An outsider watching the US health care debate

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Originally Posted by Rogers

http://www.ct.gov/AG/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284

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That's insane. What's the point of having insurance??

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Originally Posted by Rogers

Having organizations in a health system whose raison d'être is to make a profit (and as fat a one as possible) also leads to corrupt doctors, and the corruption of medicine and science. Of course, trying to explain things like this to right-wingers, who have a rather simplistic view of life at best, is like trying to reason with a brick wall.
http://www.ct.gov/AG/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284

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So, no one should be allowed to make a living in health care? Because that is what a profit is.

I fail to see the point of the URL you included. IDSA is a non-profit medical association.

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Originally Posted by jaycanuck

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Originally Posted by Rogers

http://www.ct.gov/AG/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284

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That's insane. What's the point of having insurance??

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What does that have to do with having (or not having) insurance?

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Originally Posted by duplicatt

I'm just not in favor of trotting out false or misleading data to get there.

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Ya mean like:

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Those countries rely on the US to do their research in pharmaceuticals.

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? :?

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Originally Posted by duplicatt

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Originally Posted by Rogers

Having organizations in a health system whose raison d'être is to make a profit (and as fat a one as possible) also leads to corrupt doctors, and the corruption of medicine and science. Of course, trying to explain things like this to right-wingers, who have a rather simplistic view of life at best, is like trying to reason with a brick wall.
http://www.ct.gov/AG/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284

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So, no one should be allowed to make a living in health care? Because that is what a profit is.

I fail to see the point of the URL you included. IDSA is a non-profit medical association.

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Some endeavors should be held to higher social and cultural value than what kind of dividends their shares earn on a capital market.

Like the military, education, and healthcare.

Basically what it comes down to is, do you believe, as an American, healthcare is a fundamental right, or is a privilege whose access should be determined by the free market??

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Originally Posted by jaycanuck

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Originally Posted by rocko

so if you did not pay for the care, who did?

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Oh you. I see what you did there. Yes I did pay for a portion with my taxes. But I'd rather pay a portion in taxes than paying $800+. And then everyone gets to take advantage of it. Good idea no?

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I went to my doctor for poison Ivy and I didn't cost 800 dollars.

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Originally Posted by giovanni_hotel

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Originally Posted by duplicatt

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Originally Posted by Rogers

Having organizations in a health system whose raison d'être is to make a profit (and as fat a one as possible) also leads to corrupt doctors, and the corruption of medicine and science. Of course, trying to explain things like this to right-wingers, who have a rather simplistic view of life at best, is like trying to reason with a brick wall.
http://www.ct.gov/AG/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284

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So, no one should be allowed to make a living in health care? Because that is what a profit is.

I fail to see the point of the URL you included. IDSA is a non-profit medical association.

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Some endeavors should be held to higher social and cultural value than what kind of dividends their shares earn on a capital market.

Like the military, education, and healthcare.

Basically what it comes down to is, do you believe, as an American, healthcare is a fundamental right, or is a privilege whose access should be determined by the free market??

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A nice portion of that money is reinvested into finding cures for ailments effecting their customers. Look at Prostate cancer survival rates in the U.S. compared to Great Britain and Ireland. If we do go on to socialized medicine, I hope we look more like France and less like the UK.

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Originally Posted by Jericho

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Originally Posted by duplicatt

I'm just not in favor of trotting out false or misleading data to get there.

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Ya mean like:

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Those countries rely on the US to do their research in pharmaceuticals.

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? :?

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That is neither false nor misleading.

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Originally Posted by giovanni_hotel

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Originally Posted by duplicatt

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Originally Posted by Rogers

Having organizations in a health system whose raison d'être is to make a profit (and as fat a one as possible) also leads to corrupt doctors, and the corruption of medicine and science. Of course, trying to explain things like this to right-wingers, who have a rather simplistic view of life at best, is like trying to reason with a brick wall.
http://www.ct.gov/AG/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284

---

So, no one should be allowed to make a living in health care? Because that is what a profit is.

I fail to see the point of the URL you included. IDSA is a non-profit medical association.

---

Some endeavors should be held to higher social and cultural value than what kind of dividends their shares earn on a capital market.

Like the military, education, and healthcare.

Basically what it comes down to is, do you believe, as an American, healthcare is a fundamental right, or is a privilege whose access should be determined by the free market??

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What about food? Isn't that more fundamental than healthcare?

There isn't a premium associated with the purchase of food. Nor is the national debt linked directly to expenditures made on food.

Also, ever heard of something called food stamps?? There are numerous federal programs available to feed those who cannot feed themselves.

When the profit motive is the driving force behind medical care, the consumer ultimately suffers.

I'm not a marxist in the least, but unfettered, unbridled capitalism as a social organizing principle is the enemy of democracies and left unchecked, will ultimately destroy it.