Lets look at reality and the ACA We have the best healthcare the world. Really! The World Health Organization rates the US 37th in the world. Costa Rice is 36th, Slovenia is 38th and France is number one. Since France is number one and we are 37th let’s compare. Cost per person in France $4118. Cost per person in the US $8565. As a percentage of GDP – France 11% - US 15.2%. Life expectancy France 81.1 years – US 78.7 years (lowest of developed countries). Infant mortality per 100 - France 3.5 – US 6.8. Can we really claim to have the best? How about the most expensive? Does France have socialized medicine? NO. France’s healthcare is somewhat like Medicare – the government picks up 70% and private insurers the remaining 30%. This is funded by a 20% payroll tax – 10% from the employee and 10% from the employer. Sounds expensive but the total cost per person is still about ½ of the US. We do have excellent healthcare if you can afford it but we are far behind the rest of the world in the quality of care. The Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act’s intent is to offer the opportunity for those folks who cannot afford insurance or cannot get insurance because of pre-existing conditions. It may not be perfect but the best way to find out is implement it and see what happens then make tweeks along the way to improve it. The individual mandate is exactly the same as Social Security and Medicare. If you work you have contributed to both your whole life. With Medicare the healthy folks help pay for the sick folks – doesn’t that sound a bit like an individual mandate in ACA?
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 16:46:36 +0000
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