tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post2532488727297992015..comments2023-08-24T11:42:21.155-04:00Comments on Two Square Meals: Let's Talk Health CareUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-88529988006007540052009-09-01T13:24:19.272-04:002009-09-01T13:24:19.272-04:00I think I've noticed something important here:...I think I've noticed something important here: "husband" doesn't have a blogonym.<br /><br />May I suggest "Optimus Prime"? You could shorted it to "Optimus" or "OP" or "Prime" if needed.J. R. Daniel Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14000174430575970585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-14052196800769617092009-08-29T16:17:50.541-04:002009-08-29T16:17:50.541-04:00I've ranted before about this. I've got a...I've ranted before about this. I've got a kid with a pre-existing condition, a husband trying to be self-employed, and a year of COBRA at $1100 per month. Our current system is not easy on us. Even though I'm conservative, I will confess I had a couple moments of "well, if it's going to happen anyway, maybe things will at least get better for us."<br />But, they won't. There are already government safety nets which I thank God for -- but would not want to use if we had any other option. These plans don't make better nets, they just take away other options.<br /><br />Chesterton said the problem with capitalism is not too many capitalists, but too few. We took a world where we had a ton of medical and medical payment options and narrowed it until we only have a few big companies that we have to go through. That's a problem. Narrowing that few to one is not the solution. I'm dejected that the only two options we seem to be seriously discussing are status quo an national health care.<br />Thanks for the post and bringing up the conversation!Mariehttp://twowaysofrenouncingthedevil.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-57358647321703262752009-08-29T11:31:58.433-04:002009-08-29T11:31:58.433-04:00Like you, I have a lot of thoughts, and no conclus...Like you, I have a lot of thoughts, and no conclusions. But one thing I know for sure - our national discourse is disgusting and I'm so so saddened by it.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07316677018586769316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-71515360168204322172009-08-27T11:30:24.270-04:002009-08-27T11:30:24.270-04:00I wish there were an easy solution to making med s...I wish there were an easy solution to making med school less expensive, but even if there were, you couldn't make it less involved. Being a good doctor means giving up much of your 20's and early 30's to pursue the most challenging career there is. You can't be really good at it without that investment. There needs to be some reward for that or enough folks aren't going to want to do it.<br /><br />But people still need to be able to afford health care. We paid $600+ a month for Cobra for over a year. I know how hard it is if your job doesn't provide. People should have some basic access to care. See my dilemma?<br /><br />I think something needs to be done with the health insurance industry that doesn't involve a government run system. Considering what the federal government has done with my retirement, I am not inclined to put my health care in its hands. My kids know how to handle money better than the government does!TwoSquareMealshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01000292109449832461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-67735206027336415882009-08-26T22:16:55.841-04:002009-08-26T22:16:55.841-04:00But that begs the question: "How could we pro...But that begs the question: "How could we propose to make med school less expensive?" <br /><br />There are only two options: pay the professors less or reduce the amount of education required. How exactly do we propose to require medical schools to radically reduce the pay for their professors? But option #2 isn't any more appealing. Do we want medical doctors having less education and training? I don't.<br /><br />There is a third option: transfer the expense of med school to the government who can then turn around and impose higher taxes from us. Kind of defeats the purpose of reducing medical costs.Kerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08779939436015866490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-57719307549745760772009-08-26T10:03:09.524-04:002009-08-26T10:03:09.524-04:00Another option is to make medical school less expe...Another option is to make medical school less expensive! How much do doctors really have left after school loans and malpractice insurance? Reduce those costs... Medicine is hard work - if there are doctors out there who are doing it ONLY for the money, they should have gone to law school instead.<br /><br />I live in a country with universal health care and I am totally pleased with it. The doctors decide what procedures and treatment is needed, in cooperation with the patient, as well as family and nursing staff when that is relevant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816286233655907006.post-52161756166329335552009-08-24T22:36:48.470-04:002009-08-24T22:36:48.470-04:00I'm getting on the verge of exhaustion...so I&...I'm getting on the verge of exhaustion...so I'm not here to say much, but...<br /><br />I recently heard someone say that healthcare should be a civil provision like policemen, teachers, firefighters. Which sounds wonderful until you think about how little we pay those people (not that that is appropriate). How many young people would go into expensive medical school knowing they would only make enough to pay off their loans in about 30-40 years? The other option is to reduce the educational requirements for doctors. Golly, on second thought not such a good idea. LOL! <br /><br />I'm conflicted about this, too. I have friends who are self-employed and uninsured with children and it is hard for them. But when I think about the government getting into health care it makes leads me to the question, "When, really, has any government done a good long term job with this sort of large beaurocratic system overseeing an area of such individual need?"Kerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08779939436015866490noreply@blogger.com