Serious question: 1.Why is medicare failing?

[Fr3shjive]

2. If medicare is going broke why do people think that we can afford national healthcare?

I know most on here are vehemently against universal healthcare but I'd also like to hear the arguments that Dems would make for universal healthcare despite having medicare failing.

[Objectivist]

Medicare loses 80 billion per year to fraud. If supporters of national healthcare were serious about fixing the problem they would start with medicare and then clean up the VA and Indian Affairs health systems. Then maybe more people would go for a government run system.

Don't forget Medicaid

[KCIndy]

2. If medicare is going broke why do people think that we can afford national healthcare?

I know most on here are vehemently against universal healthcare but I'd also like to hear the arguments that Dems would make for universal healthcare despite having medicare failing.


Most of those on the political left would argue it's YOUR fault.

You're obviously not paying enough taxes. As soon as you and everyone like you starts paying twice as much in taxes, the wonderful Medicare/Medicaid system will be fixed... at least for a while.

Then it will be time to raise your taxes again.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Several other factors:

The baby boomers are retiring so there is a large balloon in the population covered by medicare. There is also a diminished population paying into the system (younger people). This is a self correcting problem, given 20-30 years.

It's a bureaucracy - that means lots of time that could be spent caring for patients is dragged down in paperwork and that drives costs up.

Regulations - for example medicare came in and told doctors they couldn't do lab work in their offices so now it has to be sent out. A $12 lab test turned into a $70 test and takes 3 days to get results, so the patient will likely have to come back for a second visit as a followup.

Advances in medical technology and pharmacology are keeping people alive longer, but at a cost. MRI scanners and new drugs under patent are expensive.

The FDA and all their regulations. There has been a huge push to make everything disposable and sterile, even when it doesn't need to be. This also makes hospitals vulnerable in disasters as they are more dependent on their supply chain, but I digress.

-t

[haaaylee]

Most of those on the political left would argue it's YOUR fault.

You're obviously not paying enough taxes. As soon as you and everyone like you starts paying twice as much in taxes, the wonderful Medicare/Medicaid system will be fixed... at least for a while.

Then it will be time to raise your taxes again.

My dad just finished saying that to me on the phone. That taking more out of his check to keep it afloat is a good idea.

[TCE]

My dad just finished saying that to me on the phone. That taking more out of his check to keep it afloat is a good idea.

Then let him pay it. If you or I don't want to have a service, we shouldn't have to pay for it. Let everyone who wants Medicare to pay into the system and everyone who doesn't want it can opt out.

[Stary Hickory]

Then let him pay it. If you or I don't want to have a service, we shouldn't have to pay for it. Let everyone who wants Medicare to pay into the system and everyone who doesn't want it can opt out.

Exactly, everyone should have a choice in what services they use and pay for. To give them no choice but require them to pay for it is the reason why costs are out of control.

[yokna7]

Why is Medicare failing? Because without death panels we cannot control cost, duh!:cool:

[yokna7]

2. If medicare is going broke why do people think that we can afford national healthcare?

I know most on here are vehemently against universal healthcare but I'd also like to hear the arguments that Dems would make for universal healthcare despite having medicare failing.

Well, the lefties will argue that what they are proposing is not a single payer system like Medicare, which is true. The president is not proposing that, but I and the majority of the people on here I think believe that a single payer is their ultimate goal. If it isnt their goal it will still end up that way. I believe if the public option goes through the private providers will not be able to compete. It will just be one more thing the goverment will destroy.

But judging by the remarks by Obama last night, you would think this is basically free. He thinks if he cuts out the waste, this healthcare will pay for itself? Wow! we have been lamenting on how to fix the healthcare industry for 30 years and I bet we never thought it was gonna be so cheap:rolleyes:

[jclay2]

Medicare is in a 30 trillion dollar accounting defecit. The government can not fullfill its promises it has made to current taxpayers. The program will be cash insolvent in just a few years. The lefts argument is that they can make a new more effective system that eliminates waste and somehow gets rid of this 30 trillion dollar hole. Good luck. Knowing the governments track record, this will utterly fail and increase that 30 trillion dolar figure.

[Bucjason]

Why is Medicare failing? Because without death panels we cannot control cost, duh!:cool:


LOL , nice !

[georgiaboy]

Liberals will typically admit that a program, any gov't program, is not doing everything it should, or is not financially sound, etc....

However, in response to the OP, the typical liberal reply would be "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater". Over and over again I've heard both R and D legislators, pundits, think tankers, etc., say "Medicare is a good system". They know it's financially insolvent, but nonetheless, it's a good system in their view. So therefore, they just need to pass more regulation/legislation to "fix" the problems with the system, because "no human system is ever 100% perfect".

And round and round we go.