Quote:
Originally Posted by Halk
As I understand things in the USA there is very basic healthcare for all. On top of that anyone can purchase a separate plan, although most people buy into corporate schemes which are significantly cheaper.
If money is no object the standard of health care in the USA is fantastic. However taking the whole country into account the standard is very poor compared to GDP.
The problem in the USA is that there isn't enough money to go around to give everybody the excellent standard of health care that the rich enjoy. As a result it would lead to either decreases in quality of care for some people, or enormous tax increases.
Americans do not view health care in the same way that Brits and Europeans do. Over here I think we view healthcare as a basic human right and the system in the USA to be mind boggling. Americans view health care in the same way as material posessions, in that it is something to strive to earn money for in order to purchase. I think that's probably exaggerating things a little, to say all Americans feel that way.
Is that in any way correct?
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Interesting. There is not "health care" for all. Health insurance companies often drop coverage at the site of a serious condition and then the person ends up paying astronomical prices for said care. You can get excellent health care if you are well off, but even those with health insurance in the middle class can have substandard health insurance (myself included in that). The poor can go to an emergency room and get care, but it is often substandard and clogs the system for serious cases.
I believe it's a human right, but for some reason, my fellow Americans don't and the insurance companies here have millions upon millions of dollars, so they usually get their way by buying off politicians.
No, I think you are correct about the earning money for health care as a possession.
I envy my Canadian and European brothers and sisters in this regard.