It seems to me that the problems in our health system are a lack of supply creating big demand and big dollars.  Why doesn't our government simply increase the number of doctors, nurses and medical practitioners.  What is holding them back?  Don't say its money - they spend $700 billion on health care services now.
127365
It takes a special person to go into medicine, especially Nursing.  Its a hard job that most don't want to do.  Would you like to clean old, sick people all day?  Doctors need to have a decade of schoooling just to specialize.  So they are in debt big time when they come out.  Plus the crazy amounts of money people win in malpractice suits stop a lot of doctors from practicing medicine.  They just can't afford the insurance.
666440
Healthcare is in demand everywhere.
79011
wow!  where to start, money is great, get to be around people, you learn a lot about the medical field, you understand and can treat diseases better, you become more health conscience, if you are a college student with loans, they will pay them or a percentage of them for you.  and the hype is, the nursing field is extremely low.  many many places need nurses and can't get them because so many people want to do other things.  the more and more people get sick, the more and more they are going to need nurses.  it is extremely marketable.  any small town needs a nurse.  even overseas, they need trained nurses to help with pandemics and epidemics, with all the wars in the middle east and africa, trust me, the need is high!
603993
Certainly...we are just not as educated in this area.\nThe government would hate it as would the doctors and pharmacists. If we start using natures pharmacy..they have no way to control the costs and uses. How could they regulate it? It's all about money and control instead of what's probably better for us.
303132
the problem is our country can not afford to care for many of the illegal immigrants and though we want to give everyone equal rights and medical care and social security, and all the rights of a human regardless of what race or religion they are, but the bottom line is we don't have it and it is like closing the door to the neighbors who are hungry because your children do not have enough to eat. When we get older there will be barely any SSI and retirement benefits...do you want to have less and go hungry so you can help others come to our country?  I wish we could screen the ones WHOo need to come here for their safety and the ones wh come here just to get  away from their own government from illegal actions, drugs, or employment.\nI want to share with others and I have compassion but I am a nurse and I see old people every day who are hungry, get meals on wheels from the church and can not afford to buy their medicine.  I have seen people who are young and poor die because the insurance would not pay for certain drugs they needed. we have to draw the line some place, don't we?
261622
Unfortunately it's all about entertainment.  Same thing with actors.  Millions of people paying for the same product in sports and entertainment.  Whereas a doctor or other profession only has the one patient at a time and can only ask for so much in payment.  Doesn't seem right, but it's about where the money, better yet how many people it's coming from.
509430
By law hospitals have to give life saving care even if the patient cannot pay.  There are already low cost health clinics all over the place.  People have the option of medical bankruptcy which does not effect their credit rating.  So pretty much those 45 million should start thinking of taking care of themselves in my opinion.\n\nAnd out of that 45 million, how many actually need insurance.  That s just 15% of the population, does a healthy 25 year old really need full coverage?  How many of those are exercising their right not to buy insurance even though it is available?  These are numbers that are not represented in a blanket number.
581765
No their are alot of ppl going to the hospital with no insurance they come in all cultures: White, Black, Brown, Green, Yellow. and not only the poor, its easier for them to get heath care then it is for a two parent family with jobs, unfortunately the price for health and dental coverage is unbelievably high so a lot of ppl are uninsured. \nAs for schools alot of them are closing in the poorer communities at least I know they are where I live.  Due to not enough funding, class attendance, (and not just Mexican children)\nand not enough teachers willing to work in those communities. I know some colleges will send practicing teachers to these schools just to have a "teacher" there. So the schools close and those children have to go somewhere.\nDoesn't everyone these days own a car or three?\nI'd blame our government for not looking at the real issues and investing our money in things that are not as important like a sports stadium.
35728
Our National Health Care system works, but it definitely needs serious upgrades to tackle issues like lengthy wait times and lack of General Practitioners.  It does bring a lot of personal relief to Canadians that we can go in to see Doctors and Dentists, and receive basic services, without incurring large personal costs.
552944
Not yet it isn't but there are thoughts of doing so, and the costs will rise year on year. It's been tried in the past already. We will get addicts becoming more dependent. Doctors inundated with work. What if some people pretend to be addicts so that they can get supplies in order to get young children 'hooked' on drugs? What if some Doctors start drug dealing? It is open to all kinds of abuse. Money would be better spent trying to prevent people taking drugs in the first place and getting addicts off drugs.  This is a typical example of what's wrong with this Country. What are we trying to do? Give the Police less work? We want a visible Police Force with more manpower to tackle crime, not a nanny force.
