Universal Health Care in Mexico

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Mexico has been introducing a universal health care system gradually. The results thus far:

 

The number of cases of malaria have dropped by 60%, six times more people are receiving antiretroviral therapy, TB mortality has fallen by 30%, and Mexico is only one of seven countries on track to reduce child mortality by two-thirds by 2015; the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG4). The reforms have also led to a 17% reduction in the proportion of male teenagers who smoke, a 17% increase in the use of mammography, and a 32% increase in the number of pap smear tests over the past 5 years.

 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=51433

 

via American Prospect Tapped weblog

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

It's amazing that, with such great health-care, so many Mexicans would rather come to America and sit in the lobbies of emergency rooms for 10 hours to get free antibiotics.

 

Maybe I'll go down to TJ... I can go to a strip club and get a free STD test the next day. Viva La Raza!

[Guest Felonies!]

That post does no favors for your permanent electronic records, Spicy McHaggis.

[snuffbox 0]

I DONT USE OREILLY'S TALKING POINTS TO FORM MY OPINIONS!

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Wait, I'm trying to figure this out... you're from Wisconsin, so you know precisely what about the illegal immigration problem?

 

See, over here in LA, a 10 hour wait in an emergency room lobby is pretty common. And they're usually filled with four types: the illegal immigrant, the poor, the uninsured, and those in real trauma. Many times those four things can be found in the same patient. Other times they're separate. But one thing is for sure, regardless of your condition or the state of your insurance... if you don't come in by ambulance, they will put you BEHIND people that are there for flu shots, antibiotics, garden-variety broken bones and sprains, etc. You have to demonstrate a pretty grave condition to get admitted before people who are there for things that could be accomplished in a basic checkup. If you want anecdotes, I have those too... one including a five hour wait I had to endure while my potassium level was at a fatal deficiency.

 

The single biggest problem in ERs is the fact that they are required by law to see everyone who comes in, and the overwhelming majority of them are illegal immigrants seeking basic medicine. When illegal immigrants are attracted to this country by jobs and the benefits we take for granted everyday, you would think that such an outstanding universal health care system in their own country would have a bigger impact.

 

I don't get my talking points from Bill O'Reilly, and I don't get my jokes from washed up wrestlers. La Raza is a big thing over here for the more racist Mexicans, so lay off. This folder needs a sense of humor.

 

Just so you know, I don't care if my stance on illegal immigration is the same as O'Reilly's just like I don't care if my stance on marijuana legalization is the same as Nader's. There are morons on every side of every issue.

[EricMM 0]

I'm sure we would all love a heathcare system that could pick and chose who to care for, Haggis.

 

Nice.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I'd love one that treated the people who follow the rules.

[EricMM 0]

So what, felons don't get medical care?

 

For christ's sake, man, how do you know if someone you scraped off the street who looks mexican but cannot talk is legal or not!?

 

Maybe this shows that some Hospitals need more money, if they cannot perform properly...

[snuffbox 0]

Yeah, there is no illegal immigration problem in Wisconsin. Riiight.

 

You implied that all Mexican have stds. Caucasion Americans dont have stds?

 

In the wiretapping thread you implied that "you guys" are all against the gun ammendment, for no apparent reason.

 

Do you see a pattern developing here?

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

You're REALLY reaching snuffbox. The article is about universal health care, presumably an STD test would be on the house. Tijuana is not the cleanest city in the world. Presumably, an easy Tijuana stripper would not be the cleanest lay in the world. Hence the joke. I said NOTHING that implied ANYTHING about ANY ethnic group. Stop reaching. Try sense of humor once in your life.

 

Eric, so what, felons can't buy medical insurance?

 

I'm not talking about whether or not you treat people dying in the streets. I'm talking about people being treated for things the rest of us go to private practice and pay for... and them being treated AHEAD of graver cases. Your biggest problem is you think that having the government involved is good. I'm all for charity, I give to charity. But the government's job is not charity. Private hospitals should do what private hospitals want to do.

[snuffbox 0]

Matt Youngin' it!

[Slayer 0]

For someone wanting to inject "humor" into the CE folder, Spicy is taking this quite seriously!

[snuffbox 0]

What the fuck Slayer, cant you even take a really long, angry joke?

