A Travel Writer’s Editorial: America and the Threat of National Health Care

I’d like to take a short break from my reports in Iceland to discuss tomorrow’s launch of Obamacare.

The last wealthy nation in the First World without some kind of national health care is about to get a watered down version of what other nations just assume is the mark of a successful and developed society. And the vested interests — big medicine, insurance companies, and the politicians they employ — are screaming like mad and spending a fortune to stop it. Ads and campaigns of confusion are not directed at my state, but at poorer and less educated states where affordable health care is needed most and people are easiest to frighten and manipulate. (In my state, libraries can direct people to information to understand the new law. In many states, librarians are actually forbidden to provide this service.)

It’s amazing to me that in our great nation, about a fifth of the citizens are unable to afford health insurance, need to go to the emergency room for routine medical needs, and are terrorized by the specter of one serious accident or sickness wiping out their family financially. And, just as amazing, half of our country thinks that’s OK and is fighting mad about the possibility of change. Even more perplexing, many of the people who think this is the best America can afford are the very people who need help the most.

Someone recently asked me, “As a businessman and an employer, what do you think of Obamacare?” My response was that, as a businessman, I don’t think of it at all. I employ 80 people. I imagine my health-care costs might go up a bit. But this is a community issue. My response to Obamacare is as an American who wants to be proud of my country. It is an embarrassment that so many Americans are brutalized by health-care costs. Europeans and Canadians — who spend far less per person on health care, like their care, and have options for rich people to get all the private VIP service they like — marvel at how so much of America is hell-bent on maintaining our status quo.

We’re living through a tsunami of desperate media and political action to help us avoid relatively modest progress in national health care. Think of the toll Presidents Clinton took back in the 1990s and Obama is taking today by standing up to the torrent of media and political flack. Think of the patrons and allegiances of the politicians who fight against affordable health care. Follow the money. What motivates the talking heads, the commercial news services, and the politicians who are working overtime to convince us this is a bad thing? They are captives of the industries (who advertise and donate) that will take a hit when poor and struggling Americans have access to affordable health care.

Those opposed to Obamacare have a powerful and well-funded voice. I believe it’s the slickest marketing initiative money can buy. Those who need the Affordable Care Act don’t have these special interests speaking out in their favor. Study the issue carefully. Ask yourself what motivates the loudest voices pulling out all the stops to shape your opinion: compassion or greed?

The terror of a Centralsykhaus in America
The terror of a sentralsykehuset in America
Comments

58 Replies to “A Travel Writer’s Editorial: America and the Threat of National Health Care”

  1. “…Canadians — who spend far less per person on health care, like their care” Don’t be too sure about that. We too have rising costs and an unsustainable system.
    But you make some good points.

  2. Absolutely right!

    To give an example of affordability, my monthly premium for a 62-year old on Long Island in New York State, will drop by over half when I move to a plan in the New York health insurance exchange.

  3. Hear hear: couldn’t agree more. Good for Rick for speaking out; to those who say “stick to the travelogue” I’d say, he has a right to an opinion at such times, specially with the perspective of his European travels, and with the prospect of travel services being shut down along with much of the US government. The Republican extremism/fanaticism on show in Washington now, has my British relatives just shaking their heads, and they’re not notable liberals.

  4. Even those of us that do have insurance, such as through an employer, also can be wiped out financially by a devastating medical accident, cancer, etc. Insurance providers don’t pay all of the massive costs of a serious medical issue even now. I think it’s fortunate if even half of those costs are covered.

    However, I also want to point out the countries which have nationalized healthcare pay up to 50% (or sometimes more from various articles I’ve read) of their income in taxes to the government for funding said healthcare. Just because they don’t pay for their healthcare on an as-needed basis, does not mean it is truly any more affordable than the current (soon to be old) system in the United States.

  5. I’m all for national health care! I have great insurance and I pay a hefty sum for it. However, My husband passed away nine months ago at age 56 after a three-year battle with cancer. He was an extremely healthy man who never smoked, his parents never smoked, he had maybe one drink a year (an Amaretto toast at the holidays), exercised regularly, and was never overweight. He did work around haz mat’s as an inspector and Fire Marshall, but we’ll never know for sure if that caused what was described to us as a bad luck carcinoma originating in the bile duct. So incredibly sad and a huge personal loss. He also had a wonderful second career as a popular and well respected high school math teacher.

