From the "...half of 'em are dumber than that" file.
Paul Krugman...
There was a telling incident at a town hall held by Representative Gene Green, D-Tex. An activist turned to his fellow attendees and asked if they "oppose any form of socialized or government-run health care." Nearly all did. Then Representative Green asked how many of those present were on Medicare. Almost half raised their hands.Sigh.
Labels: Gene Green, Health Care, Medicare, Paul Krugman
posted by Shaun at
3:07 PM
7 Comments:
The question that doesn't get asked, however, is this: has Medicare been part of the reason health care costs have gone up, and the quality of care has gone down? Many people, of all political persuasions will tell you that indeed Medicare has been a factor in rising costs and care going down.
That's not to say we won't come to a system in which the Federal government plays a larger role. The economy has almost preordained that.
It is only to say that someone in authority needs to consider the negative impact of Medicare; to ensure what we get next, has fewer problems. Otherwise, things will just get more mucked up.
Which people might those be, Terry? Medicare cost less and enjoys significantly higher consumer satisfaction than the private competition. You can argue that the goverment should not be involved in health care and that Medicare should never have been enacted. That's a consistent, if ill-concieved, ideological position. You can't argue with its comparative success, though, which would only be enhanced by the adoption of a 'Medicare for all' system.
Hey Shaun, medicare is going bankrupt and could bankrupt the country. In fact, this is a STATED reason, by obama, that he is pushing for reform. (and, btw, and just for the record, I agree that reform is necessary).
How successful can you consider somthing that can't possibly be sustained? (This question may also apply to european socialism in general, much of which is presently being retreated from, except of course here in the USA)
As for the original Krugman comment, it is almost too idiotic to respond to... You people realize that contribution to medicare are mandatory, right?
What do you want people to just give up benefits that they have been forced to pay for already for some ideological reason? Jeesh.
Now if he had asked how many of them SUPPORTED medicare, he might have been able to make a point.
(Oh and I left off an s on contributions)
Well, they aren't compelled to use Medicare. And it's Medicaid, not Medicare, that's creating the greatest drain. Certainly, though, any program will suffer under the weight of the constant increase in costs associated with perpetually increasing insurance costs, which creates the need for systemic change.
Well, admittedly some of those who'd say Medicare has resulted in higher costs and care going down at physicians. The higher costs seem to go along with the fact that indeed the insurance companies figure they can get more money, since Medicare is in the hunt, too. And yes, Medicaid is the bigger problem.
Another factor, as I recall reading in a report that Brian Sontag did on Washington State, was that people who were not citizens were getting reimbursement for medical care, via both Medicare and Medicaid. It led the Federal government to say to Washington State, "You owe us for monies we paid you, that should never have been billed."
How that worked out, admittedly I don't know. I believe it was being fought, but the state lost; and it might be a part of the reason the State of Washington had the budget problems it did (does?).
But hey, I'll admit this. I'd go with a program such as the president is proposing, because it would allow me to have health insurance; which I haven't for years.
I figure it's either that, or as was revealed in Michael Moore's "Sicko," marrying a Canadian lady is the way to go: keep one's citizenship, but get Canadian health care.
Correction: first sentence of last post, should be "are physicians," not "at physicians." An article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, on medical care, that ran in 2000, is my source for that, by the way.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home