Americans Want Overhaul Of Health System: Survey

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - More than 80 percent of Americans think the U.S. health system needs either fundamental change or a complete overhaul, according to a survey released on Thursday.

Access to care, better coordination between different health providers and better flow of health information were among their chief complaints, the Harris Interactive poll found -- just as another poll found that health insurance costs have doubled for Americans since 1996.

"It's clear that our health care system isn't giving Americans the health care they need and deserve," said Karen Davis, president of the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund, which commissioned the survey.

Both major presidential candidates, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, have pledged to address problems with the U.S. health system. About 47 million Americans do not have insurance.

In the poll, which surveyed a random sample of 1,004 U.S. adults in May, 32 percent agreed the system needed complete rebuilding, while 50 percent thought it required fundamental change.

MORE...

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN07490416200...

[aquart]

1. LOL! They needed a survey?

[annabanana]

2. Americans are ready for true National Healthcare...

A real, modern system that will not trap people in horrible jobs or dangerous marriages for fear that they'll be impoverished by one accident or serious illness..

[lovuian]

19. yes and the system is about to completely collapse

its about time!!!!!
We pay so much for so little

[Indenturedebtor]

3. OOoooo I can't wait for this to come up at the debates!

Hit McStupidass with some specific questions about Healthcare and hold your nose as he squints hard and drops a deuce in his official campaign diaper.

[jjr5]

4. Americans want overhaul of health system: survey

Source: Reuters

Thu Aug 7, 2008 3:35pm EDT

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - More than 80 percent of Americans think the U.S. health system needs either fundamental change or a complete overhaul, according to a survey released on Thursday.

Access to care, better coordination between different health providers and better flow of health information were among their chief complaints, the Harris Interactive poll found -- just as another poll found that health insurance costs have doubled for Americans since 1996.

"It's clear that our health care system isn't giving Americans the health care they need and deserve," said Karen Davis, president of the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund, which commissioned the survey.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN07490416...

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The article says that both presidential candidates have pledged to do something about our health care predicament, but what was McCain's plan again??

[WCGreen]

5. Get rid of the fucking private insurance companies.

There should be profit to be made, doctors and hospitals must be compensated and compensated fairly, but to think that the free market is at all operating when a third party stands between the people receiving care and those giving it is completely deluded.

[knixphan]

8. hell yes.

[Truth4Justice]

10. Cant do that. They have the lobbists and LOTS of cash. But you are correct.

these parasites need to go.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. Isn't it something like 4 lobbyists to one congress critter? Yeah, these parasites

need to go. I won't hold my breath.

[fascisthunter]

24. what he said....

take the middle men" out of it altogether.

When it comes to critical needs such as health, there should be no room for profit, since we know profit motives compromise services. The system is set up so that companies benefit at the behest of people's lives. It's disgusting... and expensive.

[area51]

6. k&r.

We need single-payer healthcare now. If any lurking freak republic members are reading this, your nazi gated communities won't protect you from disease; only when we all have access to doctors is everyone safer. I also want the the nazis to explain why they like single-payer police and single-payer fire departments, but are terrified like little sissies over single-payer healthcare.

[Truth4Justice]

7. Amen to that. No we cant have public healthcare becuase that wouldnt leave them with a private doc.

[Connonym]

11. I think the uber wealthy would just as soon have their own pay for play fire department and security

and fuck anyone who can't afford their own. This is part of the whole conservative mindset that I don't understand -- the system clearly works for the very wealthy and, while I think they're very greedy and disgusting, I can understand them wanting to preserve their easy living. But then there are the middle class and working poor who are conservative, I can't understand how they can justify their beliefs. I don't get how they think this is all good for them. I can only think they've been brainwashed with all the flag waving and believe that they too will some day be very wealthy and they want to make sure when that day comes (hahahahahah) the scam will still be in place to favor them. It's clearly delusional thinking. Do they even realize that after they vote they don't matter one iota to the money holders? I would imagine the top income bracket is just as disdainful to the middle and upper middle class as they are to the working poor.

I have an uncle who is convinced that democrats are evil and all a bunch of scheming cheaters trying to get out of paying their dues in life and yet this uncle has 2 adult severely mentally handicapped children who have been supported their entire lives by social security disability -- allowing said uncle to collect rent and board for my cousins while also taking advantage of state funded respite programs and ultimately now allowing my cousins to life in an assisted living facility. He's perfectly happy to have accepted this help for his children (and truly, as they are in their 40s and have the mental capacity of preschoolers they are clearly in need of support) but he constantly accuses others of abusing the system and doesn't believe the government should support people. The only explanation I can come up with for this is that he feels he is scamming the system himself and that's why he is accusing others of doing the same. It's like those psychological evaluations where they determine your trustworthiness by your own self-declaration of how much people should be trusted. Of course my uncle's insanity also extends to a firm belief that Obama is secretly being backed by some Muslim terrorist organization in order to infiltrate America at the highest level so clearly he's a bit of a whack job. Er, sorry for the ramble but it pisses me off and it's late and I'm kinda babbling.

