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Topic: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes

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MikeDeTiger

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44478 on: May 07, 2025, 01:49:57 PM »
I think I would be fine with healthcare paid by Government - but not actually run by Government. They suck at it.

That's basically what Obama-care plans are, which in my clinical experience are.....not great.  The government doesn't administrate those plans, but they still run them in the sense that they design the healthcare policy.  Instead of "not run by the government" do you perhaps mean "the government doesn't direct policy for the plans?"  That would put the government pretty well hands-off, except why would the government foot the bill for something it has no say over?  If the government pays for a plan but other entities design and administrate it, that's basically subsidizing private healthcare.  Which I'm also generally not in favor of. 

I know it's tempting to see ways and workarounds by which the government can make healthcare better.  In reality, I don't see a good avenue for it, and I'm not impressed with the outcomes with attempts, anywhere--not just here--for government to make it "better," neither for the patients nor for the providers.   

Medicare and Medicaid, I admit, are not bad (imo) for what they are.  And at least at the moment, they're necessary, without better widespread alternatives, so I don't advocate for ending them.  For various reasons, they won't scale to the entire insurance sector.  As is, they provide a reasonable, mostly-workable option for both patients and providers.  Medicaid, less so, but it's better than nothing.   

Cincydawg

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44479 on: May 07, 2025, 01:51:09 PM »
I get a huge break, it costs us $134 a month but I'm on Medicare also.  We get a pretty generous subsidy as a retiree from my old company.  The insurance seems to be decent and includes dental and eye.  (I do pay some for Medicare.)

Cincydawg

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44480 on: May 07, 2025, 01:52:31 PM »
The Brit system seems to be the one to avoid, entirely.  There, every health care worker is employed by the government (and not paid very well).  The wealthier Brits have to carry private health insurance so they can see private doctors before months go by.

MikeDeTiger

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44481 on: May 07, 2025, 01:53:52 PM »
The right in the U.S. routinely refers to social benefits like government run health care paid for by taxation as socialism. So...if we could all agree on what terms like that mean, then political mudslinging would be a lot less fun.

In my anecdotal experience, you are correct.  Most people use the term "socialism" when what they mean is "lots of government stuff."

MikeDeTiger

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44482 on: May 07, 2025, 01:55:30 PM »
The Brit system seems to be the one to avoid, entirely.  There, every health care worker is employed by the government (and not paid very well).  The wealthier Brits have to carry private health insurance so they can see private doctors before months go by.

Canada sucks as well.  They've run off all their doctors.  

Which has helped us, some.  The US has a dearth of MDs, anymore.  We've picked up some Canadian ones who can't make a worthwhile living there.  

We had some patients formerly from Canada.  The wait times to get a doctor there sound insane.  

Cincydawg

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44483 on: May 07, 2025, 02:01:33 PM »
In my anecdotal experience, you are correct.  Most people use the term "socialism" when what they mean is "lots of government stuff."
Indeed.  My own definition is "centrally planned economies" with government ownership of companies of any size.

We visited Havana a while back, our guide was "private" and took us to her cousin's restaurant for lunch (which was good), it was private.  We wondered into various "gift shops", most were private, and the proprieter would be helpful.  My wife wanted to look at something in a government gift shop and the lady behind the counter wouldn't move.  She just glared at my wife.  I wanted to leave, but my wife get's her back up and insisted, in decent Spanish, and finally the lady came over and told her the price.  I was told everything there is like that, private works fairly well, government doesn't work at all.

I was surprised in Havana how many beggers were in the streets.

847badgerfan

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44484 on: May 07, 2025, 02:04:38 PM »
Canada sucks as well.  They've run off all their doctors. 

Which has helped us, some.  The US has a dearth of MDs, anymore.  We've picked up some Canadian ones who can't make a worthwhile living there. 

We had some patients formerly from Canada.  The wait times to get a doctor there sound insane. 
The Canadians get some of their shit done here when they come down for 5 months. They clog up all the hospitals. I have no idea how they pay for what they get though. Out of pocket??
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847badgerfan

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44485 on: May 07, 2025, 02:06:29 PM »
That's basically what Obama-care plans are, which in my clinical experience are.....not great.  The government doesn't administrate those plans, but they still run them in the sense that they design the healthcare policy.  Instead of "not run by the government" do you perhaps mean "the government doesn't direct policy for the plans?"  That would put the government pretty well hands-off, except why would the government foot the bill for something it has no say over?  If the government pays for a plan but other entities design and administrate it, that's basically subsidizing private healthcare.  Which I'm also generally not in favor of. 
I think there would have to be some oversight. I don't know what that looks like - haven't given it much thought until today.
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847badgerfan

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44486 on: May 07, 2025, 02:31:09 PM »
Someone reads this thread but won't post to it. ;)

This was suggested to me via PM.

Healthcare in Switzerland - Wikipedia
U RAH RAH! WIS CON SIN!

bayareabadger

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44487 on: May 07, 2025, 03:06:25 PM »
Someone reads this thread but won't post to it. ;)

This was suggested to me via PM.

Healthcare in Switzerland - Wikipedia
Highly regulated, fully private, separated from employers. 

Definitely some interesting stuff, and interestingly not very profit driven. 

847badgerfan

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44488 on: May 07, 2025, 03:13:44 PM »
Obamacare on steroids, so to speak.
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utee94

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44489 on: May 07, 2025, 03:14:28 PM »
Socialism might be absolute by your definition, but socialistic is a relative term.

Most governments in Europe are more socialistic than is the American government, and that's enough of a working definition for most people, myself included.  The Democratic party tends to have more socialistic ideas and plans compared to the Republican party and again, that's a good enough working understanding for most people, myself included.


Honestbuckeye

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44490 on: May 07, 2025, 03:16:02 PM »
Socialism might be absolute by your definition, but socialistic is a relative term.

Most governments in Europe are more socialistic than is the American government, and that's enough of a working definition for most people, myself included.  The Democratic party tends to have more socialistic ideas and plans compared to the Republican party and again, that's a good enough working understanding for most people, myself included.


Nailed it.     
Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
-Mark Twain

bayareabadger

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Re: OT-Politics Thread: please TRY to keep it civil, you damned dirty apes
« Reply #44491 on: May 07, 2025, 03:18:42 PM »
Obamacare on steroids, so to speak.
The flat rates after age 26 is wild. 

 

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