Well, Airyaman, what's your solution for the health care mess we're in, then? Truly, I'm sick to pieces of criticism for the PPACA, with no alternative ever suggested. It's not enough to dislike it. If you think the system we have now is acceptable, then we don't even have a starting point to chat about it.
Here's a story: A few years ago, Singapore decided it was time for them to implement a national health care system. They started looking around at all the available models in the world. Someone asked them, did you look at how they're doing it in the USA? Of course, they replied. And what did you learn? How not to do it, they said. I couldn't agree more.
A for-profit, employer-based system is ridiculous. Health insurance companies routinely deny care so they can improve their bottom lines (and you worry about "death panels"??). The pure capitalism approach does not work in this model, because who is going to go "stop, shop and negotiate" for competitive rates when they just broke their leg? I mean, really -- do people not get this?
Further, employer-based health insurance is a horrible hindrance to the entrepreneurial spirit. I know at least a half dozen folks who would LOVE to try self-employment, but they can't -- because they have no reasonable alternative for their current employer's group health plan. It also causes people to stick with jobs they hate, just because they need the insurance. Surely you know one or two people like that?
Like others here, I would have much preferred a single payer system. But I understand the political reasons why that wasn't possible, and I admire Obama tremendously for accomplishing what no one else could in more than 90 years -- making inroads into changing our existing crap system. (And he did it while simultaneously managing an economic crisis not before seen in the world.) Sure, it's only half a loaf -- but it's better than what we've had, and there's nothing that says it has to stay this way for time immemorial. The next logical step is to complete what Obama proposed: Include a government-run option to the Exchange (like Medicare for all) instead of only the private exchanges we have now under the PPACA. And hopefully beyond that, single payer.
That's what I'd like to see. So... instead of just bitching about the PPACA, what's YOUR solution?
Here's a story: A few years ago, Singapore decided it was time for them to implement a national health care system. They started looking around at all the available models in the world. Someone asked them, did you look at how they're doing it in the USA? Of course, they replied. And what did you learn? How not to do it, they said. I couldn't agree more.
A for-profit, employer-based system is ridiculous. Health insurance companies routinely deny care so they can improve their bottom lines (and you worry about "death panels"??). The pure capitalism approach does not work in this model, because who is going to go "stop, shop and negotiate" for competitive rates when they just broke their leg? I mean, really -- do people not get this?
Further, employer-based health insurance is a horrible hindrance to the entrepreneurial spirit. I know at least a half dozen folks who would LOVE to try self-employment, but they can't -- because they have no reasonable alternative for their current employer's group health plan. It also causes people to stick with jobs they hate, just because they need the insurance. Surely you know one or two people like that?
Like others here, I would have much preferred a single payer system. But I understand the political reasons why that wasn't possible, and I admire Obama tremendously for accomplishing what no one else could in more than 90 years -- making inroads into changing our existing crap system. (And he did it while simultaneously managing an economic crisis not before seen in the world.) Sure, it's only half a loaf -- but it's better than what we've had, and there's nothing that says it has to stay this way for time immemorial. The next logical step is to complete what Obama proposed: Include a government-run option to the Exchange (like Medicare for all) instead of only the private exchanges we have now under the PPACA. And hopefully beyond that, single payer.
That's what I'd like to see. So... instead of just bitching about the PPACA, what's YOUR solution?
