General Discussion

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)

2. Some years ago I had a long conversation with a doctor

Thu May 14, 2015, 07:12 PM

May 2015

who was married to a than-work colleague of mine. This guy was a specialist - radiology - and a Republican doctor from a long line of Republican doctors. He was for single-payer. Very strongly. Why?

His explanation was strikingly simple - countless doctor and staff-hours were wasted every year in arguing with insurance companies and in trying to comply and deal with the umpteen kinds of forms and record-keeping requirements of each one of the insurers, no two of which were remotely the same.

"We could practice better medicine, pay more attention to patients and make as much money, even at lower reimbursement rates, with single payer because everything would be so much simpler and more efficient. We would make back at least as much as we'd lose and maybe more, as a result of the efficiency and we'd see more patients."

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

49 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Take it from an American - Britain's NHS is as good as it gets [View all] Nye Bevan May 2015 OP

I have American family members living in Britain... mike_c May 2015 #1

my mom had an allergic reaction when we were in roguevalley May 2015 #35

Some years ago I had a long conversation with a doctor hifiguy May 2015 #2

Thank God the ACA saved us from a socialist hell like the NHS Fumesucker May 2015 #3

THE FUCKERS IN ALASKA'S COMMITTEE DEALING WITH roguevalley May 2015 #36

Americans believe the ONLY motivation is greed.... Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #4

I concur. NHS rocks. KeepItReal May 2015 #5

No being terrified that the hospital they took her to was "out of network" Nye Bevan May 2015 #16

You are so right. KeepItReal May 2015 #20

Bumped Head Rolando May 2015 #17

I'd gladly pay higher taxes to save you that $22k KeepItReal May 2015 #19

Even Pakistan has single payer health care project_bluebook May 2015 #6

The US Government made sure Iraq kept their centralized free health care system KeepItReal May 2015 #21

Having been through a vew Iraqi hospitals Telcontar May 2015 #29

But...... PatrickforO May 2015 #7

And I am a pro-capitalist advocate of competitive free markets, Nye Bevan May 2015 #26

I was appalled at the MSM's "journalism" during the health care debates LiberalLovinLug May 2015 #8

Canadian Care Rolando May 2015 #18

I'm so sorry about your sister. mahina Jan 2016 #49

I've always like Stephen Hawkin's great rebuttal about the US "healthcare" system and NHS erronis May 2015 #9

And sadly Cameron is PumpkinAle May 2015 #10

Yep. Cameron wants to privatize it. n/t geardaddy May 2015 #32

better than what newt Gingrich and the heritage foundation came up with??? preposterous Doctor_J May 2015 #11

Hell, we don't even have a country that will pay for a safe rail system like other valerief May 2015 #12

And gigantic rebates to companies that make billions hifiguy May 2015 #13

Meh. AtheistCrusader May 2015 #14

Can I ask why? Nye Bevan May 2015 #15

Less expensive, no waiting lists. AtheistCrusader May 2015 #28

Yes. The systems in Germany and Austria are wonderful! JDPriestly May 2015 #40

recently in London where we were at a clinic and 2 hospitals and no charges at all cynannmarie May 2015 #22

i think the rules in the UK may have changed Angel Martin May 2015 #44

I am curious melm00se May 2015 #23

There's still profit in them muriel_volestrangler May 2015 #24

In Oz and New Zealand too treestar May 2015 #27

I beleive NZ was the first country with an NHS. Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #33

If every citizen in the country was given a Toyota for free, Nye Bevan May 2015 #25

I'm getting mixed up on my acronyms. Is this about Gibbs? pinboy3niner May 2015 #30

I Lived in Spain itcfish May 2015 #31

That is why Tories are trying to destroy it... Helen Borg May 2015 #34

K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast May 2015 #37

I would rate the two Welshman, Nye Bevan and Lloyd George as the two Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #38

I lived in Europe; had babies in Europe; husband had an operation JDPriestly May 2015 #39

1. We live in a globalized world and we can't go back; 2. Socialized medicine can't work here! Romulox May 2015 #41

"...we all end up believing that America�s private, for-profit healthcare system is our only hope truebluegreen May 2015 #42

My experience at a UK clinic was just Meh and came with a long wait JCMach1 May 2015 #43

(In the US) "An average ER visit costs more than an average month�s rent" Nye Bevan May 2015 #46

It was a clinic (not ER)... was comparable pricing to a Dr. Office visit in the US... JCMach1 May 2015 #48

Thank you for posting this. Ruby the Liberal May 2015 #45

I've spent many years working in Europe, mostly in France and the UK Sobax May 2015 #47