Hillary’s Rx: Criminalize the Uninsured

[Mrs Behavin]

If you are one of the 47 million Americans who cannot afford the on-average $4,000 to $11,000 in annual premiums for individual or family health insurance or do not have the option of purchasing employer-based health insurance at all, don’t worry. “Universal health care” may be just around the corner. Under plans put forward by the leading Democratic presidential candidates, the solution is simple: make it illegal for Americans not to have health insurance.
“The approach of making people buy coverage, but not actually changing the health care system to make it affordable, doesn’t work. It leaves the health-care insurance companies in the middle of the health care system, continuing to waste billions of dollars,” said David Himmelstein, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and cofounder of Physicians for a National Health Program. “Criminalizing the uninsured is not really a reasonable approach to solving the health care issue.”
On Sept. 17, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton released her muchanticipated plan for “universal health care.”
Her plan, which will cost an estimated $110 billion annually, promises to rein in insurance companies by forcing them to accept all applicants who can pay premiums. However, the plan also emphasizes “personal responsibility” by requiring that all individuals purchase health insurance if they can afford it. Those who cannot afford to pay will be given government subsidies toward the purchase of private health insurance.
Clinton’s plan is nearly identical to presidential hopeful John Edwards’ plan — so much that Elizabeth Edwards accused Clinton of stealing her husband’s ideas—while Barack Obama has proposed a plan that requires employers to contribute toward health coverage for their workers and mandates that all children have insurance.

rest of story here The Indypendent : Hillary’s Rx: Criminalize the Uninsured

 

[Peter Parka]

Don't know why they don't just make it free to all and private health care is just an option like over here. I see health care as a government responsibility. It seem really terrible to me that in an advanced country like the USA some people don't go to hospitals when the're sick because they can't afford it. Of course if they were to introduce this a load of short sighted people would go off on one because of their taxes increasing. It seems like everyone want the government to improve things but don't want to pay the price in taxes either. Governments must feel like the're smacking their head against a brick wall sometimes!

 

[GraceAbounds]

Don't know why they don't just make it free to all and private health care is just an option like over here. I see health care as a government responsibility. It seem really terrible to me that in an advanced country like the USA some people don't go to hospitals when the're sick because they can't afford it. Of course if they were to introduce this a load of short sighted people would go off on one because of their taxes increasing. It seems like everyone want the government to improve things but don't want to pay the price in taxes either. Governments must feel like the're smacking their head against a brick wall sometimes!

It seems terrible to me as well.

 

[Homer]

we're in trouble if she gets in,and thing are fucked up enough already.:smiley24:

 

[GraceAbounds]

we're in trouble if she gets in,and thing are fucked up enough already.:smiley24:

I agree.
Dems will make a big mistake if she gets the ticket. I don't think she can win.

 

[Homer]

I agree.
Dems will make a big mistake if she gets the ticket. I don't think she can win.

they alwas seem to pick a looser thats why they don't win, sad because ther are some good Dems out their.

 

[TheOriginalJames]

That is quite possibly the worst idea ever. haha

 

[Mrs Behavin]

Don't know why they don't just make it free to all and private health care is just an option like over here. I see health care as a government responsibility. It seem really terrible to me that in an advanced country like the USA some people don't go to hospitals when the're sick because they can't afford it. Of course if they were to introduce this a load of short sighted people would go off on one because of their taxes increasing. It seems like everyone want the government to improve things but don't want to pay the price in taxes either. Governments must feel like the're smacking their head against a brick wall sometimes!

Not to change the subject here......but the hospital I work at is a "not for profit" hospital. In other words, you dont have to have insurance and your not required to pay a penny to be seen in the emergency room like most other hospitals require for you to do. And so there are LOTS of people who come in for petty things to the ER like toothaches, ingrown toenails, etc. And they come there because they know they dont have to pay and because they dont have health insurance and no money to go to a regular doctor. It is very aggravating.

 

[Peter Parka]

That must be irritating. The NHS over here covers dentists, opticians and general doctors too so you don't get that problem. If someone showed up at the hospital with a toothache the'd be told to go to their dentist which is free too!

 

[Mrs Behavin]

I cant imagine not having dental insurance. You dont have dental insurance and you need a tooth pulled or whatever, you have to pay out of pocket and it is VERY expensive!
I remember a couple years ago I had to have my 4 wisdom teeth cut out and even with my dental insurance, I still had to pay over $600 and that was just my 20%!! I could not even imagine what someone who doesnt have dental insurance would have to pay to have their wisdom teeth taken out!