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Post by MTMT on Sept 3, 2009 14:04:33 GMT -4
Nationalized health care is a big topic lately... And is one I cannot make a full opinion on at this time. The only thing I can say is that America's current system is broken... But I cannot tell if socialized medicine is the way to go. I've heard arguments for and against it... And one thing that is brought up is that, depending on who you ask, the British, French, Canadians, etc., either all love it, or all hate it. Now, I'm sure it's mixed everywhere... But I still want to know- what are your thoughts on Nationalized health care, and what seems to be the general consensus among your fellow countrymen?
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Post by theegomjw on Sept 3, 2009 17:29:39 GMT -4
the NHS is my countries greatest gift to the men, women and children that live here.
in fact, it is a gift used by people who do not even live here, some come on 'holiday' and end up staying until they are treated FOR FREE and get better.
the NHS is abused and sometimes is not up to a good standard, but the fact is i know if i break my leg i can get it mended and i will not have to pay out of my pocket.
of course i pay through tax, as do all of those that get off their arses and work.
there are those that do not work, and are capable and they too get to have free health care...that fucks me off. BUT, it would be too difficult to ick and choose who is treated and it would end up being corrupted anyway.
when i was 15 i contracted meningitus. if i had arrived at hospital a half hour later i would have died or been brain damaged.
i was in intensive care for a week and stayed for a further week. the staff were outstanding, so caring and so giving.
99% of them work harder than any of use could even imagine, often for very little thanks.
i owe my life to them.
and they did it all over again a few years back (some of you know about that, others dont. im not really into talking about it).
The NHS gets bashed, but it is under funded and it also has to live with huge amounts of pointless paperwork and hoop jumping.
Years back it was all about the care provided, there were standards and they were tight. Now, there is too much of a concern about 'offending' people etc etc. Pork can not be served for fear of offending a muslim (i have no general issue with muslims, but things like this piss me off). Im sorry, but if your being treated for free the importance is on the level of care, not whether the person next to you is eating pork!
They need to take the paperwork and the political correctness crap out and hand the power back to the staff.
Hospitals used to have 'Matrons'...strong, strict women who made damn sure everything was running smoothly and everything was very clean.
Now, there are too many people using the service and not enough working in it.
thats all for now.
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Post by AWA CEO: Mr. Timothy Draven on Sept 3, 2009 20:28:08 GMT -4
Ya know, I'm not big into politics. Everyone knows this about me....but, this whole health care thing, has me paying attention, so I appreciate Mittens asking about it, and I appreciate Lukes opinion on it. Really helps me think about things. I'm interrested in what others have to say about it.
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Post by Gregory "Ripper" Kennedy on Sept 3, 2009 20:43:33 GMT -4
I love the NHS. There is no other way to put it. They have treated my family fantastically regardless of what it is for.
I have a fantastic GP and I know if I get ill she will do whatever she can to help.
Quite simply it is on of the true marvels of Britain.
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Post by MTMT on Sept 3, 2009 22:59:29 GMT -4
YOU ALL HEARD IT!!! ;D Anyways... thanks Luke and Rips... this is good information to have. |
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Post by AWA CEO: Mr. Timothy Draven on Sept 5, 2009 10:36:34 GMT -4
Mittens my brother, I love you  I think eMpTyAJ is the biggest waste of life, but Mittens as a preson, I love like a brother. Before anything else, there was Timmy and Matt....he was building a new e-fed with the help from a guy named Ayatolla, and maybe Steve Supreme? (can't remember if he was one of the admins or not)....and I signed up, and offered to help out anyway possible. Right around the same time, I met two other crazy fuckers named The Ringmaster (Luke Harris), and Crazy Bill (crazy bill)....the rest is history! So don't ever doubt my love for you again Mittens!  |
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Post by MTMT on Sept 5, 2009 12:21:39 GMT -4
So what you're saying is... MT > MTAJ.
I kind of agree.
But MTAJ > PedoCunt.
