why the government should not pay 100% of all health care for senior citizens over the age of 75?
814418
the only reason I can think of is that certain senior citizens are well off and able to pay their share or they are covered by excellent leqacy benefits
188571
Healthcare should be available to all people regardless of age, sex, race, ect...  Limited availability of health care is usually a result of the economic situation of a country.  The health care system of the USA is driven by cold hard cash and capitalism.  The good thing about this is that if you have tons of cash you will recieve excellent care.  The drawback is that most people get substandard treatment if they are poor or middle class.  It's harsh but true.  There are so many people who are only in health care for the money rather than the humanistic altruism behind the hippocratic oath.
376486
Well, one of the things that I think everyone is entitled to is life (life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, for America that is)... and health care has a lot to do with life and sustaining life... \nSure, it may be a bit of a liberal take on the issue, but I guess I just don't see how a capitalistic system can work for something you can't put a price on... a human life... and that's what medicine is in it's most basic form... sustaining life...\nOur health care system right now isn't working at all for most Americans, because they can't afford it... and what's the point, if it doesn't help most people...
410215
It is not the governments job to take care of people! This country was built on the rugged individual and not the nanny state. I would never want the government to think it knows what is best for me. There is nothing stopping people from seeing a doctor and making payments. \nMy father had no insurance for years with us 7 kids and that's how they made it work. We have it so much better in this country than anywhere else in the world. When you grow up you will realize this.
1072231
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060606/france_working_seniors.html?.v=1\n\nIs this it?\n\nFrench Government to Promote Jobs for Older Workers \n\n\nPARIS (AP) -- France's government on Tuesday unveiled a plan to fight unemployment among workers aged 55-64 and encourage companies to keep senior citizens on their payroll.\nThe key measure of the bill is a temporary work contract for unemployed people over age 57. The 18-month contract, renewable once, is intended to give companies more flexibility if they hire older workers, who are often overlooked in favor of younger, cheaper hires.\n \nAnother provision would abolish a tax on companies that fire workers over 50. The government says the tax penalizes older workers by discouraging companies to take them on.\n\nThe plan would also eventually prohibit companies from forcing employees to retire before age 65.\n\n"For 25 years, seniors have too often been left by the side of the road," Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said, explaining the plan.\n\nOnly 37.3 percent of French people between the ages of 55 and 64 are employed, one of the lowest rates in Europe. The government hopes to bring that figure up to 50 percent in four years.\n\nEarlier this year, Villepin put forward another job plan meant to reduce youth unemployment. But that move triggered weeks of massive protests by students and labor unions that weakened the conservative government. Villepin eventually scrapped the measure.\n\n\nI think you need to be more specific w/ your question.
1175501
Why not allow anyone in the US to buy into Medicare?  If the principle is for the government to negotiate better pricing for our healthcare, it seems they would have better leverage with a larger base of citizens (and hence larger volumes involved in their "purchases" and contracts.)  Or am I misunderstanding what Medicare's purpose is?
1014452
here in australia we have got medicare if u can't afford the full price and r on a pension the governement will pay also private u partly pay but if u want it cheaper or free and can afford to wait its free or a small fee to pay i suppose we r lucky yet people still complain i receive free accupuncture free visits by my doctor the medical centre wich i attend does bulkbilling which means medicare/governement pays from the taxes everybody pays
591420
Medicare bases nursing home reimbursement on fair and reasonable costs for a particular geographic location.  If a nursing home won't accept that reimbursement, they won't participate.  No Healthcare facility is forced to accept any government reimbursement program.\n\nSocial Security and Medicare will go bankrupt because of mismanagement, and the number of people getting older---Not because of high reimbursements by any healthcare facility.
910448
I don't think the government needs to be in the business of telling people how to rear their children.....or educating them, for that matter.  I believe that is one reason our public (government run) schools are so bad today.  The other reason is that people do not know how to discipline their babies.  They either them them run wild or they yell at the to shut the f**k up. This is beginning to really get out of hand when children are having babies.  The fathers are many times no where around.   Who suffers?  The child.\n\nThe elderly pay into the medicare system their whole life and when they need help caring for themselves, we "shelve" them in a nursing home.  Some, but not all,  of these places are nasty and the staff is mean.  A senior either has to be wealthy and pay for private care, have excellent long term care insurance, or apply for medicare.  I have never understood why we treat our elderly worse than animals.\n\n\n\n\nArmygirl91--remember you will be old one day.
132743
Yes, it is. I've always been bothered by pricing based on age. Take movies, for example. A seat is a f****** seat ! Why should people between the ages of 12 and 64 pay more for the same seat ?  And what the hell is a "senior discount" about ? I hear the same old old excuse that seniors are on "fixed income".  What does *that* mean ? Aren't we *all* on "fixed income" ? My income doesn't vary. In fact, younger people probably have more expenses than older people, with the exception of prescription drugs.\n\nAnd what is this "kids eat free" b.s. ? Why can't I eat free ? I mean, Geez, the kids aren't paying for anything. Let me eat every 5th meal free and I guarantee I'll come back to your restaurant.\n\n:-)\n\np.s. for those who misunderstood the question, Jr. isn't in jail. He was "charged" an adult *rate*, not charged with a crime.
720315
You can also throw the insurance company's into the mix, they have a good thing going and would hate to lose it to socialized medicine. They essentually set the rates that uninsured have to pay and it is wrong. I as an uninsured person have to pay full price for everything and the insurance companys set their own price as to what they will pay. In effect I am subsudizing the insurance companys low rates. This is wrong and I would like to see somebody do something about it, maybe as more become uninsured I will see it happen if I live long enough with substandard health care because I can not afford to pay full price.
