[GMAN]

Those executives are paid a lot of money because they make a lot of money for their shareholders. I have a problem with any of these companies giving huge sums of money to any employee when their companies are essentially bankrupt, especially with taxpayer dollars. I would much rather see executives make big sums by pushing for innovative ways in which to manufacture products in this country.

I am not sure that our health care system is inefficient. It is just expensive. Most practice defensive medicine.

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Originally Posted by GMAN

Those executives are paid a lot of money because they make a lot of money for their shareholders.

Then why are they being paid millions when their companies are being bailed out? Our CEO's are, on average, paid far more than those in other nations, such as Japan. If our executives are worth that much more, why are the Japanese buying us? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

I am not sure that our health care system is inefficient. It is just expensive. Most practice defensive medicine.

We spend a vastly greater percentage of our GDP on health care than any other industrialized nation AND the results we get, by any measure, are nowhere commensurate with what we spend. One survey, by the World Health Organization, ranks us 37th in overall health care quality, just ahead of Slovenia. Our system is broken by any rational standard.

I have to leave out for an AM delivery. It may be a few days before I get back to answer any more of your blather and drivel.

[GMAN]

You asked why executives were paid so much money. I answered. You didn't like my answer so you leveled personal attacks. If you don't want an honest answer then don't ask the question. Companies don't care what other countries pay their executives. I do think that these financial institutions should freeze any bonuses and major salary increases until they can pay the government back. I can agree that some of these executives are over paid for running their companies into the ground. On the other hand, some are paid by performance. I have no problem paying anyone on performance. I do have a problem paying an executive when they don't perform. But then, it really doesn't make any difference what I think. It is the stockholders who decide if the CEO or other executives who run THEIR company is over paid. It is none of the government's business how much they are paid unless they are a stockholder.

Contrary to what you have stated, we have the best healthcare system in the world. I would trust our medical personnel over any other country. There are problems but it would be compounded if the government takes over the system. This country leads the world in development of drugs and medical innovations. The problem with the system is the government and lawyers. We have way too much of both that are involved in our healthcare. Insurance companies are also too involved in our healthcare. With all of the problems, we still have the best healthcare in the world.

If you feel that I am putting forth drivel then feel free to not respond. I can't believe you would put any credibility in anything the World Health Organization would put forth.

[BanditsCousin]

I think we rank 37th or so on healthcare in the world. But I would agree a lot of innovations in the medical field are right here.

[SickRick]

Originally Posted by BanditsCousin

I think we rank 37th or so on healthcare in the world. But I would agree a lot of innovations in the medical field are right here.

Crying shame so few of us can afford to avail ourselves of them (the innovations)...

I'm paying $695 a month for my insurance (Aetna HMO). Can't actually afford to see a DOCTOR - but it does make my meds cheeper (then again, I had them re-written as generics so I can drop the insurance). When I'm REALLY feeling crappy - I go the emergency room up the street - hospital is on contract with Aetna, $60 co-pay - all the TESTS I want/need - best way to fly 1st class on a coach budget.

If Comrade Obama this his healthcare plan is all that great, then why, when he and members of Congress are asked if they would GIVE UP their REALLY GREAT LIFETIME FREE HEALTHCARE for this plan - NOT ONE OF THEM SAID THEY WOULD - most common comment; NO COMMENT...

Rick

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Originally Posted by GMAN

Contrary to what you have stated, we have the best healthcare system in the world.

I challenge you to prove that statement.

[GMAN]

No one is turned away when they are ill in this country. I can only relate my personal experience. My wife has a number of serious health issues. If we lived in Canada or another country where healthcare is rationed she may not have gotten some of the care she has experienced over the years. Under the Obama and other socialist healthcare systems she could have been dead before receiving any healthcare. In fact, with all of her health problems they would not want her to be treated since she would use more than her fair share of healthcare. This country has developed most of the new drugs that have been developed over the years. Thing such as organ transplants were pioneered by American doctors. We were doing heart transplants before any other country in the world. Doctors such as Debakey, Coolidge and others were some of the early heart transplant surgeons. And don't forget about the first artificial heart. These were all American doctors. Innovations is surgical procedures such as microscopic surgery were also started in the U.S. The system has it's flaws, but I would still trust my health to most U.S. healthcare providers over any other place on the planet. I would be interested in knowing what criteria the World Health Organization used to establish their ranking. Sometimes it is how you ask a question. I don't necessarily put much credence in any of these type of rankings without knowing more about how they were done.