    My point here is that a bad luck cancer or illness can happen to any of us, or to our loved ones, our neighbors, our child’s teacher. Fortunately, because of our awesome insurance with Kaiser of Northern California, my husband never had to worry that he might leave his family broke, or that we’d lose our home, or not be able to send our son to college. We were extremely happy with his medical care. He had enough to worry about fighting the cancer, at least he didn’t have to worry about finances.

    Don’t all our citizens deserve the same or similar options for health insurance? Why should only some of us have those options? Why should my family have great insurance but not some of our relatives and friends and neighbors?

    On a totally separate note, we returned from the Rick Steves tour of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland only FOUR months before I had to rush him to the emergency room because he woke up one morning and had difficulty walking. Only for months before he’d been hiking in Switzerland with our son on that wonderful trip. I’m mentioning this point on this particular forum for obvious reasons, but also because it reinforces the importance of enjoying life and not putting off for tomorrow what you can do today.

    Sorry to run on and on, but I know first hand the importance of good insurance for everyone. God bless.

  6. What state are you from that is embracing and benefiting from the AHCA? And please name the states that are preventing librarians from helping the public educate themselves to AHCA? I can’t stand when oriole take in abstracts without facts to back them up. I’m not do sure Canadians are so satisfied with their system. I know someone who had to wait 9 months for a mammogram. I sat on a plane next to a Canadian who was going to Vegas for dental work that would have cost him $20000 out of pocket in Canada.
    If it’s so fantastic, why is Congress and their staff exempt from it? I want what they’re having!
    Yes, our system needs work, but socialized medicine is not the answer.
    My employer pays for my healthcare, under AHCA I am going to have to pay a 40% tax on it now.
    Sorry, but I can’t afford that. So what happens to me??

  7. It is unfortunate that those who are against “Obamacare” are being demonized. Many of us want a better health care system but just don’t believe this is it. The problem is that people who support this law don’t know what is really in it. Let’s have an honest look at what we have to change and what we don’t, instead of having this bloated system shoved down our throats. I realize that some of the systems used in other parts of the world may look attractive but sometimes the American way may be even better.

  8. I agree with Rick. It’s horrible that people go into bankruptcy here in the US because they fall ill after years of working and being responsible citizens.

  9. I agree also, I makes me sick to think how many families can’t take a sick child to the Dr because they have no health care. So far in my circles the biggest complainers are those who have health care. I am also sick of those of us with health care paying for a million people who end up in the ER uninsured. At some point in your life you will have a medical emergency. For those who say they cannot be made to have health insurance I think that is pretty selfish to think that the rest will pay for your Heart Attach when it happens. And for those who say that employment is the only solution, well I have two professionally educated kids who have good jobs and have either never been offered health care or it is so expensive they have done better on their own. California is making a great effort to help and make it easy for Californians to get health insurance. How we as citizens can feel that it is not our problem to have a society with out the capability to see a Dr is beyond me. Rick is a rare employer that thinks health care is something that you should offer your employees, even before the Affordable Care Act.

  10. Rick has clearly been around the block a time or two and his perspective on different ways to do things should be seriously considered. As an American living in Austria, a country with socialized medical insurance, I can say first hand that the system seems to work well here. Rarely do we have to wait more than two days to see a doctor; often the doctor answers his or her own phone; doctors seem to be more interested in determining the underlying cause of a malady rather than just treating symptoms and there is a dramatic difference here in their focus on wellness and healthy living. Although as foreigners we have private insurance, we are benefitting from the orderly, comprehensive and inclusive approach to healthcare here.

    I used to work for a medical school in the US affiliated with a world-famous hospital and one of the nation’s finest emergency rooms. Doctors there were very concerned about the strain in terms of time, personnel and resources going to treat uninsured patients who were using the emergency services for non-emergency, routine healthcare. Obamacare, like any new program, will no doubt have some problems to work out but it is certainly a step toward becoming a more decent, civilized society.

  11. I am looking forward to shopping for affordable health care on the new exchanges – not a perfect system for sure but better than what I have now – I pay $300 a month for a $10,000 a year deductible “plan”. Shame on the Republican led House for shutting down the government because a handful of their members are trying to score political points. And by the way – who pays for their health care??

  12. Rick may employ “80” people but it appears to me that many of them are guides from other countries which do offer their citizens medical insurance and medical care. Still, his observations are germane and his intentions to explain the types who are fighting the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act are noble. Rick should just clarify when he makes statements about employees that he is captain of a rowboat, not General Electric.

