News flash: nothing ... NOTHING ... is "free"

Just because you have Medicare doesn’t mean you get healthcare. Doctors who do accept it lose money on those patients because it doesn’t cover the actual costs. That’s why most doctors limit the number of Medicare/Medicaid patients they treat. They make up for their losses by charging other patients more.

Next up on Occasional Cortex’s radar will be forcing doctors to see them or just flat out taking over healthcare.

It’s funny though. Now Democrats are talking about taking her out in the next primary. She’s too far left for them!

I am pretty sure America spends more on Healthcare than some Small European States (Probably exaggerated) but Germany, a country with a much smaller GDP somehow can still afford free Healtcare for its citizens. So the excuse that its Economically unviable is in and of itself unviable

There is a lot we could learn from Germany, but any broad comparison isn't possible for a ton of reasons.
1. Administrative burden in the US is 2 to 8 times higher.
2. Doctors make much more in the US than Canada or Germany.
3. The US spent $1,443 per capita on pharmaceuticals but the average of 11 developed countries with "free" healthcare came to $749 per capita.
4. It's far easier to manage health outcomes in smaller and more homogeneous countries like Germany. We have 325 million compared to Germany's 82 million.
5. The US has far more specialists in healthcare than Germany and other "free" healthcare countries.
6. Individualized services cost more in the US than other countries. An MRI averages over $2600 vs $350 in Australia and $461 in the Netherlands (couldn't find averages for Germany).
7. Long wait times for treatment, for example, are not as much of an issue for Americans as they are elsewhere. In treating heart attacks and strokes, the U.S. actually has the best record of any country. We also are willing to do a knee replacement on a healthy 85 year old ... other countries ... not so much. They're not willing to pay for it based on the person's age. Sucks if you're 85 and need a knee replaced.

In short, doctors get paid more (somestudies suggest that other countries actually need to pay their healthcare workers MORE). Hospital services and diagnostic tests cost more. And a lot more money goes to planning, regulating and managing medical services at the administrative level.

Germany has a fantastic system and the US could learn a lot from them. Conversely, we have some distinct advantages that we don't need to abandon so we can copy Europe.

The problem is that there is so much money involved, people get crazy and refuse to even consider changes that may benefit the general population but seriously affect a portion of the population in a negative way.

You make some fine points. I conced my argument.

No concession necessary. I think we’re both correct.

Yes I agree. Plus muricans are fat so thats an issue

Holy crap that’s a lot of text.

You'll be Surprised then that German Healthcare isn't even half bad. It is as a matter of fact relatively good, even if the waiting time for non-critical patients can easily last Hour or two.

You mean German doctors, nurses, orderlies, phamacists, etc all work for free?
There is no such thing as FREE healthcare. Someone is paying for it.

Obviously, when I say Free Healthcare, I mean free for the Citizens. And I think you know that.

No, the citizens are still paying for it, through taxes.

We pay a minuscule amount to the Government when compared to the actual costs. So technically true, but at the same time so so wrong

So who’se paying the rest of the actual costs?

The Federal Government

And the Federal Government gets its money from . . .

Taxes. I don't see where your going with this. I have already stated that the Taxes we pay are a miniscule amount when compared to the actual costs. Keep in mind that not only the average Fritz bring in taxes, but also Companies and Trade

Exactly, and companies pass on their tax costs to consumers who have to pay more for products and services to cover the actual costs of the “free” healthcare they receive. In other words, citizens are still paying for the actual costs.

Well yes. Everything the Government does is paid for by Taxes. Thats a given. Companies aren't taxed more when one has 'Free' Healthcare, they pay a normal tax. Taxes arent increased to be able to pay for that free Healtcare, ths money is being taken form normal Taxes. No tax increase just for Healtcare.

The amount we pay is still lower than the actual medical bills, even with these imaginary cost increase because Companies pay taxes.

“Taxes arent increased to be able to pay for that free Healtcare”.
So, you’re saying the extra money to cover the costs of healthcare, that individuals don’t cover from their minuscule amount of taxes they pay, just magically appears from “normal taxes”?

Right, I don't think you understand. We pay a set amount of money that funds the Government and then some. Now I've just paid my taxes and oh no! My Grandmother has had a terrible accident that would have cost me tens of Thausands of Euros. Thank god that sich cases are covered by the Government. So the only money lost was that given to the Government. But please, do try to tell me then how GDP growth is used, SEEING AS THE GOVERNMENT ONLY HAS A SET AMOUNT OC INCOME THAT NEVER GROWS WITHOUT TAX INCREASE. IF THE F**KING ECONOMY GROWS THERE IS MORE MONEY TO GO AND DO SHIT WITH. F**KING AMERICANS

America spends more per person on health care.

One of the main reasons is for malpractice insurance. Americans sue over everything, especially when the accused is perceived to have a lot of money, like physicians, anesthesiologists, hospitals, etc.

For the record, Americans spend about $700 per year on postage and package shipments. The average American spends almost $5000 out of pocket for healthcare and that again (total of $10,000) considering insurance and government payments to providers.

I know! Its utterly ridicules!