879592
Wow! I'm amazed by the bias and misunderstanding evidenced in the answers so far. . . I have lived in a country with "socialized medicine" (Denmark) so I know something about it.  To answer the question, I believe that the U.S. may now be the only western country without a national socialized health-care system.  \n\nAs some mentioned here, in socialized medicine, taxes or other federal and state revenues would pay for our individual medical costs.  But to assume that this would automatically be a big hardship for the taxpayer shows a misunderstanding of the way such a system works and the options in the set-up that we would need to consider.  \n\nThere are many ways to pay for socialized health care, and they don't always involve raised taxes.  For one example, consider this: right now, our tax dollars are wasted to an enormous degree on the pet projects of various legislators - projects that most of us do not know about and wouldn't care to be paying for!  I would like to see some of this "pork-barrel" spending done away with (and I believe that we are moving in that direction as people educate themselves about it and demand change) - that would go a long way toward funding things like a national health-care system.  Other forms of government waste exist also, where funds would be better spent on insuring all our citizens.\n\nThe biggest thing that would worry me personally about such a system, and that may be much of the reason why we don't yet have it in the U.S., is that its establishment would necessarily require some level of federal-level regulation.  Americans (myself included) have a traditional distaste for too much government control on the federal level.  \n\nBut in this case, federal regulation and the meddling that would come with it,  may be a necessary evil that we need to consider - because the alternative is to keep going along the path we are on, in which with every year we see fewer employers able to insure employees, the costs of individually-purchased policies grow more outlandish, and the numbers of uninsured citizens increase by thousands.\n\nI think that it is telling that we are the last free-world, western, civilized nation to NOT be insuring ALL its citizens.  In America, we believe that citizens have a birth right to some things - like education and social security.  I believe we need to start believing as a nation that everyone has a right to be treated when they are ill without it bankrupting them.  It's really a right to LIVE.  It seems elementary that we would want to keep all our citizens healthy, not just the wealthy and lucky.  Something is going to have to give, and soon. \n\nMac at ASKEW\nhttp://askew.blogharbor.com
470034
Yeah... it's getting to the point where the majority of America won't be able to go to the doctor, because they can't afford insurance or the deductable, if they have insurance. \n\nI think it all comes down to... how much are you willing to pay to stay alive.. the answer is anything, so how does a capitolistic system work when you will pay anything for the service... it doesn't work... \n\nthe healthcare companies (both medical, insurance, both malpractice and health, and perscription companies) are all making huge profits... if you know anyone in the business, they are probably making more than most everyone else you know...\n\nWhen does the bubble bust... I think it will soon... especially if costs continue to go up like they have been.
1082042
You are in for a good fight and it is well worth it. In Canada we had to fight Ottawa to nationalize Health Care for Every Canadian Citizen. That was in the "Dirty-30s' " Depression time era. It was hard enough to socialize anything back then. We shed a lot of blood on  capital streets but we got what we the people needed. Across the board health care for everyone regardless of income.\nI hear some Americans say they are just fine with the way things ware. Well sure, if you can afford it. \nThe other Americans I hear from, many are friends and cousins tell me they need A National Health Care coverage for all Americans. We have the medicine and doctors but why hold back on giving your own people Health Care? Sounds selfish and Ivory Tower Idealistic.If you don't want Health Care Socialized, that's fine. You can always have a two tier system. As for those who keep saying Canadas Health care System is collapsing, you do not know the truth of it. In 1991 we elected a right wing conservative government that slahed all services to Canadians.We have since then actually improved our services.Can't understand why anyone would want to deny their fellow Citizens Health care unless they are selfish . Not every one has a rich daddy to pay the bills, or an inheritance. You wouldn't believe how many Americans come up here every day looking for a Doctor and medicine, hospital etc, trying to desperatley convince our Health Workers they are Canadian. We cry when we have to tell people we can't help them. It's heart breaking but many doctors and hospitals will take in Americans without Canadain citizenship under the table and pay for the surgeries and meds out of their own collective pockets. March on Washington . That is the only way to get the Arrogant richie-riches in America to listen to it's people. Have you noticed all the Congressmen are old, rich white men ?They have a lot of stock in Pharmacutical companies. Billions of dollrs in profits each year. And I don't believe it all goes to making new drugs. We make new drugs here and so do Europeans and we don't tell our people lies, that it takes Billions of $$ a year to find a new drug. That's B.S.
740442
The high cost of health care today is actually due to government regulations and the number of lawsuits that receive exorbitant settlements. These costs are then passed to the patients, which then makes them need either insurance or government assistance to pay for health care. \nIf both the federal and state governments would reduce regulations, red tape, and such then the cost of health care could also drop. But, people also need to understand that doctors and nurses, no matter how well trained or experienced, are human and do make mistakes. And there is also so much that we just really don't understand about the human body.
327874
Like most people (according to public opinion polls), I believe the US healthcare system is terrible.  The free market approach leaves too many people without adequate coverage...yet another dysfunctional consequence of capitalism.\n\nThere is little way to improve health care within the current economic paradigm, which privileges profit above concern for human health and life.
972886
In a person's retirement years, he will usually have planned money for retirement use. Seldom do people realise that it is unexpected health emergencies in later life that will financially devastate. Older people are at higher risk of falling ill. They may also become unable to take care of themselves, e.g. due to illness, accidents, stroke. \nWhen this happens, the family will need to hire a live-in nurse or put him into a nursing home. Either way, expenses increases yet the principal amount for retirement fund depletes. \nTherefore, to financially protect oneself adequately, after 50 years old, it is most important to purchase long term care insurance. Do not buy too late as premiums will easily double at age 65!