  13. “In many states, librarians are actually forbidden to provide this service.”

    This is the first I’ve heard of this. I’m in the library field and concerned that this is happening in spite of news releases promoting the library as a source of information on the Affordable Care Act. Where did you find this out?

  14. I have employer sponsored health care coverage actually really great coverage. But I live in fear of what happens if I lose that job or can’t work. I have an autoimmune disease current costs for treatment are around 4000.00 monthly. Also I have young adult children and really benefitted when the health care changes went into effect a year or so ago as I was able to keep them on my insurance longer. I will not mind making a sacrifice in my life style if we as a community benefits, when we all win the individual also wins.

  15. To mama mia: Rick employs 80 people here in the Puget Sound. Check your facts before spouting off. I work for the company that insures his company.

  16. Laura,
    My wife is Canadian, so half my family is in Canada and not a single one of them – NOT ONE – would trade their system for ours. Also, most of them have expressed reservations about extended stays in the US for fear of having to interact with our insane healthcare system.

    Our system covers a smaller percentage of our population, is more expensive, has higher infant mortality, AND we have SHORTER lifespans. By ANY meaningful metric our system is inferior to our Canadian and European friends.

    WHY would ANYBODY defend such a system in favor of dying sooner?

  17. reports from Iceland? .. I thought Rick was on a midwest tour now (at least according to his website schedule). I’m a bit confused about a travel guide not knowing where he might be…

  18. You have it right. I live in Italy, and no, the system is by no means perfect, but I still receive better FREE care here than I ever did with private insurance in the States. Also, we chose to take out a private health insurance policy in Italy, just in case, but it covers us in the whole world, the deductible is so laughably low, and it still costs less per month than my brioche habit :) By the way, you need to put Sicily on your next Italian itinerary!!!

  19. I found Rick’s article on the current U.S. health care debate to be well written and articulate (as usual). He makes some good points in expressing his opinion (as all of us are doing here).

    I’m also Canadian and will be the first to admit that our system isn’t perfect. However it’s infinitely better than not having ANY health care or having to pay huge charges for it. It’s also considerably better than paying $300 a month with a $10K annual deductible (as Pam mentioned above) – that’s obscene!!! I have no problem paying higher taxes to fund universal health care, and I know from speaking to many people in Europe that they feel the same. This seems to be a popular topic of conversation lately, and ALL of the people I’ve spoken to find it incomprehensible that there’s such strong resistance to a national health care plan in the U.S.

    In my experience, accessing health care has always been fast and efficient and waiting times have been minimal when urgent treatment was needed. I witnessed a perfect example of that recently with an individual that sustained a serious foot injury. He was treated initially in Emergency at about 01:00 and by 15:00 the same day, an Orthopaedic surgery team corrected the problem. There were no charges.

    Some employee benefit plans here also provide extended health coverage for services beyond basic health care, such as dental care, prescription drugs, massage therapy, Physiotherapy or Chiropractor treatments (however I should add that there’s usually a small deductible for the extra services, sometimes as low as $5).

    Note to Mamma Mia – as someone else mentioned, Rick does in fact employ a staff of about 80 in Edmonds, some of whom also work as Guides. That doesn’t include those Guides who live in Europe, as they’re covered by health care plans in their respective countries.

    I’m surprised that Michael Moore hasn’t sounded off on this issue yet?

  20. When I was growing up, I desperately needed health care for serious issues. I kept my mouth shut about my illnesses, because I knew that my family couldn’t afford the medical care.
    It’s a shame, when little children can’t ask for help, because there isn’t any money.

    If the ACA can make it possible for all people to receive medical care, that would be ideal.
    However, I’m wondering if it will make a difference at all- especially in a scenario similar to my experience.

    It’s one thing to have health insurance; it’s another to have the money to pay for the expenses that the health insurance doesn’t cover.

    I guess we will find out soon enough.

  21. The disturbing part here is that “someone” voted in this Congress, if you disagree you have to make sure that you vote for what you want at the polls. That is the only way to resolve this problem of paying our representative to do nothing and just obstruct. They are still getting a pay check, while innocent Federal Workers sit home uncertain about their future.

  22. My employer pays most of my health premium, but it costs my spouse & I $720.00 a MONTH to have her covered. Starting today, we will be shopping for a far beter price.

