I'm reminded of the quote from P.J. O'Rourke, "If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free."
Would you believe a trillion dollars? That's providing the Democrats find a way to pass it, now that the 41st Republican is soon to arrive in the Senate.
A projected cost of a trillion dollars over 10 years. That's a average of $100 billion a year.
Projections like this are notoriously optimistic. When Congress passed Medicare in 1965, the projected annual cost for 1990 was $9 billion. The actual cost that year: $67 billion - more than 7 times what was estimated. What if current estimates are wrong by sevenfold? We'll be looking at $700 billion a year.
At the rate we're going, the interest alone on the debt could eventually exceed the gross domestic product. That's like having a minimum payment on your credit card that's greater than your monthly income.
You say it's worth the money. Is it worth bankrupting the country?
Ooohh, that's scary CT! But the truth is it won't bankrupt the country. Once the recession ends and millions go back to work, the debt will be reduced quickly. I will grant that a public option would be much cheaper for this country than private insurance, and some of that private insurance money should be used to pay for the public option -- a true single payer system. But the insurance companies have scared too many people and we won't get that -- It's truly a shame.
The current senate bill is worthless, and of course it will cost extra money, it's a give away to the scumbag insurance companies.
Medicare for all would be far cheaper than our current system, and the rich would still have optional coverage like they do in other countries that would give them super fancy health care.
The reason medicare is so expensive now is because it only covers indigents and the elderly. Obviously those are the most expensive groups to cover, hence the reason the private insurance companies don't want them. If medicare actually had the benefit of covering the mainstream Americans like the insurance companies do, it wouldn't appear as expensive as it does now. Not only that, but because of junk legislation that was passed, Medicare isn't allowed to negotiate prices in the same manner as private insurance companies, increasing its cost as a direct subsidy to the medical industry.
The giveaways to the corporations have to stop. They have been on welfare for far longer than any other "legal citizen" is allowed to be.
"Once the recession ends and millions go back to work, the debt will be reduced quickly."
Hey, mom! I just bought the coolest Mazerati...Yeah, I know, I'm unemployed and all my credit cards are maxed out, but once I get a job, I'll be able to pay for it!
I know there are some faults in my analogy. The price of the Mazerati will remain constant, while the price of health care will keep going up, and up, and up...
Wouldn't it make more sense to wait until we can actually afford universal health care than to jump into it in the midst of The Great Recession?
We aren't talking about a car here. We are talking about preventing deaths/suffering that we have the knowledge and ability to deal with. We have the means, what we don't have is the motivation as human beings to help each other for the common good.
If it were money needed to build a tank/bomber.. we would find it. If it were money to bail out a corporation that was poorly run.. we could find it.
This really isn't about money though, it's about class separation and haves vs. have nots. The elite have their health care, whether you die from curable cancer because you couldn't/didn't get treatment is hardly their concern.
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Found at the great site of BartCop.
"Free" health care?
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of the quote from P.J. O'Rourke, "If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free."
Would you believe a trillion dollars? That's providing the Democrats find a way to pass it, now that the 41st Republican is soon to arrive in the Senate.
Some things are worth the money. Sometimes people have to be dragged kicking and screaming, so be it.
ReplyDeleteChris:
ReplyDeleteA projected cost of a trillion dollars over 10 years. That's a average of $100 billion a year.
Projections like this are notoriously optimistic. When Congress passed Medicare in 1965, the projected annual cost for 1990 was $9 billion. The actual cost that year: $67 billion - more than 7 times what was estimated. What if current estimates are wrong by sevenfold? We'll be looking at $700 billion a year.
And all this at a time when Senate Democrats are proposing a $1.9 billion increase in in the debt ceiling, which would raise the national debt to $14.6 billion.
At the rate we're going, the interest alone on the debt could eventually exceed the gross domestic product. That's like having a minimum payment on your credit card that's greater than your monthly income.
You say it's worth the money. Is it worth bankrupting the country?
Ooohh, that's scary CT! But the truth is it won't bankrupt the country. Once the recession ends and millions go back to work, the debt will be reduced quickly.
ReplyDeleteI will grant that a public option would be much cheaper for this country than private insurance, and some of that private insurance money should be used to pay for the public option -- a true single payer system.
But the insurance companies have scared too many people and we won't get that -- It's truly a shame.
The current senate bill is worthless, and of course it will cost extra money, it's a give away to the scumbag insurance companies.
ReplyDeleteMedicare for all would be far cheaper than our current system, and the rich would still have optional coverage like they do in other countries that would give them super fancy health care.
The reason medicare is so expensive now is because it only covers indigents and the elderly. Obviously those are the most expensive groups to cover, hence the reason the private insurance companies don't want them. If medicare actually had the benefit of covering the mainstream Americans like the insurance companies do, it wouldn't appear as expensive as it does now. Not only that, but because of junk legislation that was passed, Medicare isn't allowed to negotiate prices in the same manner as private insurance companies, increasing its cost as a direct subsidy to the medical industry.
The giveaways to the corporations have to stop. They have been on welfare for far longer than any other "legal citizen" is allowed to be.
"Once the recession ends and millions go back to work, the debt will be reduced quickly."
ReplyDeleteHey, mom! I just bought the coolest Mazerati...Yeah, I know, I'm unemployed and all my credit cards are maxed out, but once I get a job, I'll be able to pay for it!
I know there are some faults in my analogy. The price of the Mazerati will remain constant, while the price of health care will keep going up, and up, and up...
Wouldn't it make more sense to wait until we can actually afford universal health care than to jump into it in the midst of The Great Recession?
What ever happened to delayed gratification?
"What ever happened to delayed gratification?"
ReplyDeleteWe aren't talking about a car here. We are talking about preventing deaths/suffering that we have the knowledge and ability to deal with. We have the means, what we don't have is the motivation as human beings to help each other for the common good.
If it were money needed to build a tank/bomber.. we would find it. If it were money to bail out a corporation that was poorly run.. we could find it.
This really isn't about money though, it's about class separation and haves vs. have nots. The elite have their health care, whether you die from curable cancer because you couldn't/didn't get treatment is hardly their concern.