Wisconsin's Costly Pursuit
- Posted by Justin Higgins on August 8th, 2007 in
Socialized health care, or "universal" health care as leftists would like it be known, is on the march in the United States. It's an unfortunate reality but I have faith that the American people will see the enumerous amount of faults in universal health care. A system where the government only covers those who can't cover themselves is easy to be abused and a single-payer system is ridiculously inefficient and dangerous. But, for those that want to pursuit it, let them try. That's the message that John Stossel has for Wisconsin, go ahead and try. He does point out the problems though:
In addition, as [the Wall Street Journal] put it, "Wow, is 'free' health care expensive. The plan would cost an estimated $15.2 billion, or $3 billion more than the state currently collects in all income, sales and corporate income taxes."
And, of course, down the road it will cost much more than that. Even the $15 billion is based on the usual Pollyannaish assumptions such as millions in savings "from putting more emphasis on primary care."
I think the more important cost we need to look at is how many lives could be lost versus how many could be saved under this system. It's not like our hospitals are turning people away now, in fact, it's illegal to do that. In Canada and Great Britain however, people are being forced to wait on life-saving surgeries and the cost continues to rise. Let Wisconsin try, and fail.
Unbelievable
What the American public don't realise is that healthcare is MUCH cheaper in other countries such as New Zealand, UK, Australia, Canada...anywhere it is free. Healthcare is so much cheaper for the government because medicals bills aren't so high from the doctors themselves. You have to imagine that the US is the most expensive country to go to school. England...$2000 a year tuition, same as all the other places. You cannot honestly believe that free healthcare can be given to a country that charges students so much money to become doctors. Doctors get paid much less in those countries, so who is going to tell these scholars that to become a doctor, to save peoples lives, they must take a 60% pay cut. I can imagine not many will want the job.
What the American public also don't realise is that the government only has so much money for so many procedures per year. Waiting lists are phenomenal in England alone. I am one person who immigrated to America and is happy to pay for my healthcare, because at least I know it will be AVAILABLE FOR ME.
It's not just Canadians who are turning to the US in hopes for the healthcare they should be provided. I am one person with one family and have so many accounts of the way the NHS has failed us, I hope it will open your eyes.
My older sister is wheel chair bound because she desperately needs back surgery, she has been put on a 3 YEAR waiting list for the surgery and is put on strong (addictive) pain medication until that date, she's only 38 years old.
My step-mother, both her brothers died of throat cancer, she found a lump on her throat, 4 month waiting list for a biopsy.
My best friend attempted suicide, her doctors put her on Prozac and a year and half waiting list to see a psychiatrist to se-assess her medication and give her counseling.
My aunt died of cervical cancer at the age of 43 because the government assumed a gyno appointment once every 3 years was sufficient for a woman without children.
Luckily now a days we have the choice to go "private" which means seeing the same specialists but paying for their time...which ends up being more than health insurance I can assure you. So no matter what, the poor in this country are still going to be crying that they don't have the same healthcare as those that can afford it we're straight back to square one with more costs, higher taxes and don't even think about malpractice law suits.
I just don't understand how democrats like Michael Moore should be allowed their blatant once sided argument to be funded in such a way that the general public...including republicans start to buy into this propaganda. It's utterly incomprehensible! But no matter what, there will always be someone out there with a plan that is better than it is at the moment. How about this for a plan...finish highschool, get a job, don't have children before you're married or before you're 20 then maybe you'd be able to afford healthcare or even (shock) get a job that provides it for you. It's a pretty simple formula...and I'm amazed by how many poverty stricken Americans don't want to adhere to something so blatant and simple and then cry when their world comes tumbling down around them.
I realise this may be a bit harsh...but what this country needs to do is STOP making excuses for these people. I'm proud to be an American, I work hard, pay my taxes and abide by the law and I refuse to sit back and watch the harvest of my hard work get handed over on a silver platter to those who don't even want to help themselves.