  23. Good for you Rick!!! We are the only civilized nation without a national health care plan. Everyone deserves health care!!!!

  24. I agree with Rick on the need for reform in the healthcare industry and a need for a better safety net for the uninsured in America. However, as a CPA that has had to understand the rules of the Affordable Care Act, calculate the costs and explain the ramifications of the law to my clients, I cannot agree with Rick’s excitement for this new law. This law is overly complicated (it makes the tax code look simple), has had a very depressing impact on job growth, and I fear will be disproportionately burdensome to the middle class and young people. Frankly, I read the law as a way to spread the burden of Medicare and Medicaid over as many people as possible and I don’t see how it is going to reduce costs and increase patient care. Have we really reached the point that “something is better than nothing” and “we’ll fix it later” is the standard with which we hold our leaders? I hope I am wrong and I respect everyone’s opinion on the matter.

  25. Thanks Rick. A well reasoned statement about affordable health care. I find it of continuing interest that the opponents of it have never provided a clear supportable and logical reason for opposing it. Just continued rhetoric.

    Thanks again, Paul, Vancouver, WA

  26. Its not health care that’s the issue, its ObamaCare. The conservative goal is repeal/replace. The liberals want to paint conservatives as greedy, but actually the conservatives just don’t want a bloated federal takeover of such a huge chunk of the economy. I guarantee there’s a better way than the ACA.

  27. I’ll know when ObamaCare is a legitimate public service when it applies to ALL US citizens, and doesn’t exempt lawmakers and whole groups of corporations from it’s requirements. If it’s so great, how come those voting for it are exempting themselves. This should not be possible.

    Until then, it is simply an ideological administration picking winners and shifting the burden of cost to a struggling middle class.

  28. And here’s an example of how the the government knows what’s best for me, and how the Affordable Care Act will help me and bolster the middle class.

    After starting my own marketing consultancy in 2008, I’ve been able through hard work and God’s grace to make a living, provide for my family, and support to kids currently in college. My wife and I are both sole proprietors, the smallest of small business owners. But, in the great American tradition, we have worked hard and are seeing fruits of that labor.

    We obviously pay for our own health insurance as individuals. Now, from a monthly premium of $167 for a high-deductible HSA plan, I now have the privilege of paying $302 per month for the same coverage. And we are just a bit over the threshold for any federal assistance. Now that’s progress!

    Perhaps someone can explain to me how this benefits the middle class?

  29. In answer to Jon….

    It doesn’t, because it’s not primarily suppose to help the middle class. The AHCA is unconstitutional (requiring me to purchase something to remain law abiding), and passes the burden of cost for those currently uninsured, or underinsured to the middle class. The primary goal of ACHA is universal health care coverage, borne by those who are deemed productive enough to bear the cost for many who don’t produce.

    Again, I point back to the truism that if this is such a great social program and we need to ‘enlighten’ our society to catch up with more ‘civilized’ countries, then NO ONE should be exempt from it! Heck, even the cost of Soc. Security and Public Education are borne by and benefit ALL our citizens.

    Exemption allowance prove this is nothing more than a power grab and a burden of cost shift.

  30. I thank God for you Rick Steves. Although you and I are about the same age, I hope I can be like you when I grow up! This country is long overdue for real healthcare reform. It is too bad so many people are so self centered and so hypocritical as to fight against Obamacare. Just listen to what these people say, they think their arguements are good, but, its all bull____!

  31. Gary,

    What is self centered about expecting all our laws to apply to everyone equally, with no exceptions? Am I missing something here?

  32. As a federal employee, I am now on furlough because Congress will not do their JOB. They have the best retirement and healthcare benefits in the country-it’s sickening.

    I live overseas and the folks in Germany and Italy are covered. They pay taxes, but get preventive care and don’t have to worry about medical catastrophes. As a nurse working in emergency rooms- it is rediculous the number of folks who use an ER for primary care because they don’t have other options.

  33. Nobody really knows how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will pan out. A better idea would be single payer, socialized medicine but that is being obstructed by insurance companies and the medical industry including pharma and medical devices. As for the gripes from the peanut gallery about having to buy insurance or be fined, it’s time they stopped going to the ER and burdening the rest of us with their costs for not being insured. The free ride is over.

  34. “In many states, librarians are actually forbidden to provide this service.”

