EYE-OPENER..Universal HealthCare In America Would Be Surprisingly Inexpensive.!

May 6, 2017

With the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) collapsing, and the flawed American Health Care Act being proposed to take its place, it seems that now is a good time to seriously consider taxpayer-funded Universal HealthCare for the United States of America.

A recent 2015 in-depth study says that for the U.S. Government to provide Universal Health Care, only $562 Billion dollars in additional revenue is needed, because $600 Billion in cost would be eliminated by cutting out health insurance companies.
Source: decisiondata.org...

There are approximately 122 million citizens who pay Federal Income Taxes.
Source: www.reference.com...

If that $562 Billion were to come solely from the 122 million citizens who pay Federal Income Taxes, each taxpayer would need to pay an additional $4,300 per year to Uncle Sam, in order for all Americans to be covered by Universal Health Care.

However, as it works in other countries, the revenue needed for U.H.C. would NOT come solely from those who pay Federal Income Tax. There are fees on corporations, top 1% income earners, "sin" products, etc.. Therefore, the $4,300 estimate is an unlikely maximum amount that a taxpayer could see his/her Federal Tax bill increase.

It goes without saying that the actual cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) would be higher or lower than $562 Billion, but I have 2 questions for my ATS colleagues...

1. Do you feel that Universal Healthcare is such a huge shift in how we receive healthcare, that deciding to do it, or not to do it, should be voted on via a nationwide special election? The government presents us with the benefits, cost per person, type of taxes/fees, and then let us vote YES or NO?

2. How much money would you personally be willing to pay in taxes/fees each year to be covered, like citizens are in the countries shown here: www.cnn.com... ??

As I've pointed out in this thread, www.abovetopsecret.com... , President Donald Trump has spoken highly of the health care systems of countries that have Universal Health Care, or a combination of U.H.C. and private health insurance. As a well-traveled businessman, his attitude on this subject most likely comes from personal interactions with citizens of those countries.

Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

-CareWeMust

What are they going to do with/about the existing health insurance profiteers? that's what I wonder..they have too much power.

a reply to: carewemust

Yes it would be a huge shift.

A huge shift toward communism.

And I dont see why my tax dollars should be wasted on others peoples health.

So to answer your questions: 1 No and 2 At least 30$.

a reply to: carewemust

Sure,
if everyone paid their "fair share"
and the Pharma/Health Care profits were removed from
the equation.

Once Upon a Time in America.

S&F

I'm all for this, where could we get decent health insurance for four grand a year. It doesn't need dental, it could be like medicare is, I actually pay about a hundred bucks a month extra for part b and the Part D is covered by the wifes old employer and we pay about seventy bucks each for that..

Remember, if we had universal health care, we would not need health coverage on our auto insurance policies, our workers comp would not be so high, our employers could give us a raise if they paid for health insurance, and our homeowners insurance would be a little cheaper. On top of that, if it went total socialist, the doctors would not need to pay high premiums on their insurance, the government could do what other countries do, have a committee to look at things and limit liability.

We have a really screwed up health system, based on the staffof Hermes not the staff of medicine. I think that we should change this. I am sure a lot of doctors would agree, some are getting stressed out because of all the fibs they have to do to support medical trade jobs

originally posted by: vonclod
What are they going to do with/about the existing health insurance profiteers? that's what I wonder..they have too much power.

It would depend on the type of Universal Health Care that America adopts. If it mimics Medicare for Seniors, there will be a role for private health insurance companies. Medicare pays 80% of the cost of Medical Services. Seniors buy Medicare Supplement plans from private insurance companies ($120 a month) to pay the 20% that Medicare does not pay, if they want to.

a reply to: FuggleHop

It would be more like "socialism" than "communism" FuggleHop.

a reply to: carewemust

I don't know which is worse socialism or communism.

a reply to: Wildmanimal


In Australia, the country that President Trump referred to as having "excellent healthcare" yesterday, the patient pays $39 per prescription until he/she reaches the "safety-net". Then the per-prescription cost reduces to $6.30 per prescription, if I'm reading this right: en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: rickymouse


I agree RickyMouse. The potential benefits in several areas of our personal insurance, and increase in discretionary income, would make the additional taxes a good investment.

originally posted by: FuggleHop
a reply to: carewemust

I don't know which is worse socialism or communism.

Communism is an extreme form of Socialism, according to: www.diffen.com...

Which is "worse"? I have no idea!

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: rickymouse


I agree RickyMouse. The potential benefits in several areas of our personal insurance, and increase in discretionary income, would make the additional taxes a good investment.

When I had my business running, I was paying twelve percent of wages just for employees workers comp. My business liability insurance probably had one percent equated for medical expenses if someone got hurt. Look at all the different places we are paying premiums that cover healthcare. Everyone of those companies tack extra onto what they pay out, everyone has people paid to handle the paperwork and billing. If someone comes on your property without even having permission and steps on a nail, they can sue you for getting hurt to cover medical costs.

