This isn't capitalism. This is outright theft!

It's enough to make you want to puke, isn't it?

Gem

__________________
There is no political solution to our troubled evolution.

"Reality, the left-wing liberal conspiracy. "
Credited to Angry American.

So how do you think Socialized Medicine would have improved this persons situation? You state in the title of the thread that this is why socialized medicine is needed - do tell us why.

To make sure that the sick, infirm and elderly get the medical help they need, and to keep those people from getting ripped off for tens of thousands of dollars by businesses whose only concern and motive is "profit".

Gem

__________________
There is no political solution to our troubled evolution.

"Reality, the left-wing liberal conspiracy. "
Credited to Angry American.

And socializing the long term care industry is the only solution?

Answer me this - when has creating a giant government bureaucracy ever made anything cheaper or better?

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Well, I can tell you this- at least I'm getting the care I need that I- and my employers- paid for in taxes to Social Security, unlike the elderly lady referred to in the article whose family, and herself, paid 70,000 dollars into an insurance policy and got absolutely nothing that they needed. I also think most of the problems and delays we've seen in governmental programs is more the result of burgeoning bureaucracies created by conservative policies that have tried to enforce programs that were intended to prevent abuse and theft. Remember what I said in another thread about how the Federal government tried to prevent a theft of 40 million dollars in foodstamp fraud in 1970-71 by creating a bureaucracy to counter those abuses of the foodstamp program that cost the taxpayers 400 million dollars a year back then? The source of your complaints may lie predominately there and not in the people that benefit from those social programs.

Gem

__________________
There is no political solution to our troubled evolution.

"Reality, the left-wing liberal conspiracy. "
Credited to Angry American.

Far be it that I would defend insurance companies...however one thing you are not considering is that Nursing Homes are WELL known for bilking clients, overcharging medical supplies and giving unnecessary medical care.

Consider consumers union did a report that showed about 1 in 10 nursing homes ANNUALLY across the U.S. fail routine inspections.

"· The number of states in which 10 percent or more of facilities were cited for immediate jeopardy violations nearly doubled from 2001 to 2002. In 2001, six states (Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington) had more than 10 percent of their facilities with at least one immediate jeopardy citation. In 2002, 11 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington) had more than 10 percent of their facilities with at least one immediate jeopardy citation.

· From 2001 to 2002, there was a 41 percent increase in the proportion of facilities that had more than 15 percent of their facilities receiving a citation for giving substandard care to residents. Seventeen states fell into this category in 2001; 24 states did in 2002. Substandard quality of care means a facility delivers care that constitutes either immediate jeopardy to a resident's health or safety, or a pattern of widespread actual harm. "

Fair dinkum when it comes to health care you Americans are mugs. You suck in the bullshit with a big straw. For those who crap themselves at the very thought their precious tax dollars might actually be used for a purpose other than bombing the shit out of Iraq in pursuit of Exxon's oil interests I need to say, get your head out of your arse and have a look around you. Jeez, I can't believe the stupidity.

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"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

I can't seem to get my straw into this post.....

__________________
De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Wrong, Iam. I have considered it, as I have considered the problems of foodstamp and welfare abuse and thefts. They are a definite and very real problem. But the best we can do is tackle the problems as they arise, on an individual basis. What you haven't considered is that establishing federal programs to create bureaucracies to prevent those abuses and thefts have resulted in taxpayers paying far more money to try and prevent those abuses and thefts than the abuses and thefts have cost the taxpayers themselves.
Basically what the neocons and conservatives have done in regards to this situation is to cut off their nose to spite their face.
The problems you mentioned are very real, but the solutions that the neocons and conservatives would propose to counter these problems would create even more problems than now exist. But that is nothing we haven't seen before now, in a variety of ways, is it?

Gem

__________________
There is no political solution to our troubled evolution.

"Reality, the left-wing liberal conspiracy. "
Credited to Angry American.

You might need an oar Matt - but that was a funny riposte indeed

__________________
"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

Thanks. No offense meant, just a bit of jousting

Matt

__________________
De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

No offence taken Matt, it was a great line, wish I'd thought of it myself

__________________
"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

Again,We need regalation in almost everything.Regalation in medicene, Television and the Airlines.

Given that long-term care insurance is a comparatively new product, what we need isn't so much socialized healthcare as consumer advocacy groups and/or performance ratings. You would (hopefully) never buy a car based purely on price and/or sales pitch without checking it's gas mileage, safety record, reliability reputation, looks, etc. Too many people bought LTC policies with insufficient information, especially about companies' claims reputation. Once word gets out the appropriate companies (or at least their LTC lines) will go the way of the Yugo.

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Today's forecast: Government corruption.

Tomorrow's forecast: 100% chance of more 'politics as usual'

Maybe it's finally time to vote Libertarian

Never, I repeat NEVER forget, that the neorepub agenda is composed of PROVING that elected government CAN'T work and set about PROVING it every time they get in power. Do you really think that the incompetent clusterfuck handling of the Katrina disaster follow-up just happened? Never listen to what the liars say, always watch what they do.