More than 80% of Americans want overhaul of health system

[ummabdullah]

While there may be many reports about the cons of countries who have a more socialized medical scheme. This should not deter any of you voting for one here in America.

Many people comment about the uk one too and while it does have its downsides like longer waiting times. The majority of patients are treated effectively and efficiently. Yes their has been some wastage of money. However that is in the Uk and we in the US can really learn from other countries mistakes.

My husband has been responsible in budget for primary care and creating hospitals in the UK. And I cannot tell you enough how amazing it is that all those who need it have access to such facilities.

[kork13]

It seems that many of you in here are either in the medical field (or related), or live in countries where they have national health care.... Like some others, I don't know much about it, but my concerns about such a system are:
1) It seems that quality of care would diminish in a system where doctors have to see many patients.
2) If medical care was paid for already regardless what what care you receive, what is to stop worrisome parents or ... "social dregs"... from coming into the hospital about the most minor things? This would drive up operating costs significantly.
3) 8% of pay from everyone.... in a discussion about taxes I've had with jIM_Ohio (see here), it seems that any flat percentage coming out of pay impacts lower-earning people more significantly, because while the % being taken is the same, lower-earners still have to buy the same stuff high-earners do, but high-earners have more additional funds beyond that 8% to handle it. ...Basically, it could negatively impact low-wage families.
4) It seems that a system like this would lead to massive government bureaucracies, which breed inefficiencies like the plague... is this somehow not a problem in those countries?

I would appreciate some comments on this from anyone able to give them... I'm totally ignorant of how nationalized programs like this work. All I have to base my thoughts on is the American Social Security system, which anyone will tell you is in a shambles....

[disneysteve]

1) It seems that quality of care would diminish in a system where doctors have to see many patients.

By many, do you mean quantity of patients? If so, that already happens. I routinely see 5 patients/hour. On a really busy day, it will be more. In my old practice, I would see 6-7 most days. Insurance reimbursement is such that if we see much less than that, we don't make enough money to keep our doors open.

2) If medical care was paid for already regardless what what care you receive, what is to stop worrisome parents or ... "social dregs"... from coming into the hospital about the most minor things? This would drive up operating costs significantly.

You've just perfectly described the Medicaid system in the US.
Spend a few hours in a typical urban emergency room and you'll see just that phenomenon. Patients come in at all hours of the day and night for total nonsense and very little that approaches being an emergency. Various studies have shown that up to 90% of emergency room visits are for non-emergent problems.

Many times, a patient will call my office to schedule an appointment. When they are given an appointment for later that same day, they fail to show up. We find out later that they went to the ER because they didn't feel like waiting 3 or 4 hours to see me. Instead, of course, they went to the ER where they probably waited just as long.

This doesn't just happen at the hospitals. Loads of patients come to see me for "the most minor things" as well. Here's a typical conversation:

Me: What brings you in today?
Patient: I have a terrible cold that I just can't get rid of.
Me: How long have you been sick?
Patient: I woke up with it this morning.
Me: What have you tried taking for it?
Patient: Nothing.

When patients think of medical care as "free" it gets abused.

[kimiko]

While I'm also part of that 80%, I also like to see a mandatory exercise system. But then I guess the latter isn't needed as much since the rise in food price. Eating less and eating food people grow themselves should limit the chemicals they ingest, keeping them out of hospitals.

And let not delude ourselves into thinking that cancer, depression, diabetes, etc... are natural occurrences/genetic and those who had them got bad luck. We are, after all, what we eat and people in this country ate a heck of a lot of chemicals and genetically enhanced food. Ewww.