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Slayer, one of my biggest pet peeves is being called a racist. I don't think society laughs at itself enough. I feel you can be racially conscious without being uptight about every little joke. And that's how I live my life. I'm the furthest thing from a racist. I'm not going to pull out the "my best friends are (insert ethnic group here)" card, but it's pretty stupid to imply that about someone if you don't actually know them.

[snuffbox 0]

Where were you called a racist?

[Slayer 0]

I imagine he's talking about this post from above, which would be ironic since it seems your own injection of humor got flushed

[Guest Felonies!]

Spicy hates being called a racist.

Niskie hates being called a racist.

Therefore, Spicy shits in girls' mouths.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Caught by that sneaky transitive property, ONCE AGAIN!

 

Damn.

[EricMM 0]

Seriously Spicy, a pound of prevention is worth a ton of cure.

 

I'd rather have a free clinic with no deportation enforcement so that sick people could get checked out and / or any communicable diseases from afar got checked out and treated.

 

Besides, it is immensely profitable or, actually, it prevents a LOT of costs, if the government prevents people from being sick and not being able to work. It is good for America for Americans to be very healthy, don't you see?

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Speaking from personal experience, I couldn't agree more with your initial cliché. However, it still should not be the government's job to take care of that. Charity is for private people and private groups.

 

A government funded clinic is NOT a free clinic. Free clinics are only born out of charity, where donations are freely given. Government involvement almost never decreases costs. Set aside the idealistic argument of my libertarian values. Let's talk practically.

 

If the government is not under pressure to be efficient with spending, your taxes will go up, costing you money. If the government is under pressure to be efficient with spending, they will nickel and dime both the patients they insure and the hospitals to which the insurance is being paid. The hospitals, which are businesses, are not going to stand by and lose money because of government funded insurance. They will increase their fees, which will be paid by private insurance, thereby recouping what they lost from dealing with the government. Private insurance companies, which are businesses, are not going to stand by and lose money because of an increase in hospital fees. They will increase their premiums, which will be paid by their customers, thereby recouping what they lost from paying higher hospital fees. Higher insurance premiums cost you money.

 

I'm all for keeping people healthy. I care about every person, regardless of citizenship status. Charity should still be private.

[EricMM 0]

Would that there were charity enough to keep all of America / everyone in America healthy.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

I would argue that you're being an ideologue here, Spicy. I showed how the universal system that Mexico is transitioning to is improving a great deal of health indicators there.

 

I'm all for keeping people healthy. I care about every person...

 

Well, by most health indicators (infant mortality, life expectancy, other measures mentioned in the article I posted, etc.) countries with universal care are healthier than those without. Couple that with the fact that administrative costs are significantly lower in single payer systems, and practicality (coupled with your purported compassion) would call for universal health care.

 

Convince me that practicality, not ideology, is fueling your argument.

 

I'm all about results. I take the liberal position on most issues, but that's because, based on my observations/readings, the liberal position is more practical. For instance, on the issue of gun control, I have seen that it doesn't work (in England, for example) so I have taken the anti-gun control position.

[Ginger Snaps 0]

I want less people on Earth.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I would argue that you're being an ideologue here, Spicy.

Who's the guy getting his talking points from O'Reilly, again?

 

There's nothing wrong with being an ideologue if you're open-minded and your ideology is sound. Practicality should not decide the rightness or wrongness of an issue, only how it should be carried out once it's been evaluated ideologically.

 

(coupled with your purported compassion)

Go fuck yourself. I never judge someone's character based on what they think the government should do, neither should you. Unless you were joking... in which case: happyhappyfuntimesLOLzz!

 

Convince me that practicality, not ideology, is fueling your argument.

Did you actually read my entire post... you know, the one from which you quoted me?

 

I'm all about results.

Given that you have no qualms about taking a private citizen's money away from him, that's a scary proposition. You know, nuking China would really help curb overpopulation. It's certainly practical, and you're all about results. Would you support that?

 

I take the liberal position on most issues, but that's because, based on my observations/readings, the liberal position is more practical.

If you were talking about classical liberalism, I'd be right there with you. It's a shame you mean political liberalism. Also, you must be living under a rock if your observations have led you to support politically liberal economic/fiscal policy.

 

I want less people on Earth.

Why don't you lead the revolution?

[Guest Felonies!]

I want less people on Earth.

Fewer people on Earth.

 

I'm all for keeping people healthy.

I'm against health.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Remind me not to attempt rational discussion with Spicy again.