Do you think its unfair that millions of Americans don't have health insurance?

[Anonymous]

Combined with the fact that not many jobs in the US today offer it? And that all other nations (France, Canada, UK, Germany etc.) all have public healthcare for everyone while the US still treats it like a privilege not a right?

[BabyJenks]

I think its perfectly fair there should be a base rate for all to pay. I speak for the other side of the coin. The NHS is abused to such an extent over here that it is stretched to the limt. 1,000's of people on the sick milking the system for free prescriptions, health tourists coming over to be treated here for free, whilst UK residents have waiting lists 9 months long just to see a consultant. By implementing a base rate it would eliminate all the scroungers who can't be arsed to get a proper job and fake illness to get signed off on the sick.

I resent having to pay my taxes to fund people's healthcare because they are too fat, lazy, stupid and ignorant to look after themselves. Why should I and every other hard working individual subsidise a drug user's methadone prescription or pay for some lard arse morbidly obese lazy person to have gastric band surgery. Likewise some dosser who cannot be arsed to go to work, so claims they are depressed (as it is the easiest illness to fake) so they can sit at home all day watching TV and claiming IB. Really grips my sh*t.

Admittedly I have top notch healthcare due to the work I am in but I fight for my country so therefore I'm expected to be in top condition and the examples I have used are extreme but I can see the rubbish service the rest of my family gets because they are civvies which winds me right up.

[timetowaste]

I think the insurance companies themselves are unfair.. even if you have health insurance, the moment you need to use it, they deem life saving surgeries and procedures as optional and deny coverage for it. What kind of messed up bullsh*t is that? People die at the hands of greedy corporate companies.

[Asker]

I know it so fuc.ked up. This is supposed to be the greatest nation in the world supposedly and you have people in charge who profit off of human suffering basically.

[Brando]

Yes and no.

Yes because since health insurance is such a helpful thing to have in times of need, it's a monopoly in a way. Sure you don't have to buy it, but things will be much, much more expensive if you don't. Insurance companies can play the same game that the oil companies do. Our insurance at work is getting ready to change back to a PPO plan which would be an improvement over what we have currently...and we're still getting bent over with it. Something has got to give.

But no, because look not only at our country's health but our society. We are a drive through culture that expects things easy and now, including health. So basically the more claims you make, the higher the premiums will go because the insurance companies have to cover it somehow. We spend more on insurance than European countries and we're still not better off than them. Our system is either cluttered with unnecessary claims, or it's too capitalized. I'm thinking it's a bit of both. But yeah, we all have to answer for the costs as a group. So some of us might be ruining it for the rest of it but we still have to pay the tab.

[Distant]

I think it is unfair. I'm not up-to-speed on the American economy or their government's choices on healthcare but free health should be available for all people. The bonus of America's way of order is that if someone remains healthy, they'll have to pay less whereas people in other countries have higher tax rates to pay for it even if they remain healthy their entire lives. I think healthcare should be free but provided in such a way that someone cannot abuse it and run up the country's "bill" everything they get a cough or headache.

[Distant]

every time*

[Shaun]

Nobody remains healthy their entire life. Unless they die in an accident. Most people wouldn't abuse the system over every cough and headache because most people don't like hanging out in hospitals. I'm completely unconcerned about the hypochondriacs who do tend to do that, maybe they'll get treated for that mental illness.

The reality is that Americans pay twice as much, per capita, for healthcare than the closest UHC nation and we don't have a better quality of life to show for it..

[Asker]

I agree with you 100% Shaun. Its fuc.ked up.

[Distant]

I'm aware that everyone does not remain healthy their entire lives but I'd imagine that some remain fairly healthy to the point where going to the doctor is not much of a hindrance in their income. I live in Canada and I can assure you that people DO visit the doctor too often over the smallest concerns which is a problem for the rest of our nation. I agree that America has nothing to show for it though having to pay twice as much. That's why they should provide free healthcare.

[Shaun]

Yep. We have a backwards system of government which allows hillbillies from small, sparsely populated backwater states basically have veto power over what the majority of people want. It's called the Senate, which is an anti-democratic body even without the use of the filibuster.

[TheWhiteFreshPrince]

Do I think it is unfair...Not really. It would be nice if everyone could have free health care, but that's just not how it works, you gotta pay to play in this world. What I think is unfair is how people demand free health care payed for by others hard earned money against their will.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the U.S. treats it like it's a privilege but more like a business. The government doesn't deny your right to get it since it is there but the problem is that it's super expensinve. One way to lessen the costs is by going through an insurance company unfortunately where they will set their own rules of course so they have the right to deny you if they want.