So much posting (mainly between 2 of us), but just a comment about the heathcare in the US. Yes, I've worked in the healthcare and medical industry, and yes, I have read about world wide healthcare options even as recently as 1 month ago...
One of the biggest issues with the healthcare system and healthcare costs has to do with the "freedoms" that are allowed in this country, and what people have come to feel "entitled" to or see the opportunity to "scam" someone else out of. By that I am getting at how much easier someone can turn their financial situation around by suing someone else. Legal fees alone. In 2008 (I couldn't pull last year's numbers easily),
$55.6 Billion was spent on medial malpractice lawsuits and defense medicine. Those costs get spread out among everyone paying for medical services. Trust me, this is huge. I've worked for both the medical providers as well as the health care administrators (insurance companies) and you hear about how 1 lawsuit alone can send things into a state of panic, even for larger providers.
Throw into that mix the number of uninsured people in the US at
50.7 Million People as of September 2010 and how many of those people are effectively getting "free" (cost passed on to others) healthcare. It is no wonder that there is a push for a new healthcare program. I don't agree with the "plan" of the current law trying to be forced into place, but lets look at where to costs are.
We can keep following this trail back to unemployed people, increasing costs for consumables (food, gas, housing, etc) and more lower income families can't afford it, plus the estimated
11.2 Million illegal immigrants,
8 Million of which are also working here illegally (mot paying taxes, or for healthcare) thus increasing both the healthcare problem, but also the general taxation problem. I know that I would love to get paid cash and not pay taxes.
Anyway, I just wanted to offer some perspective to the healthcare cost issue. As for Obama's healthcare plan, I am all for helping out others, but when you have so many people here that aren't contributing to the payment or reduction of payment of things like taxes and healthcare because they are here illegally (when did people forget what "illegal" meant?) it makes it that much more expensive for those people that are trying to do things on the up and up, or were hit by the economic crash that started a couple of years ago. The problem is one political group thinks that these illegal people should be allowed to vote (representation WITHOUT taxation) and does whatever they can to make sure that they get as many of those 11.2 million votes that they can.
How about focusing on those of us that actually help to pay for the government. Oh wait, my voice is lost by the "special interest groups" that throw millions of dollars into politicians coffers... Ugh. Maybe I should move to France. I would still hate the government, the people could care less about me, but at least I could travel to other countries easier than I can travel to some other states.
