The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #122219 Message #2681059
Posted By: GUEST,mg
15-Jul-09 - 06:31 PM
Thread Name: BS: Nationalized Healthcare, good? bad?
Subject: RE: BS: Nationalized Healthcare, good? bad?
I think ultimately it will be good, but the transition to a single payer would probably be terrifying for many. I am glad they will keep some structures in place as they move toward some form of universal coverage. It is not totally broken; it is just not available for too many, some of whom could afford to pay at least something, just not the whole amount. We should try to extract a reasonable amount from every financially able person, on a sliding scale, depending on use etc. Nothing that would cripple them or ruin them financially, but bring in income and reduce recreational or unnecessary doctor visits.
There are tons of things that can be done. First of all, unless you have something really complex, a nurse educator can probably do a better job than many doctors. Some very easily-trained positions can be filled with unemployed people -- such as reception, maintenance, some medical records work, data entry etc. Also, easily-trained and totally monitored unemployed people could be used to provide some human contact and follow up for chronic conditions -- have you taken your blood pressure today, tested your blood sugar, gotten some fresh air, taken your medications. Monitored phone calls and perhaps home visits by lpns etc. could go a long way.
One thing that is not mentioned is the reduced stress that would come from knowing your extended family members would be covered -- for some of us we are OK but family members might not be, and how much could we have to chip in for their care?
We really need to address the extensive doctor use by some people -- some are lonely and in need of social contact. This could be satiated by people with an AA degree rather than an M.D. or RN. There could be group discussions for people with diabetes, or lupus, or kidney stones.
Again, lots of neighborhood clinics, employing as much as possible neighborhood people. Public hospitals in low-income neighborhoods with community colleges attached right there for training and education.
Better biology training in high school so people can move shovel-ready into LPN or RN or tech programs right after graduation.
It is really important to hire impoverished people right at the point of use. I remember working for a while at Harborview in Seattle, which serves many very low-income people. I was struck by the number of recent Etheopian and Etutrian??? immigrants who would come in pleading for any sort of work -- janitorial, groundswork, cafeteria.
Someone as smart as me and Obama can work all this out. We have sick people, unemployed people, ..here is a plan...the unemployed people can take care of the sick people. Win-win.
I am not one who sees all sorts of evil lurking in this system -- I just don't see a well-developed system is all. And we need health workers -- for prevention and encouragement and helping people watch their diet and exercise...these health works could get some sort of certification, again be closely monitored to see they are not dispensing actual medical advice -- but could go a long way in preserving health. And so much of health depends on the basics -- food and shelter and a crime-free neighborhood so you can go shopping, so stores will flourish in your neighborhood -- the linkage of crime to poor health has many aspects, which I will discuss at some point. If you can't get outside for fear of the young gang members, you can not get good groceries. You can not get exercise. You can not see your doctor or hairdresser or church group. You can not get Vitamin D, which is linked to so much. Someone needs to bring this to the attention of the ygm and ask them to cease terrifying their neighbors. mg