Comments on: Public vs. Private

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:24:00 +0000

The statement was aimed at those that are unable to work due to disability or old age but as mentioned above are often the ones that require the most medical care. These are the people that “most need this plan” but “are often the least able to pay for it.”

The point is that if the government assumes the role of doling out health insurance paid for by taxpayer money they should, at the very least, ease the accessibility of this insurance to those that can’t live without the care, and limit the plan’s benefits to those who are more able to obtain care by paying for it themselves.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:46:09 +0000

I am a little confused on the difference between actual need and an inability to work and provide for yourself.

Many people work full-time jobs that don’t provide health insurance. These are generally low-wage jobs and in many cases these individuals can’t afford to purchase health insurance in the market. Is this what you mean by need? People who work but still can’t afford insurance?

By: JJ

JJ — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:45:56 +0000

Nobody wants to pay for the health care of those that won’t support themselves. But the fact is that we’re either paying for it through increased insurance costs (current private system) or we’ll pay for it with increased taxes (public system).

Our choices are to pay for it in some way or make them go without.

By: Erica

Erica — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:05:40 +0000

This issue is so tricky. I think of our forefather and our natural rights as humans. The first of that being the right to LIFE. In America I agree with the fact that everyone should have health care and have the ability to get health care, which we do, but we can’t all pay for it. Health care IS expensive, but I don’t think Universal Health Care at the expense of someone else is the answer. We need the government to gain control within its own laws to reign in medical malpractice suits that make prices high. We need to reign in illegal immigration for those who use our hospitals but cant and dont pay the bills. We need to also get rid of medicare and medicade that also dont pay up. Hospitals are left in the red all the time because of abuse of the system. We need to crack down at the root of the problem. This is another expamle of the government just throwing money at something to think it will solve all the problems, but instead will create more because lets face it, poly sci majors don’t know anything about medicine, or the car industry, or investment banking.

By: Keri

Keri — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:30:28 +0000

Actually, one of the problems facing private insurers if the government were to establish a public insurance is profit. Private insurers are required to show a profit in accordance with government regulations, but the government would not have to do that, so they would be able to go further and further in debt, while the private insurers wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demand for lower prices.