Health Care: Time for Universal Coverage?

[question everything]

From the WSJ:

The U.S. ranks 29th in overall life expectancy, which is 78 years.

The U.S. spent about 15.3% of its GDP on health care in 2004, while other industrialized nations spent an average of 8.6%, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Medicare costs could be cut by $1 trillion over the next 25 years if obesity among seniors could be returned to 1980s levels, according to the Center for American Progress, a liberal Washington think tank.

Chronic illness, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes, accounts for 75% of health costs, according to the American Public Health Association.

Texas leads the nation with the highest rate of uninsured at 27%, followed by Florida (24%), New Mexico (24%) and Oklahoma (22%).

Young adults, those age 19-24, are the most likely to be uninsured. They represent 13.5% of the insured population, and 24.3% of the uninsured population.

The rise of unions and manufacturing jobs during and after World War II spurred the creation of employee-sponsored health care. In 1940, 10% of employees received health insurance from their employer. By 1950, that number had risen to about 50%.




http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118074895886322279-search.html?KEYWORDS=Obama&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month (subscription)

[aquart]

1. The cost is irrelevant. It's a national security issue.

A sick nation is not as competitive, and certainly not as battle ready, as a healthy one.

But the big cost is the middleman, the insurance companies. Cut their greedy throats and leave them out of the process.

[question everything]

5. Indeed. From the same story

Would Americans support higher taxes to pay for reforms? Polls show that they might. According to a March NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 52% of respondents would pay higher taxes in order to provide universal health insurance, compared with 41% that opposed.

Americans cited health care as the top domestic priority, and the second-most important priority overall after the Iraq war in an April poll, topping issues such as illegal immigration, energy and the economy.

Does either party have an edge among voters? A March survey by Harris Interactive and The Wall Street Journal Online showed that more Americans trust Democrats to improve health-care policies, at 50% and up from 45% last year, than Republicans, whose support fell to 28% from 31% last year.

[aquart]

7. Americans live in terror of a medical crisis.

Bin Ladin is nothing compared to worrying about what you'll do if the breadwinner has a stroke or comes down with Lou Gehrig's or falls off a ladder while hanging Christmas lights.

[question everything]

8. Perfect. Which is why I am puzzled at so many DUers

who will no longer vote for the Democrats because of the recent bill, or who will never vote for Clinton, or Biden or any other who does not perfectly fit their litmus tests.

Unless you know someone who is in Iraq (or Afghanistan) the concentration over the war is more a debate. But losing one's job, not having access to health care, having to work forever until you drop dead - these are real, up close and personal issues. And we need to have a Democratic controlled Congress and White House to achieve these goals. The increase in minimum wage is finally a reality because it was part of the war funding bill.

[annabanana]

2. Sorry. No one should be looking to profit off of people's health.

It inevitably leads to shortcuts in healthcare, impossible treatment thresholds, unrealistic deductibles, etc etc etc.

Let insurance companies stick to automobiles.

[antigop]

3. So, um, why isn't Kucinich's Medicare for All mentioned

He has AN ACTUAL BILL (HR 676), but don't expect the MSM to mention that.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

4. Yes it is time. That is one reason I support John Edwards

We have been talking about this since 1948. It is time to nominate a candidate who is advocating universal health care and can deliver it after being elected.

[StudentProgressive]

6. Why did they name only the corporate-programs? Oh wait!

Wall Street Journal corporate media. Erm.