[BanditsCousin]

Switching gears to education in 5...4...3...2...

[Dejanh]

I do not think this country has a bad healthcare service, but i do think that for the money that it is charging, it should be some ten billion light years away from any other in the world.

I cannot imagine why would people keep on attacking this administration when it comes to their plan for health care and its so called ,, rationing''...
EVERY SINGLE PROCEDURE THAT HAD TO BE DONE ON BOTH OF MY PARENTS, HAD TO BE APPROVED BY THE INSURANCE FIRST. Some of them were not approved and they were not done, PERIOD.

This is right now, the rationing that is going on within the system as we speak, yet these lies keep on popping up about these death panels, rations, lines, pull the line on granny..its just sad to see Americans prove to the rest of the world just how big of a idiots we are.

1.5 trillion over ten years is NOTHING in comparison with the massive millitary spending that we have..
If we only brought out boys home we could buy the ****ing continent, yet we continue on this path with no end in sight and hope for the best. WEll, the best aint coming unless we make it come, and no one will bring it to us.

Only very good thing about this economic downturn is that it actualy started to hurt us. Unless it starts to hurt you never know that there is a problem but unfortunately, everything we are doing is opposite of what we should do.

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Originally Posted by gman

no one is turned away when they are ill in this country.

and that is a big part of why our health care costs are out of control. Because so many lack access to basic care they end up being treated in emergency rooms, after their condition has worsened. At a much higher cost.

I can only relate my personal experience.

If you have never experienced other countries health care, how can you compare?

My wife has a number of serious health issues. If we lived in canada or another country where healthcare is rationed she may not have gotten some of the care she has experienced over the years. Under the obama and other socialist healthcare systems she could have been dead before receiving any healthcare. In fact, with all of her health problems they would not want her to be treated since she would use more than her fair share of healthcare.

First- Didn't you just say above that nobody is denied access to treatment in this country?

Second- Those are simple lies. She would get all the care she needed in any other industrialized nation. It's American insurance companies that have the horrible reputations for denying treatments to patients. I can cite two personal friends who have just experienced this. One is being denied tests she wants done by Kaiser. The other just lost his teenage daughter to cancer after taking her out of the local hospital and getting her to Stanford where they provided much more aggressive treatment, which will likely be at her parents expense. I could go on and on about this one.

I challenge you to show me anything in the Obama plan that would in any way "ration" health care. This is like the increased taxes you claim you will be paying under Obama and like your assertion that the U.S. has the best health care in the world. I've challenged you to prove these & you can't. Because they simply aren't true.

This country has developed most of the new drugs that have been developed over the years. Thing such as organ transplants were pioneered by American doctors. We were doing heart transplants before any other country in the world. Doctors such as Debakey, Coolidge and others were some of the early heart transplant surgeons. And don't forget about the first artificial heart. These were all American doctors. Innovations is surgical procedures such as microscopic surgery were also started in the u.s. The system has it's flaws, but I would still trust my health to most U.S. Healthcare providers over any other place on the planet. I would be interested in knowing what criteria the world health organization used to establish their ranking. Sometimes it is how you ask a question. I don't necessarily put much credence in any of these type of rankings without knowing more about how they were done.

Of the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world (by revenue) 4 are from the U.S. I think that disproves your first sentence above. The rest of the paragraph is equally brainwashed. In fact many people now leave the U.S. To get more affordable health care in other countries. If I wanted the best health care, I would go to France. It leads in most rankings and I have a former employee who owns a house there. He & his wife spend a as much time as they can there & they think they get better care there than here. The simple truth is that we spend a far higher percentage of our gdp on health care than any other industrialized nation and do not have a level of results anywhere near commensurate with our expenditures. If we do not correct this (along with the huge sums we spend on prisons and our military) we will soon be bankrupt, spending so much to service our debt that we will not be able to afford the infrastructure or educational systems that we so desperately need to compete in a global, high-tech, information based economy. Then we will all suffer, trust me.

xxxxx