Take a lesson from the European Health Care System.

Single-Payer Plans (National Health Insurance)

A single-payer plan, also known as National Health Insurance or socialized medicine, is medical care provided and financed by the government. The main goal of such programs is to eliminate class distinctions in health care. In other words, the homeless or unemployed should be able to receive the same quantity and quality of care as the wealthy. Proposals for national health plans in the U.S. are often based on Canada's system of national health care. Health care providers and hospitals would be on government payrolls. Depending on the proposal, patients would pay through taxes or state insurance programs (also known as more taxes).

Pro's

The obvious benefit to national health care is access to unlimited care at no direct cost for services. Patients can visit their physician as much as they want and not pay for each visit or service. Regardless of income, patients have access to any form of medical care, from preventive screenings to complicated surgery. Studies have shown that the poor in the U.S. rarely take advantage of or have access to preventive care. As a result, they are more likely to die of such diseases as cancer. A national health care plan would be of great benefit to the poor. Additionally, supporters claim that national health care would increase the autonomy that physicians and paitents have. They argue that the restrictions placed on physicians under HMO's and managed care would not be a part of any national health care program.

Con's

The downside of national health care is found in the small print. Often called socialized medicine by it's detractors, national health care can lead to lengthy waits for basic care and surgical procedures. While patients who need immediate attention (i.e., coronary by-pass surgery) can receive immediate care, other patients are placed on waiting lists that can extend for weeks or months. Secondly, health care providers are usually not allowed to open private practice. Canada's plan has disallowed the operation of private hospitals. Thirdly, While patients do not have to pay at the time they receive medical services, the amount of taxes paid are usually quite high. Taxes are increased on the federal and local level to finance the increasing costs of medical care. Finally, opponents of national health care are wary of the government's ability to provide quality health care to all. With medicare, medicaid, and social security in dire straits, they hold no optimism for government-controlled health care.

i don't know how that would work for people like my sister. she is bed ridden and on the meds they give 3rd degree burn victims. there are few doctors that know what to try for her.

In Europe, because of the wait, a lot of women with Breast cancer will not get the drugs they need. Gov. says there's no money for them.

That would be tough to deal with, I hurt for you and her, Rose.

I don't have an answer for your sisters case except, depending how she would fall under Med. Priority Guidelines is how she would be treated.

there is no cure...so all they can do is treat the syptoms and keep her as comfortable as possible. i have the same disease but not nearly like that. i can't imagine what she'd go through without her meds. she also needs transfusions on occasion. the doctors gave her a couple of years to live (but that was 10 years ago) i don't think she would have lasted as long without the care. not sure the disease would get her but the pain would.

I abbhor this medical system, I have suffered pain and spinal degeneration for 5 years and am still in a fight for just pain relief, forget the cure, its been impossible to simply get proper relief, I feel for you and yours.

This is a good post.I had a girlfriend in Canada and although the health care is free alot of people don't use it.One of the main reasons is if you get drugs it is always generic and the cheapest the government can get.Many times you can not pick where you are going to get your treatment or who your doctor is.If you have been in the military you know what I am talking about.You got some dental work that needs to be done,you are going to what ever building they tell you to go and despite what qualifications the doctor has he is going to be working on you.I have been to some scary doctors in the military.One was a 20 year old girl who tried to draw blood and had to poke me no less that 5 times with the needle.

nick...I wish you the best and sorry to hear that

thomas...what happens if generic doesn't work or there aren't generic forms for the meds needed? so you can't chose your doctor? i have had the same doctor all my life...he has treated my grand parents on both sides as well (when they got older of course)

i'll be the first to admit i don't know alot about socialized medicine. i was young when we went to the base hospitals

I appreciate the VA. I get the drugs I need to live.

The VA System is a Corporate,(Gov.), owned and as close to a Socialized example as I can find here.

I still have pain related to slipped discs. Was bedridden for 2 weeks and had to wait 1 month to see a Neurologist. It's been 2 months and I still haven't been set up for Consultation for Physical Therapy. Mine, is not emergency or high priority and will have to suffer the pain until the higher priorities are taken care of.

People do realize that generic medications are the same exactly thing as name brand right? Like the difference between asprin and Bayer. Same thing. You get a 325mg pill of asprin in either bottle.

If our current healtcare system simply used generic medications instead of name brand ones, it would lower total healthcare costs by at least 25%. Nifty huh?

So generic meds are a positive thing.

My worry is this; What will happen to the salaries of physicians or the pay of medical staff if it were to become socialized? Would nurses make a $20,000 a year salary and doctors make a $50,000 a year? If so, wouldn't it be hard to find help for all those in need when peoplecanuse the system all they want for free?

Many Drs in Europe are relocating to countries to open private practices, leaving the people short on them.

People don't get the generic thing, my neighbor complains about the cost of his particular aspirin, I told him to switch to the generic brand which I use, but he says it doesn't work. Of course, because he assumes in his head that it doesn't. I tricked my gf who also said it didn't work for her, I simply put my generic in her aspirin bottle. After a week I asked her if her aspirin was working for her and she said of course, why? I told her because she is taking my generics. After she got over my tricking her she saved some money.. grin.

I would probably not have done that for a life saving drug I was unfamiliar with, I think when it comes to that even I might be fooled into thinking the more expensive would save my life. It's fear I think and by design.

Anyway anyone thinking their insurance companies are going to be there for them in our current system might be in for a shock when they have some life threatening condition. I know at least 6 people here that have cancer. All have insurance through work or otherwise and none of them are happy with their care. Some are being squeezed with the cost of medication beyond what their insurance will pay for. Others have to fight their insurance company who is telling them they won't pay because they think the person had the condition before they got their insurance. on top of the fear they must fight their insurance companies, that's sick!!!

One woman is being told they can't help her at all for a cancer that is treatable, but they are happy to give her more tests and appointments they can collect on.

If we think we have a system we can trust now, we are naive. I would rather take my chances with socialized medicine, than what we have now. It's not FREE if we are paying taxes, so where do you get free?

To me it shows how little we care for one another as humans when we talk more about what doctors and nurses might miss out on in the way of money with socialized medicine.

I got a big Con for ya! Government cannot run anything and when they try, they run it into the ground.

Back in 1990, the Government seized the Mustang Ranch
brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by
law had to take it over and run it like only Government could

They failed and it's doors shut.

So the Government who could effectively sell Booze and Sex, wants me to believe that they can run a Hospital? A medical clinic? How about rehab? I don't think so.

By the looks of it, it would appear even companies themselves can't run their businesses. Hard to fault one when the other isn't much better at it.

not all meds come in generic form...and my sister can tell them difference between them by the reaction she gets

I went to get a perscription once that was in both and the cost of one was beyond my budget, so you won't always have a choice. Generics in most otc stuff works as well as the original product for me anyway as well as some of the prescription generics, though I haven't had to take much of anything other than anitbiotics over the years and a muscle relaxant for me back occasionally.

i personaly buy generic everything...even groceries. i have no problem with generic but as far as meds go....my sister can't get all she needs in generic. trust me...it would be cheaper for them if she could and if some didn't have a bad effect on her.

Me too, I get the store brands if I have to as well. Actually I thought that there were different companies making generics, has she tried changing the generic brand? I wonder about fillers if they have any affect and might be different from the fillers in name brands..

pfft...i buy the cheap smokes. i have always (even when young) bought cheap. i tried giving my sister a generic cough med and she knew almost immediatly. her body is very sensative.

come to think of it...i can't remember when i have bought something not generic (except my beer)