On my Soap Box about our Health Care System

[Christa]

Just think about it: Six times as many Americans die every year from lack of health care as the number killed on 9/11. Acceptable ? Not in any sane society.

The health care system in the USA is broken. No-one can seriously argue that its not. It does not operate in the best interests of everyone who needs it. The richest country in the world has 46 million people with no health insurance and even more that are dangerously under-insured with high deductibles and co-payments. The cost of essential drugs is obscenely high compared to other countries. The result is that more than 18,000 Americans die needlessly every year from preventable illnesses because they cannot see a doctor when they should. Remember, this is six times the number who died on 9/11 but this avoidable carnage occurs every single year and nobody does anything about it. That's not even counting the far higher numbers who live in misery with treatable illnesses they can’t get treatment for. This crazy system costs the U.S. far more per capita than any other country and health care costs continue to soar. Its not value for money. Sick people are being ripped off.

Why is it so hideously expensive yet so bad ? Really simple. Greedy individuals and big business interests add to the cost at every stage of the process by gouging out profits and resist any reform or effective regulation. Well maybe you can sell T-shirts or Coca-Cola like that but its sure as hell totally inappropriate for a fundamental human need like health-care. Its an utter disgrace and the whole discredited system needs to be radically and urgently overhauled so that good quality health-care is available to every single citizen, free at the point of delivery and regardless of their ability to pay. No one should have to hesitate about seeing a doctor because of cost. No-one should have to forego the drugs they need because they’re too expensive. No-one should be left crippled by debt because they fall ill. None of that is acceptable in a civilized society. Other countries can manage it so why not the USA ? Its hardly rocket-science after all. It can be done. All it requires is political will and common-sense.

Let me be really blunt. Any unscrupulous politician or self-interested health-care lobbyist who tries to block or sabotage the desperately needed health-care reforms is an enemy of ordinary Americans in a very real way. A worse enemy than Al Quaeda because if they succeed they will be responsible for the deaths of far more people than terrorists are ever likely to kill. This is not some airy-fairy philosophical discussion. Its life and death. If greed and self-interest succeeds thousands more decent people will suffer and die needlessly. Its time to get angry. Its time to get serious. Failure is not an option. A watered down compromise is not enough. Only radical, root-and-branch change that puts people ahead of profit is acceptable. The way things are is a national scandal and it can’t continue.

[Blue_Tires]

1. ttt

[avaistheone1]

2. How about an honest solution.

Single payer. :kick: