So, I'm REALLY curious as to what everyone thinks about the health care reform bill, A.K.A 'Obamacare'. It seemed like alot of people were really against it at first, but now it seems more like people are okay with it..it's predicted to be passed by the end of this week, or the 18th of March, but there isn't a set deadline.

So, how does everyone think this is going to affect the U.S. people? Do you think this will really help us in the long run, or do you think this will cause us to go bankrupt or any of the other "possibilitys" I've been hearing that "will happen" if this bill gets passed.

I really want to hear what other people know/think about this bill..I keep hearing new information everyday about this but NOTHING seems to add up!

With the absence of some sort of public option, the best deal on the table right now falls short of what we were promised. I appreciate Dennis Kucinich holding onto his position. He's a funny little guy, but he has the right ideas.

It seems to me that a pretty good system could be designed after looking at models used in other countries. I mean the civilized countries (the ones with universal healthcare).

Guys

I would like someone to clear up something I have been hearing about the current US healthcare system:

1) You have to have health insurance which you can only afford if you are working, i.e. if you loose your job you and your family no longer have health insurance.

2) If you do not have health insurance you do not get picked up by an ambulance if you collapse in the street.

3) If you suffer from a long-term illness your health insurance can/will get cut off.

4) Roughly, 1 in 10 health insurance claims are turned down.

5) Americans are prohibited from going to Canada or Mexico to buy cheaper (life saving) drugs or having their prescriptions filled.

6) The only people that can afford to be sick are the wealthy.

I am not trying to make any kind of political capital or have a hidden agenda, it's just that these are the things I have been hearing in the UK and I would like someone to clear things up.


UK Bob

Well, I will try my best to answer those questions..

#1 is, for the most part, true. If you lose your job, you also lose your insurance. You can get insurance without having a job, but I hear it's not cheap. You can see how this is a pretty big problem here with all the job losses and what not.

#2 on your list is completely untrue, it's the hopitals/doctors job to take care of a patient if they are in need. They'll come and get you if you collapse in the middle of the street, but if you don't have health insurance good luck paying for that nice bill they send you.

#3 I'm not real sure about this one..I think for the most part your premiums will continue to rise over a short period of time until you can no longer afford your insurance. There was recently a story in the news about a women from Ohio who got cancer, survived, her premiums went up 40% within the one year, so she cut her insurance because she couldn't afford it. Now she's struggling with lukemia, and is currently uninsured. She's afraid she's going to lose the house that her parents built, along with losing her life. Her story is more dramatic, which is why it hit the news, but people losing their house's and lives due to how expensive health care is, is quite common.

#4 Not sure about 4, but I certainly wouldn't doubt it.

#5 Not sure about this one either, but again, I wouldn't doubt it.

#6 This is one of the main reasons why we need a health care reform. Unless your healthy and/or wealthy, you're in trouble.

I keep watching CNN to see updates about this situation, and I'll read the comments that people post on their website..A lot of crazies are on there, telling people that Obama is shuving this bill down our throats when no one wants it (which may or may not be completely true), thus he is going to turn our country into a Dictatorship and America is going to be sucked into a black hole blah blah blah...Do other countries think this of Obama as well?

It seems like everyone is just waiting and watching for America, well, Obama, to fail.


What's the health care like in the UK? I'm curious as it would be similar to the one America would be getting.

The Truth About ObamaCare

This should keep you busy for awhile.

If I gave my honest opinion of this Bulls!t and on Obama, I'd prolly get Banned.

One
Big
Ass
Mistake
America

It's funny that 80 some% of Americans are HAPPY with their current HealthCare, yet they're trying to shove this down our throats.

There is a huge agenda here that really has Nothing to do with HealthCare, but more of a Power Grab and once it's passed, were done.

Maybe...LOL

The American People WILL have the Last Word. Call me Crazy BCI LOL.
I'm just sayin...

http://jasonholliston.com/2009/06/27...-medical-care/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...appy-coverage/

If I were you BCI, I'd be carefull with the Brainwashing that's takeing place at every educational level. Know who you are, and what you believe in, not what THEY want you to be.

Peace

__________________
I Don't Suffer From Insanity, I Enjoy Every Minute of it

BCI

Thanks for your info, it has cleared up in most part what has been somewhat of a mystery to me.

First of all, you asked: Well, it's nothing like the US because, like most European countries, we have a National Health Service which looks after all UK citizens. We do pay higher taxes than you in America but no government would ever get elected if they threatened to abolish the NHS.

You know, apart from vacinations and accidents, most of us do not use the NHS that much when we are young and healthy but as we get older we need more medicines and greater care. And this is where the NHS comes into it's own, most of us get the care we need without having to worry whether our homes are at stake or facing personal bankruptcy.

There are private hospitals and doctors that the well off can use but most UK citizens use NHS doctors, hospitals, dentist and other health care services.

OK, now to Remoc

I've not read your links yet but I get the impression that you are anti-health care for all in the US.

I don't understand your opposition to an NHS type system in the US because we in the UK have had our system since (about) 1948 and, as I said before, no government would get into power if they threatened the NHS.

However, your health system is an American problem for Americans to solve, I hope that whatever decision you guys come to it is the right one.



UK Bob

No Remoc, I will not call you crazy. lol. You're against the bill, and I'm fine with that. The "crazies" I'm talking about are the people spreading scare tactics/propoganda saying that Obama is going to become a Dictator. I don't agree with scaring people using false slander. I do, however, like facts. Therefore I have nothing against the people that are for or against the bill, so long as they argue a valid point and not bogus spewage that does no good in getting anything accomplished. lol.

I'm certain this bill will get passed, whether or not it should is another question. I believe there will be a lot of changes to it after it is passed though. I've been following it on the news and what not pretty well, until March Madness started lol.

Now I've just been completely thrown off. haha.

Well BCI

I agree with the theme of your posting, which is that informed debate the bedrock of democracy is much better than scare tactics and propaganda.

Simply because those that use "propaganda" have no real argument against the thing they oppose, what they do have is a vested interest that has probably gone on too long.

However, there is one good thing about the times we now live in as opposed to how things were in the recent past.

We now have the Internet and a world of information at our fingertips, lying politicians, those that peddle scares and propaganda should no longer have any affect on us because we can find out what is really going on if we choose to, but we have to choose to.


UK Bob

Well, it passed last night. So we'll see how things go...so far so good though. The Earth hasn't blown up yet..so that's a good sign. lol. I wonder what the next big debate will be about? Possibly the immigration reform..that's going to be quite a doozy...and then the elections in November..I have a feeling 2010 is going to be a crazy year for politics.

with a beat.


UK Bob