    I’m a librarian. I can’t accept that unless you can provide sources for the information. Not happening in my library, at all, in fact, we are aggressively marketing ourselves at “the place” to get authoritative info about ACA.

  35. I grew up in England, where I benefited from the dreaded “socialized medicine”. I have lived in the US for nearly 40 years, but I have never been able to understand the attitude of so many Americans to universal healthcare. These are often people who pride themselves on being Christians, but find it perfectly acceptable that fellow citizens DIE for lack of health care, and many others go bankrupt 9even those with insurance can be bankrupted by a single serious illness). To me, that is unconscionable.

    I worked for an employer who provided good medical insurance, but the need to be covered by that insurance kept me at that company rather than leaving for a startup. I know others who remained at that company solely because they could not get coverage any other way (pre-existing conditions rendered them uninsurable!) I am now on Medicare, but am planning to return to the UK and the NHS. I am very disappointed that we got the ACA instead of single-payer. It is better than no change at all, but leaves the rapacious insurance companies in place.

  36. I have worked in healthcare in the US for over 35 years and have fought for a single payer system for almost the same amount of time. If anyone doubts the truth of Rick Steves comments, please come and spend just one day with us in the hospital and see how unfair our current delivery is. It’s all about reimbursement from private insurances and the administration of this way leaves little for the actual care.

  37. On the librarian issue: I sent an email query to the library system in my county in North Carolina.

    They are NOT, repeat NOT, offering assistance. They did not say whether they had been banned from doing so.

    They are extending the time customers can use the public computers if they are enrolling in an exchange, and they are directing people to a website run by the county for more information.

    I think there is a big difference between implementation in states with governments that support ACA and those that don’t. In NC there are only two companies providing plans, and only one in many counties. I just read that the cost will be above the national average.

  38. Wow Kathy that is horrible information. We are all Americans and should all have an equal shot at this. California has done a good job. Just today alone three people have told me how great there new insurance is going to be. These are all people who have been paying hundreds a month for an Anthem Blue Cross with an 8-10 Thousand deductible. Yes I said 8 and 10 Thousand. One guy told me in 5 years the only thing his policy has paid for is a Flu Shot.

  39. Those trying to defund or repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) claim the support of the American people, “who have spoken.” The American people indeed have spoken. They gave a second term to President Obama who won hands down over an opponent whose main campaign claim was that he would repeal Obamacare if elected. And the American people continue to speak for Obamacare as millions have jammed the phone lines and internet trying to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, or, Obamacare since enrollment opportunities opened on Oct 1.

    Rick, would that all Americans have the access tothe quality health care that Canadians and most West Europeans enjoy. Been there and have benefited from visits to and help from clinics, at little or not cost as a foreigner, in Sweden and Switzerland. ken from snohomish

  40. No, Judy, there is no equal shot. This site doesn’t let me post links, but I suggest going to the New York Times web site and reading the article “Millions of Poor Are Left Uncovered by Health Law”. This is the result of mean-spirited Republican governors refusing the Medicaid expansion funds (which the Supreme Court decision enabled). This is yet another example of the federal system at work. States’ rights rule…. I get so angry about the health care mess in this country. I do wonder whether there will be a noticeable movement of people from states with poor health plans and coverage to those with better ones.

  41. Ultimately someone has to make a cost effective decision. In a single payer system, it will be some bureaucrat following rules meant to keep them from thinking on their own. IN the current system, it is dependent on how much ins coverage any one person can afford or get from their employer.

    Anyone who thinks providing preventative care to everyone when only 30% of the population is paying for it, must be really math deprived. Contrary to popular belief, everyone can get free health care by simply walking into an emergency room at the hospital. My son sees them all the time, they even have regulars. The issue is preventative care that most people get by paying direct to the provider or through insurance coverage. Oddly, this too can usually be obtained by going to the county’s free clinic. As you might expect, this is often crowded and requires some planning/appointment.

    If the USG takes over, I suspect we will all have to get use to being in line. They have done such a good job on everything else they get their hands on (SS, USP, DoD, annual budget).

  42. I find it very strange that Americans think their government is incapable of providing and managing universal health care when every other western democracy (plus Japan) manages it. Of course, the ridiculous spectacle currently being put on by the right wing radicals doesn’t inspire confidence. (And why is it desirable to have an insurance company bureaucrat, motivated by a desire to refuse care to increase profits, making health care decisions for you?)

