tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post3834345212119013910..comments2023-02-12T08:40:32.494-08:00Comments on Geoff's Two Bits: The Death of EmpathyGeoff Gouldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12361851625830195798noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-7313487169187026432017-07-31T22:29:58.250-07:002017-07-31T22:29:58.250-07:00well said Bob!well said Bob!Geoff Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12361851625830195798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-53605722765155867162017-07-31T18:43:46.668-07:002017-07-31T18:43:46.668-07:00All this being said, it boils down to a simple cho...All this being said, it boils down to a simple choice as a society - Are we going to provide healthcare to those who cannot afford it? Obviously the answer is yes for anyone who cares about others and understands that affordability is a real issue when you are living at or near poverty level. And for those who hesitate and perhaps argue against this for cost reasons, they need to realize that we are all paying for it now, indirectly, whether one likes it or not, through unreimbursed ER visits and health care expenses that drive our premiums through the roof and line the pockets of the for-profit insurance carriers. Someone has to pay, and shared risk/cost is essential. And with the preventative healthcare that insurance can provide, we can seriously reduce the overall costs. As you describe it, Geoff, it's insurance - I would actually be happy not to get my money back but if needed, I want it there - as would all of my fellow humans. In the end, we all win, morally, spiritually, financially.Bob Mcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-50706174980944110342017-07-19T13:03:43.412-07:002017-07-19T13:03:43.412-07:00just curious about who I'm talking to here. D...just curious about who I'm talking to here. Dynamic range being what it is, right now, there's a life and death difference between ACA and AHCA. Universal is what I want too, but we live in an country tightly gripped by brainwashing forces. Geoff Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12361851625830195798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-70017539319537744832017-07-19T12:22:37.102-07:002017-07-19T12:22:37.102-07:00I was going to get into the weeds with your post, ...I was going to get into the weeds with your post, but considering the bigger<br />picture I don't think it's worth the effort.<br /><br />The current "debate" about healthcare in the U.S. would be a tragicomic farce if<br />not for the fact that millions of real peoples' finances, well-being, and even<br />lives are on the line.<br /><br />Three dozen industrial nations, including most of our closest allies, are able to<br />1) provide universal health coverage to all of their citizens<br />2) obtain better results as measured by life expectancy, infant mortality, etc.<br />3) spend only one-half to one-third as much of their GNP as the U.S. on healthcare<br /><br /><br />Dickering over the ACA, the AHCA, or whatever is small ball... the question should<br />be how can we get on parity with the rest of the civilized world? I don't think<br />single-payer is a requirement; as I understand it, both Germany and Japan have<br />excellent healthcare without it. Rather than arguing about systems that are<br />fundamentally broken, we should be asking how we can adopt a healthcare model<br />that has already been proven to work by other countries.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-45890711054689246252017-07-18T16:43:14.316-07:002017-07-18T16:43:14.316-07:00I couldn't agree more. And beyond this discus...I couldn't agree more. And beyond this discussion lies the trend of technology to put increasing numbers of people out of work. An obvious example is the rush toward self-driving vehicles and the underemployment and unemployment this will evidently cause. More people may be unable to afford health insurance without strong government support. So thanks for your comments, Geoff.Tom Rickertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-713882362644947922017-07-18T16:39:31.291-07:002017-07-18T16:39:31.291-07:00I've never understood the Republican attitude,...I've never understood the Republican attitude, frankly. However I work with low income seniors, so I live in the real world.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01012143553215790195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-78730939027734357512017-07-18T12:25:00.473-07:002017-07-18T12:25:00.473-07:00A good restatement of how we *should* be thinking ...A good restatement of how we *should* be thinking about our insurance -- it's not just "I got mine, to hell with everyone else." By taking part, we ALL GET OURS. Jim Hoffmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8555715.post-26141474206924355812017-07-18T10:16:44.466-07:002017-07-18T10:16:44.466-07:00Good summary. It is true that many people don'...Good summary. It is true that many people don't understand health insurance. During the debate about Obamacare, one critic of Obamacare commented on Facebook: "I will not pay for anyone's healthcare but my own and my family!" He apparently didn't realize that by having health insurance of any kind, including whatever policy he has, he <b>already</b> is paying for other people's healthcare. That's what health insurance <b>is</b>: people pooling their money to cover those who need it at any given time. Sometimes other people in your pool need some of the money; sometimes you need it.Jeff Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11328141973850586243noreply@blogger.com