Why does Dr. Waters favor socialized medicine?

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Why is this different from health insurers' physician networks? I don't think it's an "ethical problem." Today most any dr. gets paid for services to insured patients at a huge discount from their regular rates, and agree in wrinting to look ony to the carrier for payment. On top of that the carriers are pervasively regulated by state government. I see this as a "states rights" issue more than anything.

you are right about dr.s and Hospitals getting paid at at a huge discounts. However, they also negotiate those deals... with NHI there is no negotiation, you get paid what the government says you get paid

[Mormon Red Death]

that's funny as I was going to ask him the same thing...

Doesn't he care that in National Health Insurance the government decides how much you can charge for your services? Would it be alright for the government to tell a law firm how much the may charge all their clients?

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

that's funny as I was going to ask him the same thing...

Doesn't he care that in National Health Insurance the government decides how much you can charge for your services? Would it be alright for the government to tell a law firm how much the may charge all their clients?

The govt. already decides many healthcare prices. Like medicare and medicaid. Medicare makes up a big chunk of the money that hospitals get.

When a lawyer is appointed by the govt. to defend someone, does that lawyer get to choose his fee? Do those lawyers have to defend these folks? No, they don't.

I'm not advocating doing away with a private system. I just think that a public system that is high-quality may make better sense as we head towards this cliff, due to unsustainable increases of % GDP.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The govt. already decides many healthcare prices. Like medicare and medicaid. Medicare makes up a big chunk of the money that hospitals get.

When a lawyer is appointed by the govt. to defend someone, does that lawyer get to choose his fee? Do those lawyers have to defend these folks? No, they don't.

I'm not advocating doing away with a private system. I just think that a public system that is high-quality may make better sense as we head towards this cliff, due to unsustainable increases of % GDP.

the problem is not everyone of your patients is government funded....a lawyer doesn't have to represent someone. Do you not see the difference. with National Health care there wont be a choice for you

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

the problem is not everyone of your patients is government funded....a lawyer doesn't have to represent someone. Do you not see the difference. with National Health care there wont be a choice for you

It's the same as public school. You are not forced to go to public school. You can go to private school if you wish, but that doesn't mean you don't have to pay taxes to the public school.

Nationalized healthcare would work the same way. You can buy private insurance and bypass the nationalized healthcare system.

By the way, doctors are very much different than lawyers and other other professionals. Doctors work for free all the time. If someone has a bad car wreck, and is taken in for surgery, the surgeon doesn't refuse to do the surgery because the patient can't pay. And no, the hospital doesn't pay the physician. It's the cost of the job.