I don't want this to become a debate. I am just wondering what it is exactly that you expect that the government will provide if we go to national healthcare. Do you anticipate copays, limited providers, wellness care, drug coverage, vision and dental coverage? I am just curious what your perception of what a government plan would look like.

wow, I can't believe 18 people looked at this post but not one responded. I am to assume that you don't know what you want or is everyone looking at this post against national healthcare

I looked and I am against it. But, I am curious what it is people want, too, hawkshoe!

I think there should be healthcare for all children. No matter the income status of the family. No child should have to be denied healthcare. I also think the government should be going after the insurance companies instead of the general public. Think about the billions of dollars spent on insurance coverage and look at how many people are dying because "that isn't covered, it's experimental, your provider isn't in our network..blah, blah, blah!" Why pay insurance if you can't use it and in the mean time, the fat cats are getting richer!

If all that money went into one fund, there would be PLENTY of money for all to have healthcare. And what about the doctors? Some of them are limited in the type of medicine they can practice because they're paying huge amounts in malpractice insurance. Again, the insurance companies are getting paid and the general public is suffering because of it.

I think this should be relabeled not as a healthcare reform, but an insurance reform!

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In my perfect world, everything would be free. And everything would be done for the good of the people! And doctors would make enough to pay for all of their knowledge and training!

Not that I expect that to happen!

I think the word for that is socialism.

Not trying to start a debate, but that is a pretty good definition of it.

Honestly, I'm happy that it's not my job to clean up the healthcare mess. Everyone in my home has some form of insurance except me.

Tommy is disabled, therefore automatically he qualifies for Medicaid. Thank goodness for that, otherwise, he would not be here.

The other boys are qualifed for Medicaid based on our income. I had to jump through numerous hoops just to get them qualified because of new federal laws concerning citizenship. You have to have shot records to prove citizenship, but have to have Medicaid to get the shots????

DH job pays for him to have insurance, but the copays and the deductable are so outrageous, he refuses to see a doctor because we still can't afford to pay.

I don't qualify for ANY insurance. I can't afford private insurance and there is no way for me to get Medicaid unless I'm pregnant (not happening). What if I get sick? If I came down with a terminal illness today my children would be left without a mother because I don't have insurance to pay a doctor. Is that fair? There needs to be something for people like me that are falling through the cracks.

Don't tell me to get a job to just get insurance. My income would then be counted against me and all of my children would lose their health coverage. That is a death sentence for Tommy.

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There are more than 40 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
My Blog:Musings of a Heart Family

I wouldn't argue that! I think there is a lot of good that could be said about socialism ... minus the major factor that I believe it goes against human nature!

I honestly haven't read the politician's positions closely enough on the National Healthcare props, so can't comment there. However, I agree about more pressure on the insurance company. I think more regulation is needed. I won't go into all the details, but we've come out on the wrong end to many times.

I do think a copay is a good idea. That way, it would hopefully prevent abuse, so that you do think twice, but not so high it would prevent you from getting done what is needed. My costs for mammo and biopsy is coming in and it's just outrageous, even after insurance. This is preventive care, and should be covered 100%. But it isn't. The cost of all these tests is definitely deterring me from doing more tests the doctors want to run. I think the greed of the insurance company (they blame their investors and the employer choices) and the greed of the places that do the tests and treatments. Have you ever received solicitations for investing in these places? Trust me, high profits are made.

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I am just like TommysMommy- everyone here has insurance expect for me. The kids get theirs through our state (we are still under the cost to pay for it- but if/when we do have to pay for it- it will be low cost), Dh has his through his employer (which is a necessity with his job- God forbid he should get hurt at work- we could handle juggling our bills if that should happen-not with the additional hospital bills though!). We can not afford to have all of us on his insurance- the premimium for himself- copays and deductibles are at the point when Dh is sick- he still does not see the doctors (the last time he went was when a nail from his nail gun bounced off the wood and into his wrist- that cost us $500 out of pocket for the ER, follow up visit and his pain meds-eventually we did get paid back through workers comp- but that took awhile).

I am into the idea of "Universal Healthcare"- but I think instead of it being "free" (which means higher taxes, possible issues with patient care and so on)- I am all for it being an affordable monthly fee(possible sliding scale basis- I don't know), affordable copay (no problem with a copay). If helathcare is provided to criminals- than why not every American-KWIM?

ETA- I think all children should have medical care though- no matter what the circumstance! I also agree that a lot of the issues we have with healthcare is because of the insurance companies!