Comments on: Relationship between Healthcare and Justice? Is there one?

By: Robert Knechtel

Robert Knechtel — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:00:07 +0000

I just stumble across this article and would like to observe that, having been on Medicare for a number of years, I have not personally witnessed a diminution in the quality of care. A few of those years I remained with the HMO I had before turning 65, and I could discern no change in the quality of service just because I had Medicare. Of course, I was using Medigap insurance, as well, and there certainly are many older people who cannot afford it. Nevertheless, I’m not one of those affluent seniors discussed above. I do have the means, however, to afford the insurance. If that’s affluence, I’ll take it.

Beyond that, I feel that I’m entitled to Medicare, having paid for it, and because I still work, I’m still paying for it. Also, a premium for Medicare is deducted from my Social Security benefits monthly. So, I’m not so sure there is a massive cost shift by health care firms to the American Public.

By: JP

JP — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:21:11 +0000

The ability to impact the healthcare delivery system is going to be one consumer at a time. The HMO lobby is not going to sit by and allow consumers to demand to have a system that is cost effective and quality based. There is no money in it for them. We are the voters that need to take responsibility and accountability for our healthcare. We are the consumers that need to focus on prevention and cost effective ways to get the best care we can. We are the consumers that need to demand the Medicare and Medicaid is not used by the large healthcare firms to cost shift to the American public.

By: Eileen Martinez

Eileen Martinez — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 19:35:37 +0000

Our healthcare system has been disease based long before the so called Baby Boomers started to age. I agree that there is enormous profits in the selling of anti-aging wonder drugs etc. but most of those services are not covered or should not be covered by insurance. I believe there is a place for what I call cosmetic medicine but it should be all self funded.
The problems with our Public Health System need to be laid at the feet of the American voter. Currently, our poor participation in the voting process allows the election of officials who are in the pockets of the very institutions that profit from the status quo.
If you are thinking that the development of a national government run healthcare system is the answer you need only to look to England as a model. All national healthcare does is reduce the quality of care for an even larger group of citizens and the rich still opt out. I used to work for Humana many years ago when they had hospitals. We had two big facilities in England that were not within the national system that catered to the wealthy.
My mantra is now and has always been that if you remove the consumer from both the intellectual and financial responsibility for their own healthcare you are left with a system run amok.
So to answer the question What can or should we do about this?
1 American voters must take responsibility for the mismanagement of our government programs that should provide for those that cannot afford private healthcare.
2. American voters must demand a Public Health Care System that provides for the public welfare.
3. The healthcare for the increasing numbers of immigrants in America needs to be placed at the doorstep of the employers that hire them.