Quote:
Originally Posted by billyb
Some people read and some people don't, we have a major problem here. I still will take my health care here in the US than anywhere else. You don't have to wait six months or a year to go to the hospital where are friends up north have to.
If you look at what illegal immigration has to done our emergency hospitals here is pitiful. We have had so many hospitals close because of this problem. I agree that there are so many people that do not pay and this causes our medical insurance to increase from this.
As more of our elderly live longer this also strains the system. I know of more DR'S that are not going to except government payment, because the government is not paying them. This is not really a left or a right issue, we have to have better health care and more cost effective as well.
Think about this though, as more people live longer the more the drug companies will make. If you are on a medication for over 20 years why would medications come down in price?. It is a goldmine that they have, but something right will have to happen to make sure we can curb some of these abuses.
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I'm always amused when I hear or read what you have stated in the first part of the above quote. Have you ever been on an HMO? If so then you know that you might have to wait up to a month to see your doctor if you have the flu. "Well, he has an opening in March. Will that work for you?" "NO! I'll probably be dead by then! But thanks." And you can't get your emergency room visit paid for unless you get it approved first by your PCP (Primary Care Physician). So, bottom line is you end up waiting anyway and paying monthly for the privilege.
The second part of the above quote is always a sensitive subject. Illegal immigrants are in this country and continue to come to this country. That is a fact. And the situation is not going to change overnight. Period. That being said, if we demand that a person coming into the emergency room be a citizen prior to receiving care, then we are potentially exposing the population of this country to grave peril. Let's say an illegal immigrant is showing symptoms of a bad case of the flu. He feels like crap. BUT, he won't go to the doctor because of fear of being deported. Later, these symptoms progress and he starts bleeding from various orifices. Guess what? He doesn't have the flu. He has some form of hemorrhagic fever (Marburg or Ebola) and because he wasn't diagnosed early he has just exposed a large number of people to this virulent, contagious disease. On a side note, the clinic system I described in my earlier post will take as members anyone without verifying whether or not the potential patient is a citizen. Guess what we found? The pay. They pay on time. AND, they pay the full amount. In fact, their record of payment is far better than the actual citizens. It's strange, I know. Now, does this mean that the US shouldn't address the illegal immigration situation? Of course not, but we must keep in mind the public health ramifications of denying healthcare.
The last part of the above quote is spot on. I couldn't agree with you more regarding the strain on healthcare caused by the relative good health of our population. The main problem with the system is the same problem inherent in the "trickle down economics" philosophy. It doesn't take into account one very real aspect of business: GREED.
Thanks!
SG