Comments on: Why The French Can Afford To Get Sick

Sunday Morning: Medical Care In France Is Efficient, Quick, And Costs Half What Americans Spend On Health Care

[pswanberg]

The grass is always greener on the otherside, but once you get there you find it is fertilized with "bull ****". There are many foreigners who visit the very state you mock and say the exact same thing you said about France.

[pswanberg]

Are you serious? Everyone does have the right to health care! Life is all about making decisions, good or bad; Those who choose not to purchase health insurance have made their choice.

[pswanberg]

"And while the French are determined to preserve their system (it's currently running a 12 to 14 billion dollar deficit), most agree something's got to change." Just because something sounds good, doesn't mean it is good. It is unfortunate that so many people are uninsured and as a result suffer from inadequate medical care, but the fact still remains: social programs end up costing those who work for what they have. Maybe in the future when the US economy stabilizes, the idea of public health care will be viable, but the increased amount of government involvement in every American's life has them worried more than it has them excited.

[dzunakwa]

In the USA most obstetrician/gynecologists who deliver children pay $80,000 to $100,000 for their malpractice insurance. Does anyone believe that true Americans would give up their right to sue so that doctors could be paid less? If you introduced a system like the one in France without a complete overhaul of our courts there wouldn't be any doctors here. However, that would definitely reduce the cost of health care.

[Martin_Turow]

The difference is this simple-- in America, healthcare, including doctor services, IS A BUSINESS, a big one. In France, it is more like the Postal Service is here, a quasi-governmental system that strictly regulates everything. As soon as America decides that they don't like healthcare being a business, the sooner we can get down to true reform. Until then, healthcare will continue to seek the biggest return on investment possible and if that means gouging the crap out of everyone and everything, well, then, that's what's going to happen.

[davefromcamp]

Obesity is higher in the US too

[davefromcamp]

Seriously if you can't give your workers some health care close shop

[davefromcamp]

Food is more of a moral right than health care. I want free food.

[davefromcamp]

tort reform actually would help drive down medical malpractice insurance. An indirect approach. Agreed that few get taken to litigation but laywer advice isn't free. Agreed that the payouts are small BUT its like the lottery if a scissors is left inside of you during surgery. Therefore rates are high. It was probabbly dropped because ambulance chasers like Edawards are in congress. If there isn't much support for the bill, it gets stalled. Your defensive medicine is very off. MRIs in the US are orders 8-10xthat of germany. Unecessary daily labs, consults etc. The examples don't stop there. Check your #s

[davefromcamp]

well if you are counting the post doc time as well. People forget about residency where interns and residents make about $12/hr and this goes for anotehr 4 years. AND my local pyscologist/english professor/laywer is not taking the risk of someone's life. Do you want your surgeon to make less than your plumber? Agreed costs are high. Easy to jump on MDs but less than 20% of the cost goes to your Dr.