US comes up way short in health care again
 

64 out of 100.

This is why private health insurance sucks. The idea that you'll pay someone a stipend, and they will pay for your health care if you need it - but they only make money if they do NOT pay for your healthcare - is ridiculous.

We need single payer, national health care, now. Everyone gets health care in the US.



Overview

The National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance, 2011, updates a series of comprehensive assessments of U.S. population health and health care quality, access, efficiency, and equity. It finds substantial improvement on quality-of-care indicators that have been the focus of public reporting and collaborative initiatives.

However, U.S. health system performance continues to fall far short of what is attainable, especially given the enormity of public and private resources devoted nationally to health.

Across 42 performance indicators, the U.S. achieves a total score of 64 out of a possible 100, when comparing national rates with domestic and international benchmarks.

Overall, the U.S. failed to improve relative to these benchmarks, which in many cases rose. Costs were up sharply, access to care deteriorated, health system efficiency remained low, disparities persisted, and health outcomes failed to keep pace with benchmarks.

The Affordable Care Act targets many of the gaps identified by the Scorecard.

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publ...Best-2011.aspx

What we lack in quanity of care we make up for in quality. All we need to do is look at what SS and Medicare have become, multiply it by ten and we can see the financial side of what Obamacare would be. It needs to be repealed now.

Private insurance companies should be able to operate across State lines and tort reform would do a world of good lowering costs. Obamacare would raise costs, lower the access to care, and in some cases make those who pay in wait behind those who don't pay for treatment. The government being involved in any way is frightening.

we have seen astronomical rises in medical costs, yet we're no healthier as a result.

truly, the only way to ensure care for all is to tax everyone, and cover them thru a govt agency.

Best thing I think I have ever seen.

Preventable death...

yeah.

I agree. Single payer, Medicare for all. You retain complete control over your private hospitals and doctor choices, it's simply that the insurance is the same for everyone, and every citizen is insured.

I'm so angry Obama took that off the table three years ago, but the ignorance and opposition was great at the time. But only going for correcting the more odorous practices of the insurance companies (kicking sick kids off due to lifetime caps, rescission, etc) helped some, and will hep more when all provisions are on-line, but didn't get all the uninsured Americans covered by private health insurance.

Think of the cost savings with single payer. Everybody getting preventive care? No delaying seeing doctors because you don't have the $100 for an uninsured office visit? Yikes. We would be a far healthier nation, at far less cost.

If we got the right House and Senate, we could have single-payer healthcare passed within 4 years.

i doubt it happens. too much money invested in the insurance industry, too many like what they have, too many lobbyists, etc etc. people dont like change. they dont want higher taxes, and i dont know if the tax would be similar to current costs. too much fraud and waste...

Insurance companies can hang around, sell their own policies if they want (and can find anyone to buy them), sell supplemental policies, end-of-life policies, etc.

Why we, as a country, should continue to have one of the worse health care systems of first world countries justified by continuing to throw cash at private corporations and their lobbyists is absurd.

I think they've determined that if the entire nation was on Medicare, the savings would be astronomical (negotiated costs) and the taxes, spread across all those healthy people, would be very low.

"People don't like change" - no, they don't. But they are also uneducated as to the issues and taught to be scared and fearful. That's why our country is on the verge of disaster. Look what happened during the health care debate, the sheer volume of lies and nonsensical accusations. We are not debating policy, we are debating crazy lies and weirdness.

Americans better suck it up, and start getting educated about this country of theirs, and who, exactly, they are electing to the government, rather than staying ignorant and lazy - this democracy is already a plutocracy, and if they don't turn it around, there is zero future for most.

I read yesterday that 55% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 are unemployed. Holy eff.

And what has our House passed for us, to help us, since January? Seven anti-abortion, abortion-rights restriction bills.

You get what you vote for. And we're in deep shiat.

Occupy Wall Street, Occupy The Voting Booth ... your first chance is in a couple weeks ;)

now, that is true. between pols running based on 'the terrorists are coming' or 'pass the jobs bill or get raped or murdered', there's always some sort of fear-mongering involved. kids and old people are always on the chopping block.

"Death panels"
"People will stand in line to get health care!"
"Obama will determine what treatment your grandma gets".

It's so much bullshiat, but I blame people for choosing to be sheep and believing that tripe. It's easier to be told what to think, than to think for oneself.

