Healthcare Reform Too Expensive? Wrong. The U.S. Deficit Will Continue To Explode Without Reform!

[TomCADem]

Another news cycle passes, and the cable news media blissfully ignores the facts underscoring the need to immediately reform healthcare, and why waiting simply is not an option. While there is some discussion of the over 40 million who are currently insured, there is very little analysis of how incredibly expensive the current healthcare system is. Not only are significant portions of the population making due without healthcare, but we are paying too much for the healthcare we do get without any corresponding benefit in terms of life expectancy and health. The U.S. only ranks about #30 in life expectancy, yet we are clearly #1 in terms of costs paid under the current system, which eats into real wage growth among workers:

http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/chcm010307oth.cfm

Per Capita Cost Ranking:

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Percentage of GDP:

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From the NY Times:

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[applegrove]

1. Thank you for posting this at the DU. I double dog dare you to open an account

at the free republic and post this there. They need to know. Post it everywhere while you are at it.

[Thrill]

2. Obama says this almost everyday. The critics don't listen

[TomCADem]

4. True - Instead The Media Covers Imaginary Stuff Like "Death Panels" and Rationing

The corporate media is more likely to cover an expose on the existence of unicorns than the substance of healthcare reform regardless of how many times President Obama discusses this.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. True fiscal conservatives are for single payer.

At a minimum a financially responsible person who cared about the deficit and their children's future would be for a REAL public option.

Anything else is just irresponsible "I Got Mine Too bad the Rest of You and Everyone's Elses Grandkids are F!@#ed " Republican policy.

You are so very, very right that this is the Achilles heel that is NOT being exploited properly.

[hedgehog]

5. I couldn't believe Betsy McCaughey telling Jon Stewert last night

that we need to increase health care spending.

[jeanpalmer]

6. Has Obama ever looked at these charts?

If so, what is his reaction in seeing that these other countries get healthcare for a lot less money than we do? I guess my reaction would be, "How do they do it?" I would want to find out in detail, before starting any healthcare debate. I would task someone with finding out and reporting back on how their systems work, and the pluses and minuses. Then I would present my findings to the people and to Congress so that they would be aware of some of the options for reform that are available. Maybe even come up with a plan/proposal based on the best ideas from all the countries.

Compare that to the "debate" we're having now where healthcare reform was thrown out there without any comprehensive proposal or details, and it has turned into a circus of townhall meetings and deals with lobbyists.

At some point I hope a reporter asks Obama, "Have you ever looked into these other countries that get healthcare for a lot less, with the idea that we might adopt some of the things that they're doing?"

[TomCADem]

8. He Must Have, He Repeats These Facts Everytime I Hear Him

The media never replays these facts, so you it helps to watch him live or read the full transcript. You have to love the corporate media.

[quantass]

7. Other Countries with Single-Payer MUST be Completely Broke then

:shrug:

I think this half-assed healthcare reform will be the death of U.S's spot as #1 in the world. It reminds me of the downfall of the Romans for modern times. My guess is China will be the new #1.

R.I.P. USA