LTTE, need feedback on connection w health care cost and life...

[usregimechange]

Missouri and national policy makers have cited the rate at which health care cost has increased in at the state and national levels in order to justify cutting health care for the poor and disabled. Indeed the cost of health care in the United States is now over 15% of national GDP. The national health care cost as a percentage of GDP has consistently risen for over 40 years.

Taking a look at the past 40 years you can notice some other trends. Life expectancy has risen consistently in the US in that period of time. Infant mortality has decreased consistently.

Might investments in health care improve public health? Has that 15% bought us 5 more years with our parents? Has it improved the likelihood that our babies will survive and be healthy? What did our lack of selfishness buy us?

If you work this in reverse and less people are being treated for their medical and psychiatric conditions, what do you get? Do you get more people in emergency rooms that could have been treated prior to their admission? Write Jim Talent and Roy Blunt and ask them. They can afford a raise for themselves, so maybe they can afford a quick come to Jesus experience to assist them in identifying the human faces in their budget numbers.

[FloridaPat]

1. I had heard that life expectancy has been going lower the last

10-20 years. Infant mortality has increased. Also over weight people are now 60% (I think) of the population. Overweight children is a major problem. About 2-5% of bankruptcies are because of paying for medical bills. Lots of people go broke paying for medical bills.

[usregimechange]

2. Don't think so...

[usregimechange]

3. revised, changed ending

Missouri and national policy makers have cited the rate at which health care cost has increased at the state and national levels in order to justify cutting health care for the poor and disabled. Indeed the cost of health care in the United States is now over 15% of national GDP. The national health care cost as a percentage of GDP has consistently risen for over 40 years.

Taking a look at the past 40 years you can notice some other trends. Life expectancy has risen consistently in the US in that period of time. Infant mortality has decreased consistently.

Might investments in health care improve public health? Has that 15% bought us 5 more years with our parents? Has it improved the likelihood that our babies will survive and be healthy?

Yes, allow our neighbors pull themselves up by their boot straps but please take time to notice if they have legs. The use of the principle of personal responsibility is only productive if it is not used as a convenient rationalization for selfishness.