India Is Introducing Free Health Care--For 500 MILLION People

[workinclasszero]

BY DAVID BRENNAN ON 8/16/18 AT 6:56 AM

The Indian government will pay for health care for around 500 million of its poorest citizens, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi declaring that the country can reach its potential only with a healthy population.

During a speech to mark the country’s independence day on Wednesday, Modi said, “It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford health care,” The Times of India reported.

The National Health Protection Mission—also known as “Modicare”—will give impoverished families health insurance coverage of up to $7,100 every year. This may not seem a lot by American standards, but in a country where the annual per capita income is just over $1,900, it will make a massive difference to those who cannot afford private treatment.

https://www.newsweek.com/india-introducing-free-healthcare-500-million-people-1075607?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

[msongs]

1. it is not free. the cost is being covered by funds from somewhere nt

[hibbing]

4. I get tired of the "free" too n/t

[Thunderbeast]

5. Of course it's not free.

It is effectvie, efficient, and compassionate.

If our country did not have a regressive tax system and a bloated military, we could have healthcare, education, quality infrastructure, and a healing environment.

We choose not to.

[PatrickforO]

7. Indeed we do.

[Raster]

11. and don't forget the overreaching preferential financial treatment for the 1% and their ilk...

...not to mention the OBSCENE transfers of public wealth and resources to the .... -wait for it- 1% of the wealthiest members of our society. And you know, it is understandable, since the 1% basically OWN the majority of our politicians.

[workinclasszero]

13. Thank you

Trumps trillion and a half wet kiss to billionaires and Wall Street hustlers isn’t free either.

Funny how the GOP isn’t bitching about that at all.

[Recursion]

16. This is a smash and grab

Money that should be going to remediate the underfunding of public hospitals and clinics is instead going to private hospitals and clinics.

[democratisphere]

2. Interesting. India gets it.

Meanwhile, America heads in the opposite direction racing to the bottom and 3rd or 4th world nation status.

[workinclasszero]

3. Trump and his GOP are attacking Medicaid even as we speak

See here:

Trump readies new round of controversial Medicaid changes
The changes, involving work requirements and questions about drug use, could push tens of thousands of people off coverage.
By DAN DIAMOND 08/16/2018 06:56 PM EDT

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211013425

[workinclasszero]

14. The difference being the Indian government

values the lives and welfare of its poorest citizens.

While our government views us as useless eaters that need to die in pain and misery ASAP.

[Recursion]

17. India has had universal health care since the 1950s. This is an attempt to destroy it

This is going to make the Tata Group very rich and not really do much about access for the vast majority of those 500 million people.

[democratisphere]

18. fake healthcare is spreading like cancer in the name of corporate wealth.

NOTHING new here or there!

[Codeine]

20. Thank you for your insider perspective.

Things are rarely as they seem, sadly.

[Recursion]

22. Sadly. I haven't lived in India for two years but I still talk with my friends about this

Now, let me also say that what Modi is proposing would still be a hell of an improvement from what the US has...

[elmac]

6. Pakistan has had a simular program going for a while now

pretty streamlined as far as seeing specialists.

[zentrum]

8. The debt he's run up

....because of tax cuts for the richest is all about destroying SS, Medicare and Medicaid.

Unless of course they can be made profitable for the 1% and throw in privatizing the army, education, all prisons, the parks, and the post office.

We are headed for Mussolini style fascism that the Ryan/Trump types will continue to call "free market capitalism."

[angrychair]

9. While an admirable goal

I think it is very misguided.

I think access to clean water and bathrooms should be a far higher priority.
Especially for women, children, the elderly and the handicapped.

It’s great to have healthcare as a goal but access to something as basic as a safe and clean place to use the restroom seems more important.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Ayurvedic

time tested treatments for longevity ... pass the neem, will you?

[BigmanPigman]

12. India's economy could tank really hard and really fast

if the economic fallout from Turkey spreads to other emerging economies. The global economy improved over the past 10 years and several countries benefited (Turkey, Brazil, S Korea and India). Ali Velshi explained that the recent sanctions on Turkey are killing their economy and the other countries who grew stronger economically could see collapses just as easily too. These economies are very fragile. I hope India isn't effected.

[Recursion]

15. No. Modi is gutting the public health infrastructure India has. This is privatization.

India has public hospitals and clinics that are available to all, but they are underfunded, resulting in bad conditions and long wait times. Modi is taking money that should be going to shoring up that health system and instead funneling it to private insurance for private clinics.

These private clinics do not have the capacity to care for 500 million more people. This is the same con as charter schools.

[hunter]

19. Thank you. The comparison to charter schools is apt...

... public money redirected to political cronies, all manner of grifters, religious institutions, cults, well meaning idiots, etc..

[Hortensis]

21. Wonderful. Planetary wealth more than quadrupled

over the past 35 years due to advances in technology, which in turn makes these advances possible. The average human lifespan is now well up into the 70s.