would lessen the amount of screw ups that cause doctors to get sued. I mean when you have to work for 36 hours striaght toward the end your going to be tired and more prone to make mistakes.

 

Very good question, Cazzo!

...the US be the only Western democracy without universal healthcare? Not to mention the richest Western democracy.

I'll tell you what, let's make a deal! If the government stops invading other countries and wasting money there we could finance the healthcare here. Crazy, I know...

By the way, it doesn't have to cover everything, but the basic needs at least.

 

There saw a time in the past when elementary (to grade 12) education had to be paid for. Society decided that all our children should be educated. Basic health care seems to have achieved a similar status.

 

Tort reform is a red herring used by the industry to deflect attention from the real problem and that is extrodinary patent protections. Laws limiting competition, for some reason it is ok to export jobs to low wage countries. But it is not ok/legal to import prescription drugs from Canada or any other industrialized country. The real problem is the AMA limiting the number of physicans trainned every year by buying influence in Congress. And let me be clear on this, I think it is fine for a profession to set reasonable standards for a profession. But it is wrong to limit access to education. It is also wrong for states and colleges to require execessive non related medical training. For instance, it takes eight years of post secondary education to become a physician in the United States. In the rest of the industrial world, it only takes four to six years. The extra non relevant training adds to the expense and limits the supply of physicians. These are the things the industry wants to keep secret. These are the real problems with healthcare.

http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=7497

 

Not health insurance: health care. The means are negotiable.

Starting with modern sewer and water systems, that people didn't have a hundred years ago but act like they're entitled today, and moving to vaccinations and epidemic control, and so forth and so on.

It's one of the perks of belonging to a literate, work-adjusted, productive culture and economy. It's why you establish such an economy and cultural milieu. It's the payoff of civilization - happy, healthy children growing up tall and strong and alert and informed and capable.

You don't have to be civilized. It is trouble and effort and expense. But you will suffer the consequences,should you choose refusal and sloth and spite and greed and denial.