I really appreciate these points-of-view so far. I actually do agree with some of the fears related to universal health care, but I feel the need to share to personal stories…
First story: About 10 years ago I had an ectopic pregnancy, I needed a medication or my life was in jeopardy, I went to the hospital to get it and the woman at the front worked on calling my insurance to get it approved before administering it. They would NOT approve it. Remember, either I get this drug or later I probably become an emergency, possibly bleeding to death, at minimum wind up rushing into surgery. The drug was around $450. She tried talking to a few different people at my insurance company. Finally I said, “can we just do this and I will fight after the fact.” She called the pharmacy, and said the magic words, “it’s a patient of Dr Maxsom’s (my doctor was associated with the hospital and his office was in the hospital building). The pharmacist said, “oh, Maxsom’s patients we charge $50 if she can go up to his office and have the injection administered there. RIP OFF! Ripping off my insurance company to a ridiculous unscrupulous amount. Not only are they charging a ridiculous amount to my insurance company, but my insurance company was not approving a drug that was VERY necessary for me…if I had needed surgery it would have been thousands, oh and risk to my life.
Another story: I had some discomfort near my breast two years ago. I went to get it evaluated and they tried to charge me several hundred dollars. If it is coded as a regular preventative mammogram it is free, if it is to evaluate a possible problem it is NOT covered. They recoded it for me, because it was time for me to have a scheduled one anyway. This is an OUTRAGE. If I might be sick and dying I am not covered. Everything was fine by the way.
I feel 100% sure niether of those situations would happen under socialized medicine. I agree that there will still be medical mistakes, and other problems under socialized medicine, just like we see now, but these are not medical mistakes, it is just outright stupidity.
The people who might abuse the system and are would not be paying in (basically we are talking about lower income) already get free healthcare with medicaid, so that is even steven I think? Maybe I am wrong, I do not know much about medicaid.
Another point made was that people who want to keep their other insurance would be paying taxes still for everyone else to get health care. That is what happens with education now…I pay property taxes that pay for edcuation in my state and I don’t have any kids, but I think it is good for society.
I prefer to trust my government with the goal of healthcare for our country, then a corporation with the goal of making money. I think intention matters.
Here is where I will agree with the opposition…I do not think the government is a fair competitor (right now the dems are trying to present it that way) to me if we can’t get real socialized medicine maybe the compromise is to have more regulation from the government?? Someone overseeing the med insurance industry.
Also, I think Obama’s desire to make the med system more efficient are very good goals. Tests are repeated all of the time that are unnecessary, I just personally had a prescription mistake. All sorts of problems that should be worked on and overcome.