"Larry L" wrote in message
...
On Feb 23, 4:09 pm, jh wrote:


I'm all for fixing health care - but lets fix costs. If the costs can
be contained - people will get coverage.



I think we'd agree on more than disagree.

But, protecting "profits" in the health biz is at odds with
protecting people in the country. Other countries have shown
( varying methods and success ) that "reasonable" profits AND
reasonable costs are both possible.

From my view, a major political problem here is that Republicans
( both sides but far more obvious over there on the right ) are owned
by and work for drug companies, insurance companies, and Wall St {less
clearly related})

My guess is that you vote R because you think they will "defend" your
right to make as much money as you can and stash it away .... good old
American Dream. ( not that I argue against it in most cases )

My question, do YOU think health care and iron work construction fall
into the same category, i.e. free enterprise with only profit as a
worthwhile goal? Do you even really believe that "profit" is the only
important ( even the most important) product of your own biz? if so,
sorry

The only couple ways to lower costs. Number one is increase the supply of
doctors. Number 2 is get rid of a lot of the HMO mentality of a $10 copay
and everything is covered. Under that scenario, there is an immense
increase in hospital and doctor visits. Gets the sniffles. Old days, he
stayed home, got some rest, and maybe chicken soup, and was well in 3 days.
Now mom takes kid to hospital, they run a huge amount of costly tests to
cover their liability, and tell mom to take the kid home, give him some
Tylenol, maybe some chicken soup, and he will be ok in 3 days. Added couple
thousand to the health care costs. Europe has "Free" healthcare. But it is
not free, is is paid for with $3 a gallon gas tax, etc. They also do some
things correctly. Besides an emergency room, they have a doctors office
attached to the hospital with a nurse, aid, clerk and doctor. Takes care of
things like the kids cold without all the ER stuff. There is a lineup to
get attention, but wait is not too long. I had to avail myself of it in
Sorrento, Italy. Free for everybody, but if I had to go to the hospital
part, I would have had to pay. We could cut costs, but will the people
stand for the cut in services? Canada had a year or 3 wait for a knee
replacement. In the 1980's British Columbia had one MRI machine. There
were 7 in the San Francisco Bay area. 6-9 months wait for an MRI. You want
that rationing and cost reduction?