Reply #31: I am for it...

[Imajika]

...because I think a single-payer type system is cheaper.

My reason is based on logic and cold, hard bean counting. I look at the costs society is paying for health care, realize we are all paying for those without health care anyway, and figure it is pretty obvious we all benefit from a serious universal system of coverage.

So yes, ALL artists would get coverage in my world anyway.

I guess I am just having trouble understanding why society doesn't have a right to expect people to be productive and yes, to produce things society values. If we are going to pay for your health care, I would like to think you are contributing something of value back.

Anyone can claim to be an artist. All people that claim to be an artist are not necessarily contributing anything useful. They may like what they are doing, but society may place no value in it. If a person can not produce something that others in society place some value on, then yes, it seems like a hobby to me.

That is all I am saying, that is why I don't think this article was a good example of why we need HCR.

On top of that, Tom did not seem like an example of someone who desperately attempted to get help. From the article it seemed to me he just didn't feel like going to get his tooth pulled. I know for a fact an extraction is not usually an expensive procedure. And once he let it get that far, going to a doctor to get some antibiotics is also not that expensive. Again, it seemed like a bad example to me of why we need HCR.