Another Health Care debate...

Where's the emoticon that has the character eating popcorn when you need it.

I wonder if they could pull up a wakeboarder. Although, their wake would probably be pretty small.

Guys, the real issue here is cost and implementation. I think everyone, even the die hard right wingers, would like to see all people have healthcare coverage. Say Yes! However, our country can't stop spending money to demonstrate some fiscal restraint on other things long enough to win us over to the idea. The current system is broken and unsustainable for sure as are many other government systems. Personally, I'm fiscally conservative but liberal on many of the social issues. Whoever made the comment about being supportive when it began to be felt in the wallet is right on. My social agenda takes a big time back seat because I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY TO GIVE!!!

The amount I'm taxed from the feds, the state of SC, my county etc., makes me unsupportive of pretty much any additional tax for ANY reason. The fact that the people who take this tax money from me can't manage it makes me unwilling to support ANY measure that would give them more of it. I am taxed and tapped out financially and it ain't from living beyond my means.    Someone asked if taxes had gone up under Obama. I guess the simplest way to look at that question would be to look at my tax bracket and the percentages and provide the answer, but I don't think it's that simple. I don't know if my federal income taxes have risen under Obama and I'm guessing no one else does either. However, it seems that every time I turn around, the county, town, state or someone else is wanting to implement a penny sales tax to cover this, that and the other. Maybe all these tax increases are because those entities don't get as much from the feds as they used to. I don't know. Here's one that really chaps my a$$. I have an investment property in Myrtle Beach, SC that I pay property taxes on. I also get a separate tax bill for the furnishings and appliances inside. I don't feel that there should be an additional bill for this and hope you all would agree but guess what, I have to pay this even if it is unfurnished and has no appliances. Obama, Bush before him and all stewards of my money (republicans, democrats, independents etc.) are doing a crappy job of managing it. I do feel sorry for the folks who are struggling significantly because of a lack of healthcare coverage. Nobody asks for cancer or other significant issues, but the recently approved healthcare bill isn't going to improve those situations because paying for that coverage hasn't really been addressed. It seems that most of those involved think that merely passing the bill automatically makes for healthy, happy people. That is the easy part in my mind. How do you pay for it is the bigger questions. Aren't insurers still going to be administratively managing this new government healthcare?   Doesn't that mean that their costs will still be a part (and problem) with the new system?

The implementation piece of it, well that's a whole 'nother issue. The local governments seems to do a pretty decent job of managing some emergency services such as fire, police, emergency support etc, but they pretty much stink at the rest of it. I cannot imagine that a health care system management by the government would be any different than it is for me now except that I'd be paying more and getting less.

You're right. The money IS there to fund NHS.....IF the politicians would cut all of the other wasteful spending out of the budget. That will never happen and is the reason I can't really say that I'm for NHS. I'm only for it if they cut out all of the pork barrel spending and that's just not going to happen, ever, period. To be sure, Obama's plan will only cost me and my family more money for the same or less coverage than I currently have, the do nothings at the bottom of the chain will be crowding my doctor's office (with all of their welfare receiving kids) instead of the ER and your friend with breast cancer...well she'll be able to keep her house. Sounds like a great plan, right?

Keegan,

Take the link I sent you on their tax rates and do the math for yourself to see what it would cost. For my income, it would cost me around $12,500 per year more in taxes to live in Canada and have "free" health care. That doesn't count dental, vision or prescriptions. From the sounds of it adding the dental, vision and prescriptions would probably cost me about $2000 more a year. My normal out of pocket costs for co-pays probably offsets that so we'll call that a wash. In my particular situation, my benefits from my company pay a big amount of my premiums and my total cost per year is about $5,000 to cover my entire family. With that being said, it would cost me around $7,000 more every year to be under Canada's system. That assumes no increase in my pay and no tax increases. That's a pretty big difference in my mind and doesn't seem like a "no-brainer" but something worth carefully considering. If you start talking to Canadians, you'll find they still have some similar problems with rising costs. They are also dealing with issues to improve on areas of mismanagement of the funding and operations.

By the way, the reason I couldn't find anything about exemptions or deductions on their tax website is that they don't have any. They can't write off property tax, mortgage interest nor do they have and exemptions or credits for things like we do.

I agree with you on many points Steve, but I am not so sure that it would turn out like you say with all the welfare kids crowding your family doctor's office.

Oh and my friend did not just lose her house. She lost her house, her business, and her car. So now she has no means to contribute back to society. How is that helping? How much revenue did the government just lose by taking all that from her? Oh but now she is eligible for government housing, health care, and food stamps. WTF!!!!!!! The system took a contributing member of society and turned her into a leach. You tell me Steve, sounds great right? If she had died it would have all worked out...

Keegan,
I'm on your side. The loss that your friend suffered from the cancer was absolutely compounded in a devastating way by the current system. No doubt about it. My point is that the current system is broken and what is coming isn't going to be any better except for a few but it will be worse for many more. They aren't going to make the necessary cuts to fund this thing properly and the American public can't take much more so will we be better off? I don't think so, but that's just me.

Keeganino wrote: The changes that are coming will be like a half assed flor and stringer job. Not worth the time put into it.

You summed up my thoughts with just two sentences that most on here should be able to relate to.

And for that phospher some or other. If you believe in global warming, you need to see a psychiatrist!!