[Vision2020] [CORRECTED] Re: Uninsured adults 25 percent more likely

[Tom Hansen]

I am a strong believer in socialized medicine.  I believe that it can be 
achieved, just as it has in Germany, Canada, etc. etc..

My point was directed at Arnold.  His posting reflected on his 
personal experiences.  My suggestion was aimed at Arnold with one option 
(albeit sarcastic and non-realistic to his "talk-and-no-walk" approach 
here on the Viz) that he could (doubtfully) consider.

My sister lives in Newbury Park, California, across the street from a sole-
parent with three children (one of which is special ed).  My sister pays 
$600 per month for health insurance.  She is fortunate.  Her neighbors 
across the street are without health insurance.  My sister helps them out 
as much as she is financially capable.  

Take a drive through South Central Los Angeles or down Mission Road (in 
the vicinity of the USC Medical Center).  You'll be convinced that my 
sister's neighbors are rather fortunate.  They have four walls, a floor, 
and a roof.

There are so, so many people in this country that deserve alot more than 
lip service every four years.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho


> Are you advocating a system where we pay for medical care through taxes? 
> Because that's what is funding yours. That's not to say that retired 
> military men and women don't deserve it, just that it's not a system 
> that will work for everyone without a much larger tax commitment.
> 
> I think we need to find a way that involves bringing in actual market 
> forces. The prices are so high right now because there is no incentive 
> to shop around, and no incentive to cut costs. Obviously you have to 
> walk a fine line between cutting costs a reasonable amount and cutting 
> them too much (or cutting important things). What happened to the idea 
> that health insurance was to cover accidents or catastrophic situations? 
> Everyone seems to use it for everything under the sun. There needs to be 
> some incentive to reduce the amount of unnecessary usage of the system, 
too.
> 
> Of course, that's just my opinion - and I'm sure it's an unpopular one. 
> I'm one of those people that won't even take an aspirin unless I have a 
> headache that is bothering me enough that I can't concentrate or if I 
> think the pain is worse for my body chemically than the aspirin would 
> be. My philosophy about it is this: the body is a complicated system 
> that we still don't fully understand and that is different to some 
> degree for everybody - try not to micromanage it at the chemical level 
> if you can help it. I do understand that not everyone is lucky enough to 
> be able to avoid it. My mother was a life-long diabetic, and was 
> completely reliant upon the medical care system and they saved her life 
> many times over and made her everyday life more enjoyable. I just choose 
> not to partake of the system if I can avoid it. I wish some others 
> would, too.
> 
> I also think that over medicating can be dangerous. You have the obvious 
> problem of too many little side effects multiplying, and the problem of 
> unknown reactions between various medicines. On top of that, you end up 
> masking the underlying problems sometimes. For example, if you are 
> having a few bouts of insomnia, try not to grab for the sleeping pills 
> right away. Something is causing it, look for that first and see if you 
> can fix it. Try a few methods of beating it first that don't involve 
> exotic chemicals and long lists of rare side effects.
> 
>
Paul



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