[Doremus]

13. There is no reasoning with ignorance like that.

[Locrian]

14. what you said is 100% true

I just finished Naomi Kliens Shock Doctrine / Disaster Capitalism book and again and again I see the exact same behavior. They are willing to do ANYTHING to keep "liberals" from sharing the wealth. Part of it is greed, but it doesn't explain the religious like devotion to the "free market" (crony capitalism) that they push at the point of a gun on the world.

I really liked Naomi's book - but I was really looking for a psychological insight into WHY this is the prevalent believe system of the wealthy. Greed, fear, self superiority, authoritarianism, lack of empathy all play into it but I still don't get it.

[raccoon]

16. Don't people like that drive you crazy? :banghead: nt

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Long Ago, Fire Fighting Services Were Private, By Subscription

I'm sure that Ye Olde Freepers fought tooth and nail against public fire departments.

[knixphan]

9. k&r

[Alexander]

15. K&R. Single payer is the way to go.

[KansDem]

18. So? A majority of Americans support impeachment...

...and we've seen how far that went.

[Yavin4]

20. McCain Wants To End Corp. Tax Deductions on Healthcare

Which will mean that corporations will drop healthcare as a benefit to their employees. Instead, he wants to give Americans a $5,000 tax credit to buy their own healthcare, which is patently absurd, and it will swell the number of uninsured across America.

Under McCain, millions of Americans will be uninsured because HMOs will only issue policies to the young and the wealthy. More importantly, McCain's plan would hurt women more than any other group because women use health care services more than men, esp. during their child bearing years.

[Maineman]

21. false information, conflict-of-interest, profiteering

Big pharma is a major influence. I think MDs learn most of what they know from that industry. Big pharma is in business for one reason - profit. The perfect drug is one that eases the symptoms, must be taken for the rest of your life, and gradually (undetectibly) leads to other problems that require more medicines. They use marketing ploys to invent diseases so they can sell more meds. They have convinced the public that taking medicines is normal. (Of course, poor foods and poor eating habits make a BIG contribution to this phenomenon.)

Insurance companies must take enough money out of the system to pay high salary executives and shareholders, money that could be going directly to health care. And, insurance companies do not cover alternative treatments that can cure rather than just manage symptoms.

Providers (MDs mostly) often became doctors because they wanted the prestige, and they want to make lots of money. I think they are usually interested in helping people, but I am not always sure about that. Too often they practice their trade without learning about better health care options. (Patients would be wise to spend lots of time doing their own research into the conditions that supposedly require surgery or drugs!!)

Doctors make more money when they do more procedures, and more radical procedures. This means the practice of for-profit medicine is a conflict of interest.

Doctors charge outrageous fees. I was recently billed $192 (before adjustments) by a dermatologist who spent 10 seconds communicating with me and 5 seconds treating a spot on my hand. Doctors complain about malpractice suits, awards, and insurance costs. Hell, if they are going to take advantage of my need for medical care, then I would certainly be tempted to get revenge if they skrew up.

All of these issues need to be addressed in a major restructuring of our medical, so-called health care, system.

The best system I have seen (It happened to be at a university) involved a walk-in clinic for employees and families staffed by a couple of SALARIED physicians, and backup medical insurance coverage. Perhaps something like this should be done by states using federal block grants and federal "insurance" backup.

[mrfocus]

22. John McCain's Government-supported Health Care Plan(s)...

...are working just fine. Sure he is on Medicare now, but didn't he enjoy the amazingly discounted services of the Federal Employees Health Benefits program for his entire 20+ year tenure in congress?
What would have happened to Lil' Johnny if he had tried to procure insurance in the open market? A two-time cancer survivor with serious orthopedic problems? He would have received a whole raft of rejection letters or monthly premiums in the thousands of dollars.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. Only 80%? Not enough ...

Congress is in the pocket of insurance and pharmaceutical companies. The marathon vote on negotiation (or ban on negotiation) of drug costs is a good example.

I'm pessimistic that anything will be done, except perhaps mandatory insurance (with no cost containment). And the insurance companies will continue to attempt to raise co-pays and decline service.

I hope I'm wrong.

[RadiationTherapy]

25. Ok, then. Can someone give me the main points of Obama's ideas and suggestions?

Am I right in thinking we should come at this issue hard?

[davsand]

26. This just in: Insurance companies do not want an overhaul of health care system.

In fact, they LOVE this current system becasue they make huge profits.

The bottom line on the entire discussion, is that the insurance companies do not want to see a fundamental change in our health care system. As long as that insurance lobby has the politicos by the short hairs, we will all continue to suffer in this country.


Laura