It's still very early, but I like what I'm seeing so far from Obamacare... The main thing I'd like to see, however, is a study revolving around Obamacare's effects on costs - specifically, it's ability to 'bend the curve'... It'll likely take at least a few years before enough data is there to do any real study on the matter but early results are encouraging.
Hasn't there already been enough studies of this around th world.
Thats about right...It raises taxes...more spending for really little amount of change overall...and it raises the cost of healthcare additionally...
generally younger people use less, but we have to remember that all of these people are insured BY CHOICE atm - they aren't mandated to stay on their parents insurance it's only the insurance companies who are mandated to allow a young adult (As defined as up to 26) to keep their insurance if they so choose... My point being that those people are likely primarily people who couldn't get insurance(for whatever reason) before but wanted it and now it's available so they're taking advantage of the newfound availability.
I'm in that income bracket, and I pay 50% of my insurance costs; I live fine and without government assistance. I dont use my insurance much admitedly... but I have had my wisdom teeth pulled in addition to another, I recently found out I have a stomach ulcer and if I didn't have insurance I would still be puking every morning because of the acids, etc... Even as a generally healthy 22 year old male I get use out of my insurance just fine and while it is fairly expensive it is worth it most of the time (and everytime I start to think I'm wasting my money, I'll get a cavity or I'll break my toe).
What studies? What you're saying is absolutly ass backwards from reality; ALL advanced nations with universal healthcare systems pay significantly less per person than we do in the US (costs are cut in half or more depending on country)... Literally every reputable, peer reviewed study on the healthcare industry suggests that universal systems are superior to the system we had prior to Obamacare(and most systems in Europe are probably still better than Obamacare as well). you're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Obamacare does takes steps to address cost of healthcare, which is why I noted in my OP that I wanted to see the data for Obamacare - say 10 years from now - to see how effective it is at 'bending the curve'. I agree though, lowering the costs is the most important.
Thats up for debate as you stated, the data isn't going to show us any different unless it's slanted, the cost of health-care is rising and it was not addressed at all really, especially when you consider the new costs added, for real universal health-care there would need to be mandates...but thats an issue of liberty, not something the USA stands for..The only way we can have universal health-care is with the free market and the freedom to practice medicine and manufacture medical equipment cheaply. We are a capitalistic society, it must happen with the the free market or it won't happen at all.
We'll see. I will admit that Obamacare probably didn't do enough to curb costs(a public option, for example, would've helped), but it's at least a huge step in the right direction - which is where we obviously part in terms of opinion.
Cite examples
You should get your facts straight bud; Cost per person analysis includes ALL forms of payment, that includes taxes. The overall cost per person in Europe, with everything taken into account, is HALF or less than what we pay in the U.S.. You cannot dispute that, it's fact.
The discoveries of healing science must be the inheritance of all. That is clear. Disease must be attacked, whether it occurs in the poorest or the richest man or woman simply on the ground that it is the enemy; and it must be attacked just in the same way as the fire brigade will give its full assistance to the humblest cottage as readily as to the most important mansion. Our policy is to create a national health service in order to ensure that everybody in the country, irrespective of means, age, sex, or occupation, shall have equal opportunities to benefit from the best and most up-to-date medical and allied services available.
Let me Paraphrase for you
so a VAT of 20% plus a personal income tax of 40% is no where near 50 or 60? Hate to tell ya, but 40 + 20= 60, which is really very very very very close to 60, but yeah you are right, its not very close to 50. ( The UK is where I am getting my info)
That's not quite true either, because the tax systems are progressive meaning most Europeans pay lower than 45% on their personal income and depending on the country most of the things the poor buy - like food - are exempt from the VAT just like how sales taxes work here in the U.S.. What this entails is that most Europeans are taxed far below 50% effectively.
