I’m Korean… South. Now I live here in california.
I agree that current system in this country is good for healthy people or those who work in a big company with a group plan. I am ‘fortunately’ one of them and I am enjoying the benefit. But I think it’s really a nightmare for people with pre-existing conditions and without decent jobs.

I don’t know all the numbers, costs. But I think medical care should be approached from redistribution point of view rather than a business.

I will just tell you about Korean system. I am not saying it’s better than US. Just to let you consider something else…

All people should be registered for a public medical insurance. Premium is different by their income. Coverage is all the same. There are private insurances but people usually buy them only for some additional coverage, like accidents or deseases that need exceptionally high cost. Actually people usually use only the public insurance.

Lines in the hospital?… Usually faster than here. There are many many many doctors and hospitals. Price? About $2 per visit. It’s about $3 per visit when I consider the prices difference between here and there. The Average level of doctors and hospitals? Very good. They are one of the people with the highest income. So, usually the smartest students become doctors and their training is for around 10 years.

Problems: In high cost treatments, there are too many things without coverage. The deficit is getting bigger every year. People go to doctor too much!! Doctors see the patients too fast!

Overall, Korean system is great with common deseases. Fast and cheap. But it’s not good for cancer because it costs too much.

I know that I am not qualified for the US medical system dispute. But … hmmm… I just wanted to say something.

We all know that effective changes are necessary to ensure the long term viability of the system…public option or not, it’s obvious the current system isn’t working, so some sort of intervention /overhaul is neccessary.

To quote an excerpt from my blog, in my letter to the President, Congressman, and Senators: “We all deserve to pursue the American Dream built on our own will and efforts; one that won’t be torpedoed by the health insurance machinations and its complex web of cloaked tiger traps. My parents were on track for a solid retirement before having the rug yanked from under their feet by such devices. They deserved better. This is why I write to you today…so that other families don’t experience the horrors with health insurance that mine went through. As a small business owner (I included a couple cards for you) I’ve followed the example my parents set, and needless to say I am concerned about my own coverage when the cards are on the table (in a situation similar to my father’s, heaven forbid) and scenarios to that effect that could wreck my family’s financial future.”

So there ya are.

Then who paid for all the great advances in medicine since 1960? Santa Claus? This makes as much sense as blaming Reagan and Bush for rising costs. BC’s thoughts are neural impairment exemplified.

Do the feds have the right to implement national government health insurance? I cannot find this federal power in the Constitution, it is clearly reserved to the States and People. The often-misunderstood welfare clause regards federal powers already described in the Constitution, it is not an additional granted power to use public money in enriching certain individuals lives. We need to remove those in Washington who disregard our law. We want them to leave us alone. Get out of our faces. Stop strangling us. Keep your oath.

If the people so decide, health services will be provided at a local or state level to those who are truly in need. It’s the law of the land. Why is it not being followed? FIGHT!

It’s absurd for several reason. For one thing they’re trying to equate per capita GDP with worker productivity…and they’re not the same thing.

They’re also implying that if worker A produces 15 widgets in 10 hours, and worker B produces 20 widets in 20 hours then worker A is more productive, which is total nonsense. Whoever produces more widgets is more productive. More productive per hour is not the same thin as more productive.

The claim made in the headline “French: The Most Productive People In The World”, could well be true, but the data they present doesn’t support that claim.

you’re nuts,there are constant innovations in all levels of care.

Let’s see, what’s wrong with this….

1) Innovation does not “dominate” Medical Care — most of the treatments for the most common injuries and ailments have not changed for decades, and in some cases centuries. There have been scientific bursts here and there, like for genetic treatments, better understanding the role of bacteria for things like ulcers, and such, and steady improvements in vaccines, early detection, and treating heart disease, and “sports medicine, but for the average person’s most common medical problems, there’s been little real “innovation” per se. Progress overall has proceeded at a snail’s pace. While life expectancy has steadily risen the past century, the reasons for that has as much or more to do with better nutrition and healthier lifestyles, as it does with better overall medical treatments.

Indeed, compared to almost any industry — automotive, tech, farming, whatever — the medical industry has lagged far, far behind in the pace of real advancement and innovation.

2) Real innovation would have reduced costs, not raised them, as product improved. You can walk into a Staples and come away for a complete computer system not only vastly more powerful than one from 20 years ago, but far, far less expensive. Look at how TV sets, cars, the building industry, the financial industry (even if “innovation” has been grossly misused there) have changed compared over the past couple of decades compared the health care industry. Then main difference between going into a hospital now as opposed to 20 years ago is that there is now major infection problems and hence a lot more in the use of face masks, gloves and disposable items, and your monitoring equipment is more digitized. Big whoop.

3) Health care costs very slowly started to increment faster than the overall CPI around 1960, but didn’t start their skyrocketing curves until the 80′s when Reagan and his people screwed around with the system. There is no connection whatsoever between these cost curves and “innovation”. Whatever forces are at work in driving up health care costs are doing so completely outside of any measurable corresponding benefit.

well done.

Every discussion I’ve engaged in regarding Obutwaitcare can be sorted into two camps: the resistance, those who work, have spent their lives learning a trade (so to speak), are active in their communities, ie, church, charity, sports, hobbies, and the other camp: deadbeats, whiners, people who spend their time complaining that the world isn’t fair.

Guess which ones support the Obutwaitcare option and those who prefer to leave government out of the loop?

Yeah, maybe in 25 years he’ll be able to hire TWO people!

Man, you are deluded.

I bet your kid’s name is “Biff”.