Democracy is participatory, and we've had the luxury of not having to pay attention for some time. Whoops - we blew it. While we were not looking, our government was stolen from us over the past 70 years, and is now wholly owned by K Street.

it's biden who mentioned the raping and murdering btw, twice now. it's amazing to read how g/s went down, and see that most pols fell for that, hook line and sinker-regardless of party. just another example of them both being in too deep. it's why whatever party is in charge is the scapegoat for all that ails, the other gets the votes-but things get no better.
we need term limits in congress. they need to get over thinking they are some sort of house of lords, knowing what's 'best' for us peasants.

I don't want term limits. If there are good people in there - Bernie Sanders comes to mind - let them stay.

I want a Constitutional amendment prohibiting politicians from accepting money during elections. The Supreme Court opened that wide up with Citizens United. There is a "28th Amendment" movement that just started (they probably have a web page): No corporations can contribute anything to any candidate, any one person can contribute only $100 once, all campaigns publicly funded.

i want term limits so that congress isn't in constant re-election mode. people will be more willing to make tough decisions if they don't have the party leaders in their ears, warning them about losing seats come november.
there are other good people that can take a good persons seat. it applies to the president, i see no reason that it can't apply to senators and the house.

If we eliminate corporations being able to secretly throw unlimited funds into purchasing politicians, as Citizens United allowed (like other big boy countries) I think we'd end alot of that (like other big boy countries).

Go to the source of the trouble, don't just treat a symptom.

It's sad most US citizens don't even realize that Boehner changed the House rules, so that they only work 2 weeks out of 3 for us. But hey! No jobs bills, no foreclosure help, no unemployment benefit extensions, but the House has sent 7 anti-abortion, anti-women's rights bills to the Senate. They have the American people's backs, workin' for us ... because taking away abortion rights is the number one thing on most American's minds right now.

re-election mode hasn't got anything to do with corporations. the party will support, or turn against, a politician depending on how much he follows party lines. if he goes rogue too much, like lieberman, the party withdraws its support and throws in with someone they feel will toe the line better. it's how they make their people 'behave'. they get seats, they want to keep them, and remain in power...so pols are 'urged' to walk the walk and talk the talk. you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours, we give you funding and support. just don't rock the boat. bi-partisanship gets lip service, but it all comes down to pr and votes.

That's the old way. Corporations now have everything to do with elections. With Citizen's United, everything changed: corporations can put unlimited, secret funds anywhere they want into elections and politics. No ID, no trace, no limit on funding. Election results for the past few years are now determined by cash, and the SuperPACs.

Good to tell you whoever wrote that was full of BS.

Using the Department of Labor numbers for last month, the unemployment rate among those 16-24 is 18.4%. No numbers were given for 18-29 but unless those between 25-29 are experiencing unemployment numbers in the 80-90% range, the 55% rate is laughable. Let me take a wild guess and predict the author had a agenda or you simply made it up!

dell, you are obviously not getting your info from the correct places. if you read the right articles and info, your opinion would be different.

my gosh!

Maybe she got confused and was quoting Afghan unemployment stats? Or she was doing her Al Gore impersonation?

maybe they are counting all the 18-29 year olds who are in college or grad school?

:zz: No, I read yesterday that it was 55%. That's why I, you know, said, "I read that ... ". You posted figures that say it's 18.4% for half the group I was talking about. Good, I accept that figure. Thanks for the update.

The point I was making was that, with unemployment at ... 18.4% for those age 18-24 (we'll use your figures, they are great) ... the GOP House under Boehner has passed no jobs help for us, no extension of unemployment benefits, no help for foreclosed homes - but has passed 7 anti-abortion, woman's rights removing bills! Like anti-abortion crap is what we are concerned about now, when 1 in 5 young people can't even find a job to start their careers!

And while that was going on Obama gave a half billion dollars to a company he was warned was in trouble, a half billion to a electric car company producing a car it will try to sell for 90K, with its factory in FINLAND and another 700 billion to a solar company that is half owned by the Chinese.

Once Obama is out of office and this Obamacare nonsense is put to rest, Congress and the new President will have plenty of ideas for jobs and instead of spending like a maniac they will do things like sign permits for businesses to drill, producing not only jobs, but our own oil and coal. Change regulations now placed on US businesses to be more in line with the rest of the world. Because I think we can agree, and has been stated by Obama, it is rest of the world we are in competition with. It makes no sense to give the competition anything much more taxpayer money.

