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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lady Lurksalot who wrote (916)	5/27/2005 2:34:15 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 42652

While the government or private individuals or organizations can always help people without financial resources there shouldn't be an open ended expectation of medical care at what ever level it takes to deal with your problem. It could amount to millions, and often amounts to many thousands. There is going to be some form of rationing. If it isn't by price its going to be rationed some other way. Either by availability (emergency rooms closing down, doctors leaving certain types of practices in certain areas) or by bureaucracy (tons of paperwork and approvals needed), or by queue (sure you can have that surgery, you go on the back of a 6th month waiting list), or by bribery (might be considered an alternate form of rationing by price), or by connections (you know the guy who makes the decisions for the insurance company, or your best friends with the hospitals head of surgery you get in), or by some other method. Resources simply are not infinite. Tim

To: Lady Lurksalot who wrote (916)	5/28/2005 1:44:04 PM
From: DavesM	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

Its not that simple here in the United States. One's ability to pay is not the only limiting factor in ones access to medical care. It is true that a lack of money may be a factor in the time it takes to get potentially life saving medical care, but the delay in arranging care for the uninsured (I've read) is similar to the time it takes one to see a specialist or surgeon, and getting treatment in Canada. Here's a question, who on average lives the longest (second longest, third...) in the United States (if born in the United States)? 1. African Americans 2. Asians 3. Hispanics 4. Non Hispanic Caucasians re:"If you have the money/medical insurance/other resources, you may get more than you want. If not, well, the Good Lord is callin' you home." - Holly