I’m For Universal Health Care If …
My sister is a very bright woman. An AUSA, Corporate Attorney and Law Professor, not to mention a small “l” libertarian I am pretty sure, although I could be wrong. So when she sent me this e-mail I decided to read it word for word. She is a genius.
Jim, My thoughts on universal health care
I have an idea that maybe you could get rolling. Too often Congress
jumps in without benefit of the facts. My plan is to get the facts on
universal health care before we jump in. Novel, huh?
Here’s how it works.First we need to know the number of General
Practitioners in America versus the number of Americans. Let’s just say
that there are 10,000 people for every General Practitioner. We then
select 10,000 people and one GP in, Hartford, for example, for our study.
Those selected should be Democrats only, as Republicans don’t want universal
health care, and we don’t want to skew the results; and, at least one
person selected must be a member of Congress. Other than that, the pool
must truly be a cross section of society, rich, poor, kids, adults,
seniors.For the test period all will pay NOTHING for their health care.
For a one year period, those 10,000 people can only get medical care
from the GP we selected. If testing or a specialist is needed, we obtain
statistics from Canada, or Great Britain as to how long, on average, it
takes for one of their citizens to get a necessary test or to see a
specialist. If, for example, the average time to see a specialist is 3
months, then anyone in our test group would have to wait 3 months to see
a specialist.Here’s the best part. The National Institute of Health is to receive
millions from the “Stimulus Bill”, so let’s put that money to work. At
the end of one year, all 10,000 people in our study would fill out a
survey detailing, among other things, how happy they have been with their
health care for the past year, and NIH will prepare a report of those
findings. In addition to the report from NIH, Congress will also be
briefed personally by their colleague who participated in the study.
And, of course, the American people will be made aware of the study
results.Then, let Congress try to fashion something that works based upon the
study results. After all, the government requires stringent testing
before allowing a drug to be marketed, why not do the same with health
care.Sound Off Sister
I actually think it should include at least one Congressman and one Senator, preferably Senator Kennedy or Kerry or Dodd. Your thoughts are welcome so please add them in the commentt section below … but act quickly. Like my sister’s health care plan … you will have to stand in line.
10 Comments
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I don't know, but when it comes to health care and government all I can think of is three letters. D M V.
Gee, a pilot program outside of private industry? Would never happen 😉 – but it certainly would be nice to watch this one go through it's paces.
She is a genius, but she is swimming upstream. The Dems in Congress don't care if it works or not, as they will continue to get the best care from their choice of doctors. But she is definitely on the right track.
I would add that any plan formulated applies to ALL citizens, including the Congress and the President (okay, maybe the pres after he leaves office). No exceptions other than illegals get nothing.
All I need to see is the continuing debacle of social "security," and I have all the answers I need (although the track records of Canada and Great Britain don't hurt to review).
I am a fan of this plan and of the Sound off Sister.
Great idea, Sound Off Sister! If only…
Two things come to mind. First, the GP chosen must also be a Democrat in favor of universal health care. Secondly, please don't pick my doctor.
One tiny refinement… Rather than 10K ordinary citizens, let us perform this experiment on the Democratic senators, representatives, apparatchiks and, yes, even the First Family. Let them lead by example, under a strictly monitored health program. Let them give up the socialized medicine program they currently have ($55/month and the blue sky is the limit in services) and let them enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Jim,
Why do a test study? Let's sign up all members of Congress and all Senators with Canadian health system. It should be mandatory for the whole term, 6 years not less. That will teach them, and if some of them expire waiting for care? That would be an additional benefit.
Jim, while you were talking about this proposal it dawned on me that there is a catch in Universal Health Care. Abortion or forced abortion because we will have a limit of 2 babies per couple. Unborn will be used for stem cells, for age treatments for celebrities. Then, when you are 70-75 they will put you to sleep, just like they do that in Netherlands.
(Support my tax holiday petition at: http://ue09.blogspot.com/)
Jim and SOS, why not put into the experiment the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi and the Senate Marjority Leader Harry. Reid for the next year. Have them get back to us in about a year's time.
This proposal, like the Sound Off Sister herself, is extraordinary
I heard this while driving my car on a local street.
I had to pull over to the side of the road – quickly.
Government needs to be reinvented.
It must be downsized to the framework of our constitution.
Return the government to the people it is supposed to be representative of.
When you think of it, government rarely does those functions well.
Return to the basic functions of government, and if you can't perform those both effectively and efficiently – don't do them and find someone who can.