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Post by Anthony Jordan on Sept 5, 2009 18:10:31 GMT -4
The sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts!
MTMT and AJ < MT-AJ
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Post by theegomjw on Sept 6, 2009 7:24:09 GMT -4
wankers
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Post by kvltism on Sept 26, 2009 8:37:59 GMT -4
Reviving an oldish topic, but it caught my interest:
Australia currently has a better health-care model than the UK and US. Not saying it's perfect, because there are always going to be misgivings, but it strikes a decent balance.
It fits that "socialized medicine" shock label which is bandied about by shills in the pocket of big insurance and pharmaceutical companies, but also offers generous rebates for people to take out private cover. Most people in the public system have to cover a portion of their own costs (which are much lower than in the US to begin with) when seeking care, mainly in the case of specialists and elective procedures, but keep in mind low-income people get basically everything free.
How it works is after a consultation/procedure/hospital stay you'll get mailed a bill, when paying you'll quote your Medicare number in order to get reimbursed for the bulk of your costs. Low-income folks have a health-care card in addition to their Medicare card. It provides heavy discounts on most services and prescriptions, and in some cases, like GP consultations, you get them free.
Our system has far less abuse than the NHS, which is in dire need of reform because of it. As Luke pointed out, and all of my family in the UK can back him up on it, the NHS is falling into a bureaucratic black hole. Seems they are focusing less on efficient care than cost-cutting via rationing, especially for the elderly and patients with terminal illnesses.
The only major problem we have here is a growing doctor shortage, but that's because government won't fund enough university places in medicine. Instead they want to keep increasing the migrant intake, despite the fact our infrastructure and housing are stretched already. Should someone with common sense get elected (unlikely in the 2-party system), increase places for high school graduates to study medicine and cut the migrant intake, we'd be even better off.
MTMT, ignore the "socialized medicine" scare tactic and don't trust Democrats to pass good health-care reform. Most of their rhetoric has been bullshit, and the bill they're offering right now is a farce. Do a little research, and you'll find while Obama and co. diss insurance & pharmaceutical companies from a teleprompter, they are working in tandem.
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Post by Anthony Jordan on Sept 28, 2009 10:12:51 GMT -4
This is an area where an ideologically-satisfying and realistically-satisfying answer is hard to find. I distrust most social spending because, despite noble intentions, it is abused. Social security was doing well until the 60s when the Democrats started taking its funding (instead of leaving it untouched as had been the norm), then it got worse as people looked to it as a means to sustain their lifestyles versus simple, supplemental income.
I'm wary of any nationalized system because of the bureaucracy and the fact that I don't think it is the government's responsibility to provide medical care for all its citizens (even the illegal ones). In a purely cost-benefit scenario, you're sinking money in to keep someone around so that he or she will drain the system later via Social Security, etc. The taxes paid by that individual likely won't offset the costs. Also, with the amount of profit capped, I fear quality will decrease in terms of medical breakthroughs and quality of doctors. What's the point of working hard when you won't have anything to show for it and will be regarded the same as all your peers? On the patient side, what do you do when malpractice occurs? You can't sue the government.
It's funny how a booming population and increased longevity places our resources in peril, yet many will fight tooth and nail to make sure these problems persist.
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Post by AWA Staff on Sept 28, 2009 10:51:30 GMT -4
I was thinking of a bit to add to this as I read through but.... I don't have much to add after what AJ just said ^
And we all know I support Ron Paul and getting the govrn out of every day life. Putting them in control of all of America's health care...... not my idea of a good idea.
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Post by Anthony Jordan on Sept 28, 2009 11:37:41 GMT -4
Bill agreed with me? I feel dirty, yet warm...
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Post by Gregory "Ripper" Kennedy on Sept 28, 2009 14:00:21 GMT -4
I essentially summarised what AJ said into "Cull the ill and old"
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Post by Anthony Jordan on Sept 29, 2009 1:13:40 GMT -4
That's some good cullin'
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