3 ms·
We already have universal health care---we just choose to do it in the most expensive possible way (emergency health care), rather than in a less expensive way
by thechao 10y ago
We already have universal health care---we just choose to do it in the most expensive possible way (emergency health care), rather than in a less expensive way (urgent, chronic, terminal). I don't know about the rest; although, the EITC (the closest thing we have to cash welfare for non-family citizens in Texas) was actually a pretty important part of my income for the five years when I lived below and near the poverty line.
- paulddraper 10y ago> We already have universal health care For the next few months, at least
- EpicEng 10y agoEmergency care isn't going anywhere, and Obamacare isn't universal health care. It's a compromise which keeps the insurance industry in place.
- paulddraper 10y agoWell, by that token, ER isn't "universal health care" either. I have knee pain from a soccer injury and need arthroscopic surgery. Emergency/urgent care won't do that.
- EpicEng 10y agoIt is if you have something life threatening, but I generally agree. Even then you won't get the preventative and proactive measures that could have saved you, and your standard of care will be low.
- toomuchtodo 10y agoWould you be interested in traveling to Cuba to have that surgery performed inexpensively? I'm working on an agency to match US healthcare consumers with service providers in Cuba, Mexico, Canada, and Thailand who will provide the same service at a fraction of the cost with quality exceeding that available in the US (and am doing market research). This is my way of hacking a lack of universal healthcare until the US gets its shit together.
- blawson 10y agoIf it helps, I recently had surgery in Vietnam at the French Vietnamese hospital in Saigon and was really pleased with the cleanliness of the facilities. My US doctor so far thinks they did a great job too. Cost was $3500 US for a broken collarbone, probably would have been > 10x that in the Bay Area.
- toomuchtodo 10y agoThank you, this is helpful!