It IS NOT the government's job to provide healthcare. In fact do some research into Socialized Healthcare systems in Europe and Canada. Its free, but is it acceptable quality? Is it acceptable that people die waiting for government agencies to approve their applications to recieve life-saving procedures? Do you know what standing in the line at the DMV feels like? Well imagine that but your life depended on it and instead of being able to yell at the dumb woman behind the counter, you are on a 1-800 number at the mercy of a little automated lady-menu-thing. And tell me, when was the last time you heard of Austrailia or Canada or France making a ground-breaking medical discovery? Socialized medicine - like socialism - offers NO incentive for people to better themselves or produce anything extrodinary... which is why Socialize anything ALWAYS fails.
If you nationalize healthcare then taxes are going to rise substantially and insurance rates are going to go through the roof. Ulitmately NO ONE will have the option but to rely on government subsidized healthcare and people like me who were willing to sacrafice the few extra dollars a month for insurance so that I could choose my healthcare options are going to be forced to ride the same boat as everyone else.
Why not leave taxes where they are and perhaps even lower them so that people will have the extra money to take responsibility for themselves and put it toward healthcare. I guarantee you that these people who scream for the government to pay for their healthcare will just as soon turn around and buy a new X-Box or get their nails done. You can afford to do all that but you can't spend the money to take care of your health????
Look at France for example. In 2006, the average citizen payed between 41% and 46% of their income to the government. Compare this to 30 years ago when it was nearly half that rate. It is estimated that Socialized medicine is now costing each citizen upwards of 28% of their annual income.
So, lets say that I make $50,000 per year salary. $14,000, yes that's FOURTEEN THOUSAND of my dollars, which I earned are paying for healthcare. If I have to visit the emergency room twice in one year, that is the same as me having to pay $7,000 per visit.
Think this is Bullsh**? Just wait and see.
This is opposed to now, I pay only $200 per month for my health insurance.
My BIGGEST problem however are the HUGE misconceptions about the proposed National Healthcare. Some people are advertising it as "Free" Healthcare. Hillary Clinton claims that it would only cost about $800 per year per person to administer. This is IMPOSSIBLE.
Doctors will still need paid, medical facilities still need funds, and the program itself will cost billions to start, employ its administrators and to continue running.
All of this will be funded by tax dollars.
Also, look at the probems inherent with the proposed programs:
#1 The government, through this agency will essentially control your healthcare. This means that you will have to apply to the government for the healthcare that you need. Then if you need a procedure or treatment, you will have to get that approved as well. What other countries that have socialized healthcare have experienced is that the all-knowing, all-seeing government takes this one step further and actually places you in a wait status for the procedure based on the severity of your condition compared to other peoples'. So, lets say you are diagnosed with cancer, but the doctor does not feel that treatment for it is needed yet. Buddy the second I find out I have cancer, I'm doing eveything I can to get cured. Under National Healthcare however, you do not have that right. You have to wait in line as funding is allocate first to people with more severe cases than you. People say that then you can opt to pick up private health insurance, but in reality NO insurance company will provide coverage to ANYONE who has cancer as a pre-existing condition, so then you are at the mercy of politicians and the system.
#2 Under National Healthcare, you do not have the right to refuse treatment either. If you are prescribed a medication that is cheap, but that makes you go bald, and the only other medication for your condition is very expensive, the system is likely to provide you with only the cheapest medication. If you refuse it, the you are dropped from the National Healthcare plan because you would be considered a risk. Then, just like abovr, you are stuch with NOTHING as no insurance company will then pick you up with that pre-existing condition unless you are willing to pay HUGE premiums.
#3 Why should I, if I am willing to pay for insurance to avoid all that I have described above, have to have my taxes raised for others to have free, government-controlled healthcare that I will not benefit from??? Do you even realize how much your taxes will rise to be able to implement this???