Real hope and change is coming.

No, "Obama" didn't personally do that, nor personally approve that. Solyndra started during the Bush administration, and was passed up through normal "non-political" channels after meeting requirements.

Solyndra, however, now appears to have lied to the government on their application.

Well, the House is in overwelmingly Republican hands, and they are responsible for originating all spending bills. And the minority GOP controls the filibuster in the Senate. Don't you think they should do something now? And have "plenty of ideas about jobs" now, when we need it? During the middle of economic disaster? Instead of worrying about passing seven anti-abortion bills? Or waiting for "the next President"?

Oh - your glorious GOP in the Senate just voted down a jobs bill for teachers & firemen in the past 2 days. Why are you not angry at them?

Who do you think is going to be the next President?

That is far from a job producer and in fact with the pensions and healthcare benifits paid to these people, all out of public funds, it's something we can't afford. Besides individual communities should be responsible for funding their respective police and fire and States for education.

Not a clue other than it won't be Obama, Paul, Bachmann, Huntsman or Santorum. I also think Newt has little chance unless he beats up G.W. Bush on live TV.

BTW did you see the sidewalks to no where they are building in Detroit?

Wrong. All it does is "produce jobs". It would prevent the firing of, or rehire, thousands of police, firefighters and teachers (400,000), and it is 100% paid for within the bill.

And that financing approved by 62% of the public.

That's an awful high horse you're on. Don't fall off. You're standing on concrete.

Let's see: actual jobs bill on the desks of Congress bad, but some imaginary politician that Dell will elect next year, out of none of the current candidates running (oh, wait, maybe President Romney), will magically buckle down and create jobs.

Dell's Magic Jobs Fairy. Love it.

Until the 'bill' gets a job or starts a business and pays taxes it's paid for by the taxpayer, actually it will be paid for by the taxpayer around ten years from now with interest added.

As far as teachers are concerned let's try firing the bottom 10% and replacing them. This not only should raise test scores and the quality of education but will limit the exposure the taxpayer will have paying the bottom of the barrel teachers' pensions.

Bottom line is the government should do nothing but stay out of the way of the private sector and allow it to create jobs. Rewarding failure with bailouts should never have been done.

:D Seriously - when you are obviously completely clueless as to how the bill is financed, try not talking about it. It makes you look ridiculously ignorant. 62% of American approve of how that bill is paid for. Republicans vote it down at their own faint re-election hopes peril.

Dell, you are why Occupy Wall Street exists. You should proud, buddy.

You want ignorance?

YIPEEE!!!!!!!!

Enough said. The Dems aren't for jobs unless they're government jobs.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/s...,5153251.story

Give me a break the plan was to be financed by adding on a tax to the people who already pay at the highest rate.

Occupy Wall Street exists because a small portion of our society are acting out like spoiled little brats who want to play with others' toys.

You keep thinking that. Go read more Big Government, you know, all those anarchists and communists and Nazis and stuff :D I'm surprised you call 1000 Verizon workers "spoiled little brats", though. Pretty heartless of you. Or is it just ignorance?

When the verizon workers are no longer free to pursue other employment or careers then I'll protest. If they are as valuable as they perceive themselves ATT, Charter etc. would be down there recruiting or Verizon would be telling them to come back at any cost as they aren't the same without them. Neither is the case so either agree to a contract or go find other work. But do something and stop acting like little children screaming for attention. Homemade signs are meant for school projects, high school homecomings, begging in the street and Zenyatta fans with special needs.

Besides Green Jobs are where it's at now. Go apply at Solyndra. Oh forget that.

Didn't know you were so anti-Constitutional. Don't you call yourself a Libertarian?

BTW - the Verizon workers were holding professionally-printed signs ;)

And just like spoiled brats they looked for help providing signs. I should have known.

BTW if all the protestors were libertarian like me there would be no protest. One poor individual in America equals 30 in the real world so who's poor?

He's in the hospitality biz.



The Good Lord knows that's the meat,the very salt of American industry.

Don't service----build hospitality's!!

Excuse me.....I'm going to vomit.

as long as it's in your own home puke away!

Sir please move to the "UpChuck" thread before vomiting.

I can do it in the UpChuck thread.

aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!












stop it!

once I was a libertarian, then I went jaywalking once, that turned me socialist. I've taught all my kids to jaywalk, maybe they'll take that experience to become fascists. We can hope I guess.