656212
Unfortunately this is going on in the US right now which to me is a farce-  They should be obligated to fill any type of prescription, no matter what it is.  If I am not mistaken this has mostly gone on in Walmarts around the country.  Unfortunately this goes on in the nursing field also- I have seen nurses refusing to care for someone who just went through an abortion procedure in the hospital.
142708
That's just one more side of all this problem, and the previous answer is rigth too.. The drugs find most of the consumer in the USA, and meanwhile in Latin America we haven't been able to have the economical growth needed, and that's a very profitable business!!!\n\nBut this is only a part of it, as i have been said, those lots of sides of the story should be known, studied, and solved TOGHETER!\n\nWhy don't we all take a break on this issue, as the congress men, and maybe we'll comeback with a whole bunch of information and good new ideas.lol.
96684
we have medicare \n(everybody does)but the controversy now is about \nfor those who need surgery , sooner than later for something like cancer, can face long wait times for the surgery (that is what i think is a problem). there is a move towards a'two -tiered' helathcare system, in which those who can and want to pay for it,  can do so, and get service when they want it.\nEvery province handles health care somewhat differently. you still need some insurance to be sure you are covered when you visit another province(like a state), but you can get healthcare in other provinces and get reinbursed for it ( i havent ever done it so not sure how it works).\n\ntho we don't pay for it directly, we pay via taxation. Sales tax and taxes in general. I think Quebec has the highest tax rate in....North America?! fourteen and a half percent sales tax, extra taxes on cigarettes....\nwe do have welfare and unemployment insurance also- but you can barely get by on "social assistance". However there are many training programs available for those on social assistance, and if they attend they get extra $.\nbut we aren't talking Harvard quality education here, but i suppose it's better than zilch.
165290
I'm not sure about them overcrowding so much as they overburden hospitals by not being able to pay their bills which the hospitals have to cover.  I found this from the 'source' listed website which I feel is a good example, not exactly statistics though.  (I don't have time to do that indepth research at the moment). It is an excerpt from a 2005 news story:\n\nOverburdened by the uninsured and overwhelmed by illegal immigration (search), public health care in Los Angeles is on life support.\n\nSixty percent of the county's uninsured patients are not U.S. citizens. More than half are here illegally. About 2 million undocumented aliens in Los Angeles County alone are crowding emergency rooms because they can't afford to see a doctor
47988
1. No, there is a lack of recources that are readily available to the majority.\n5. Yes I believe more practices are opening up, but many people believe it to be a fad of some kind.
603330
Where do you get this crap? Do you sit home dreaming this s**t up all day?  I've been an RN for 26 years/worked across the US-hospitals do not function in this capacity!  Although the "illegal" population are draining our medical system, they are not the only ones-many "legal" residents and citizens cannot afford to pay their bills either.  Hospitals are underwritten by federal and state programs to assist them in meeting their costs,as well as private donations and religious organizations. Our hospitals are struggling because more and more of our working class can no longer afford their insurance coverage and employers are not matching health care contributions as they used to (more out of our paychecks). The poor qualify for various programs and the rich well...it's never been an issue. But... the working class, that's the problem. You can't ask the courts to address a federal/state level issue accross the board-they're a little busy addressing criminal issues. We need to revise our healthcare coverage issues with our elected officials-"illegals" need to be reported on entry into the hospitals-sent back to their own countries for healthcare, and we need to take care of own in a much more responsible way than placing "liens" on their property and or any potential "judgements" they may be legally entitled to them!!
553919
I'm Canadian.  Our taxes are relatively high, but we get a lot for it, including health care.  If we didn't have the health care system we have, my husband and I would be bankrupt right now and he would probably not be alive.  We are not postponing any purchases because of taxes, and we have a very modest income - pensions.  And the only way we will ever have fewer imported goods is if we as consumers become willing to pay more for our goods - goods are produced very cheaply in less fortunate countries than ours by people who have to struggle much more for survival than we do.  I hope my thoughts on this issue help.