Do People have a right to good health?

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

They're good at moving money around, but not at being efficient while doing so or keeping track of it. Corruption would be rampant and costs would rise out of control. Look up "TennCare" on Wikipedia and Google.

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There's also the Canadian health care system, which doesn't impoverish people with medical debts. Realistically it can go both ways. So why not go for a transparent system.

But I think the solution would be a work in progress like the way American democracy is. We've changed the system which we elect our reps a dozen times since the founding to deal with issues of trust, corruption and representation, why not healthcare. Because the current system sure isn't ethical nor fiscally responsible.

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Originally Posted by MarsKitten

Really tho, I trust the government enough to pay the bill that the doctors send them for care. If nothing else government is good at moving money around.

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actually no, the gov sucks at paying doctors. If I had a dollor for everytime I've had to hear a long bitch fest about just how bad the government sucks at paying what it owes my Dad, I'd be a very rich man.

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Originally Posted by MarsKitten

There's also the Canadian health care system, which doesn't impoverish people with medical debts. Realistically it can go both ways. So why not go for a transparent system.

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Canada is better at managing it's money. That or they don't waste any on trying to be good at anything.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Look up "TennCare" on Wikipedia and Google.

It shouldnt be surprising that the most efficient agency in the government is the IRS.

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As a Tennessean, I can attest that TennCare has had a lot of problems and most of them stem from corruption. In fact, one of the biggest problems I always heard of with TennCare was that people were defrauding it, people who weren't even from TN. However, it's still a good program in principle and if utilized properly it could be a real benefit. That's what we're moving towards now with Governor Bredesen's help.

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

Canada is better at managing it's money. That or they don't waste any on trying to be good at anything.

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STFU.
We lead the world in being next to the U.S.

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Originally Posted by g0zen

As a Tennessean, I can attest that TennCare has had a lot of problems and most of them stem from corruption. In fact, one of the biggest problems I always heard of with TennCare was that people were defrauding it, people who weren't even from TN. However, it's still a good program in principle and if utilized properly it could be a real benefit. That's what we're moving towards now with Governor Bredesen's help.

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Well like I said if the government could manage healthcare efficiently I encourage it. But there's no indication they could do it - after all they cant manage ANYTHING efficiently (except for tax collection, that is), why would they start with healthcare? TennCare is proof of this reality. I could easily imagine yet another program for politicans to bloat and overspend on to gain votes. The government cant manage this shit properly and I dont want them raising my taxes so they could get cash for yet another inefficient, failed project.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Well like I said if the government could manage healthcare efficiently I encourage it. But there's no indication they could do it - after all they cant manage ANYTHING efficiently (except for tax collection, that is), why would they start with healthcare? TennCare is proof of this reality. I could easily imagine yet another program for politicans to bloat and overspend on to gain votes. The government cant manage this shit properly and I dont want them raising my taxes so they could get cash for yet another inefficient, failed project.

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Right, but what I'm trying to say is that TennCare is still salvagable. If they can actually reform it now, learn from the mistakes that made it a money pit and correct them, then perhaps it could serve as a good model for other states and maybe, someday, a national system. That's a remote possibility, but the point is that programs like this aren't completely unworkable and shouldn't just be abandoned. I understand your pessimism on the subject, you have good reason to feel that way, but I for one think the benefits of a working system far outweight the pitfalls of trying and failing. Maybe that's just me though.

If it's not in the Bill of Rights, people don't have it. Health is not covered under "pursuit of happiness" either. Chick-fil-A sandwiches might be though.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

If it's not in the Bill of Rights, people don't have it. Health is not covered under "pursuit of happiness" either. Chick-fil-A sandwiches might be though.

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More than any other part of the Constitution the Bill of Rights need to be amended, but it's an impossiblity because for every one thing you manage to get added, you'll end up losing two things or adding things that are ridiculous (like defining marriage, a religious institution, as only between a man and a woman). Ah well, I guess we should just be happy with the rights we have.

By the way, though, Chick-fil-A is nasty. They have without a doubt some of the greasiest food known to man.

Ya Canada's quite good at letting our government mismanage money, we just happen to not spend anything on defence so we still avoid deficits. Canadian health care isnt doin so hot right now either.

And health might not be covered under the pursuit of happiness, but it probably does fall under life and liberty.

I'm a bit biased on the subject but I think a general health care system for the public would be a good idea, or at least a certain amount of healthcare in exigent circumstances.

My uncle currently has terminal cancer (colon) and was diagnosed around spring of last year.Apparently, he had medical insurance but happened to apply for it a couple of months before he was diagnosed with the cancer. He's not the kind of person who would scam the system, he just finally had the extra funds to put towards it and did. Well, long story short the insurance company wont pay for his medical bills as they think he had signs of symptoms beforehand or something, and his bills have already racked into the $100,000 area. My other aunt is paying for lawyers to sue the insurance company, but all of that is tied in court , meanwhile the hospital has quit giving my uncle chemotherapy/radiation and has basically kicked him out on his behind which = death sentence. He was remarried to someone ( a couple of years ago, really sweet lady compared to the complete bitch of a wife he had before) who has 3 kids, and 2 of HIS own 3 kids,from his previous marriage are just starting college, so he has bills to pay, a family to feed, and has to still work for a living while vomiting his guts up thanks to chemo.
I think in certain situations like these the government should step in and help out. My uncle is a good hard-working guy and shouldnt have to just roll-over and die because he cant pay for expensive treatments,and wasnt smart enough to handle college and get a decent job.

What can he do in a situation like this? I want to find a means to help him but
I'm just not sure what he can do. I know that he is a mormon and has tithed in his church,sent his son on missions,been on missions himself, and has given a lot of time to his religion - yet the church that kicked him out to die was ,, "surprise,surprise" a Mormon church. Maybe he can appeal to their generous side and get them to readmit him due to all he has given the church, but I seriously doubt it......