Just think how many less lawsuits will be filed if people do not have to file a law suit to actually collect for an injury from the insurance company. Lawyers will have a lot less work. That will drive the price of everything, including foods down.

a reply to: carewemust

That sounds like righteousness to me.
Again, healthcare in America these days
is about profit. The system doesn't care about your
health at all.

So let us call it what it really is, Profit Care.
Newborns occur every day, and the expired
occur every day. The current system is designed
to capitalize on the margin between these two
distinct parameters.

Complete disregard for the fellow person
next to you on Earth in our short experience
here together.
Rather Ugly isn't it.
Civilized! HooHaa

The real solution is to cut the heads off those medical snakes. The medical system and big pharma are monolithic, wasteful and inefficient for a society that depends upon their services and need to be totally redesigned. Presently, they are designed to suck up as much money as they can, and no system will be able to accommodate their cost, until those costs go down.

a reply to: Wildmanimal

Even the post-life is profiteered upon. I had to pay the darn back-hoe guy $1,100 last month to dig my father's grave. They call it "opening the grave", to make it sound like it's worth the $$$.

a reply to: charlyv

As you see in the first article I linked to in the O.P., Canadian doctors make 25% less money than US doctors. Doctors in the United Kingdom make 50% less. Maybe the good pay is why America has the best physicians in the world?

As ATS members have pointed out in other threads, the COST of medical care here is indeed insanely expensive. But, I don't know if the best doctors would be willing to take a 25%-50% pay-cut. They might just resort to seeing cash-only patients. We have an entire medical center on the "Gold Coast" in Chicago where the doctors only see patients that pay cash. They're so good that they don't have to accept "negotiated rates" that insurance demands.

So you're telling me that inexpensive is me paying about an extra $400 a month in taxes so that 2/3 of the country can sit on their asses and benefit from it? That sounds more like indentured servitude to me. How about everyone pays in no matter how much they make and if you can't pay the bare minimum then you don't get coverage?

originally posted by: FuggleHop
a reply to: carewemust

Yes it would be a huge shift.

A huge shift toward communism.

And I dont see why my tax dollars should be wasted on others peoples health.

So to answer your questions: 1 No and 2 At least 30$.

Your tax dollars is already "wasted" on other peoples health in a number of ways
1) poor people too unhealthy to work to better their lives will get your tax dollars
2) hospitals get compensated by government when treating emergency care of poor people
3) a desperate person will do whatever it takes to get health care, to include doing some minor crime for jail time to get free health care.

So, why not support a coherent preventative plan instead of paying high prices for emergency care?
you are gonna lose the money anyhow, but the smart way will make it less expensive, and also make you feel like slightly less of a gigantic universal a-hole

a reply to: FuggleHop

Let us take Communism,Socialism,and even Capitalism
out of the equation.

Let us play the Globalist game for a moment.Just Fun:

6.5 billion human resources and multiplying. X .33
Ocean resources and land(forest) clean water resources depleting. X 7.77
Energy as currency. X 666. 66 = total debt system(no value).

Currency as such is in ownership of fewer and fewer hands, resulting in an escalation
of resource depletion,pollution,species extinction and violence.

Methane and CO2 generated by human resources. 6.5 billion ppm + per person.
Critical Mass. Oceanic acidification and current life form extinction level event.

Divine Intervention.X 999.999 % certainty or 0 % certainty.

Solution/Reaction= Be thankful of every meal, and embrace/fight your fellow people while you can.
Everything will be balanced out in the wash. Yes, we may be washed away.

Age of Earth theoretically = 4.5 BILLION Years
Age of Humanity theoretically= 200,000 years (flash in the pan).

Lets go to Starbucks in our Cadillac Escalade(with our save the whales sticker) and
arrogantly discuss Global Warming , I'm buying, and here's a free band aid for the
paper cut on your finger. Meet me in the safe space
Wait, I have an eyelash stuck in my eyelid ,take me to the E.R.
Bunch of saps.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I'm all for this, where could we get decent health insurance for four grand a year. It doesn't need dental, it could be like medicare is, I actually pay about a hundred bucks a month extra for part b and the Part D is covered by the wifes old employer and we pay about seventy bucks each for that..

Remember, if we had universal health care, we would not need health coverage on our auto insurance policies, our workers comp would not be so high, our employers could give us a raise if they paid for health insurance, and our homeowners insurance would be a little cheaper. On top of that, if it went total socialist, the doctors would not need to pay high premiums on their insurance, the government could do what other countries do, have a committee to look at things and limit liability.

We have a really screwed up health system, based on the staffof Hermes not the staff of medicine. I think that we should change this. I am sure a lot of doctors would agree, some are getting stressed out because of all the fibs they have to do to support medical trade jobs

It should include dental. Not fully, but screenings and pulling of teeth that are bad. Some tooth infections cause heart disease, attack, and worse. Knew a girl that had bad teeth, lost both legs under the knee while having a heart attack and almost died at thirty.