  43. Thank you Rick for the comme.tary. it sa
    ddens me that there are so many mean spirited people in our country who begrudge othets hralth coverage. Id rather pay a little more for health cae if it meant othets ate being helled as wrll.

  44. KK – Wake. I also confirmed the info with one of the librarians. (For those not familiar with NC, Wake contains the capital, Raleigh, is bordered by Durham (Duke university) and Orange (the notoriously liberal UNC) and is home to many of the workers at Research Triangle Park.

  45. We have friends in Ireland where the man waited almost a year for hip-replacement surgery and was in agony till he finally got scheduled. The lady had colon cancer and only, finally had surgery after she talked to someone who knew someone who could finally get her lined up. It is not just about cost but the quality of care one needs to receive. I don’t know of too many Americans going to Canada for healthcare the way many of them have come to the States.

  46. The last time the World Health Organization ranked the world’s health systems (in 2000), the US came in 37th. France was 1st. Ireland was 19th. Canada was 30th. You can’t rely on a couple of anecdotes.

    American citizens practice medical tourism just as people in other countries do. Given the exhorbitant costs in the US, I suspect the overall flow is out, not in.

  47. Surveys and rankings are dependent on what the scoring approach is. I would still rather as a general rule be in the US hospital. That is not to say the care elsewhere is not good, as good, or better. Clearly, people live and survive in other countries. Certainly, developed countries have better care than developing and under developed countries. My Aussie friends tell their stories more like the Irish story above. You get care, but you are on a list. They also have a private system for those who can afford it and don’t want to wait.
    I don’t have much faith in the USG running anything efficiently. I have been around the DoD for over 30 years and there is a lot of waste and abuse mostly committed by best intentioned congressmen pulling for their district/state. CA is already bankrupt so any example they set is questionable at best.
    After the USG has had the pleasure of 14% of my earnings for 33 years, it is laughable the amount of payout I will receive compared to what my own 10% savings will bring me.
    I think if we did not learn a lesson from the USSR experiment in social government, then we deserve what we get. I am not against helping people who need help, but habitual support cannot be the answer.

  48. I signed up for a platinum-level plan that will let me keep my current physicians and cut my premium by almost half.

  49. Rick, if only it were that simple.

    Two weeks ago my son-in-law went to the emergency room for a severe stomach ache. Yesterday he got the hospital bill, $15,275. He has not as yet received the physician’s bill.

    He was charged $1597.10 to administer medication that he payed $94.62 for. The ER fee, just to walk in the door was $1306.50.

    My father had a routine procedure done by a physician. It took 45 minutes and he was billed $3500 by the physician. That comes to $5250 an hour.

    Insurance will pay most of these bills, but the issue is not just insurance. Without price controls, all that is going to happen is the health care providers, whether they be hospitals or doctors will continue to raise their fees and we all will complain about the cost of insurance, not the fees because they are hidden.

    Next time you go to your physician, ask him for his fee schedule. You will not get one. Why the secrecy? I can get a fee schedule from my accountant, travel agent, and I know in advance what Rick’s travel advisors will charge me.

    Mandatory insurance is fine, but without transparency and price controls, which are found in other countries, all that is going to happen here is we will all be paying more and more as our mandatory insurance premiums keep pace with the unchecked fees hospitals and doctors charge.

  50. The ins companies negotiate the rates they will pay. That is why most plans require you to use Drs inside their network to avoid additional costs. This is also true for dental ins. I used my dentist outside the network and just accepted the additional costs because I could afford it and liked the guys work and office staff. If you are uninsured with means, you need to negotiate on your own before the procedure. In an emergency, you have not too many choices. My advice is if you have means, buy the ins and let them negotiate the prices. If you have no means, then just go to the hospital or clinic, they wont break your legs for lack of payment.
    I don’t understand why the concept of having means allows you some paid for amenities. We seem to accept that a person with a lot of money can live in a really nice house. This is the same principle. All the socialized medicine does is try to make everyone equal by making others pay for those who cant or wont.
    There are a lot of poor people out there who simply never learned what to spend money on and what was not necessary. I see these folks in the grocery store with a WIC check and a $300 iPhone while I am paying for my food and using a two year old flip phone. Hence giving stuff to folks seems counterproductive especially when we have universal health care already as people can go to any hospital or clinic for free if they have no means to pay.
    Does anyone realize that our poverty level is way above middle class for most other countries?

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