Peach_follows

Yeah that's right... I'm bringing up an ever popular political debate.

Not even becasue I am into politics so much, but because ... I am getting the feeling that universal health care in the US is becoming closer to reality.

I watched "Sicko" last year, (y'know me and my documentary viewing habits) The ever so infamous Micheal Moore had me totally convinced that we here in the US are victims. "You mean... enemy combatants held in Guantanamo Bay receive(d) better health care than what we offer our own?"

And while I admit... its still pretty convincing... I hear a lot of folk argue against the notion that we should provide universal health care here. In fact, I hear more people kick and scream over the idea than I do embracing it.

^ Those were just a couple arguing points I picked up on this here site:
BalancedPolitics.org - Universal Health Care (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against)

Its cool that there's a lot of international perspective here on AO.. Since it would seem that the US is like the nation that refuses to join the universal health care cool crowd, I wonder if anyone can shed some light on what its REALLY like to live in a place where there is universal health care...?

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Zev

I don't really see that its necessary. The rich people with good jobs have health care and the poor people get huge bills, apply for Financial Aid to make them disappear. In the end it all works out, for the most part. I don't really see what difference universal health care would make.

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Peach_follows

I dunno about the financial aid part. I doubt thats true for everyone. Or that they would pay anyones entire debt.

For me personally I kinda feel like I somehow experience a taste of what it would be like to have universal health care. I get medical assistence... which covers mostly everything asid from a few minor co-pays here and there (never more than a few bucks). And I have gotten some good treatment as long as its cover by my "insurance". I have even had some special surgeries approved for me.

All this is because I decided to have kids before I could afford them... So... I imagine universal health care would insure EVERYONE would get similar treatment from that state regardless of financial status. Or weather or not they are parents. Or whatever.

Take my sons father for example... He got laid off. But, because we are not together in a houshold... he doesn't share my "benefits". He is just as important to our child as I am. I get assistence just for being a mom. There is no MA for dads (usually), especially ones with no custody. That doesn't mean he should have to go without antibiotics when he has an infection. Or without a dentist when he has a tooth ache. And who wants to throw their credit away?

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Zev

Pretty much if you make less than 20,000 a year, they pay pretty much everything. They will send you a bill, if you prove you are poor they take care of it through government programs. Did my mom have to pay her medical bills, nope, because she proved she was poor. Same thing with my co-worker his wife went to the emergency room, they sent her like and 8,000 bill, and they wrote the whole thing off because of their financial status.

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atomik_sprout

In a lot of cases, financial aid will only cover a portion of the debt. It's typically a large portion, but that person would still have to make some sort of payment. I owe TONS for medical bills--breaking my ribs makes up for most of those bills. A collector told me once that fhey could give me the number to some people who would get me financial aid. I figured: If I'm gonna still end up paying a portion of the bills, I may as well pay them in full and make my credit a little better; rather than go through a settlement. (Settlements only boost your credit a tiny bit, I'm told.)

I don't know about universal health care. I've got mixed opinions about it. Though, I agree with Peach_follows about parents and health care. I'm a father and I don't get jack for health care, unless I had a great job with awesome benefits, which is why I'm stuck with a stack of hospital bills. If one parent AND the child are covered by the state--and I'm actively paying child support--then why can't I get the same coverage? Or, at the very least, a little bit of coverage?

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beast

It is not truely universal, it only covers the US and it does not include any reference to the Gelgamek.

Brandon Grave Heat

Look let them have the healthcare, because time waits for none one and soon people in the goverment will be in need of healthcare look sickness or
Pestilence, know no brounds. so let them have the the healthcare..

atomik_sprout

Yeah, it's easy to say, "let them have the health care" but, it takes a lot to fund something like that and it wouldn't just happen overnight. Even so, people in the government already have some good health coverage--they're politicians! They're probably able to have some of the best health care out there.

Pestilence has no brounds, eh? Perhaps, you'd like to elaborate on that?

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