Would anyone here be in favor of Government run Clinics in every major community?

[Bandit]

A clinic where anyone could walk into and receive care, whether emergency or just a regular check-up. People could still pay insurance companies and could hire the best doctors from any place in the world but the average Joe or even someone without papers could find a place that would give them medical help at no expense to them. No questions that weren't medical. Just put a Government run Clinic in my town and I will be content. The insurance Giants will still make their killing but people that can not afford Insurance like me would still have a place to receive care. Why would this not work? The Government could pay for the education of doctors and nurses if they promise to give five years service on a Government Salary to their communities in a Clinic.

[zeemike]

1. I would but I would go one step further

A government run medical school for low income students that wanted to be doctors and nurses, and in exchange for their schooling would work for a period of time in these health clinics.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. And social workers too

I think it's a great idea.

[Bandit]

3. In my town there is such a thing only it is for select people only

It is for Alaska Natives only. They can show up and be helped free of charge any time. In places with a VA hospital it is pretty much the same for Veterans also. When I was in the Army many decades ago a person could always go to sick bay at any time day or night and receive help for free..I was never unhappy with the care I received even though they were Army/Government Doctors..

[TreasonousBastard]

13. That's the Indian Health Service, and there are clinics...

on reservations or where there is a concentration of Native Americans. It's the sort of thing that gets shorted when congress plays its funding games. but most people I know who use are thankful it's there at all.

All veterans are not equal to the VA, btw, and while some of us get good care, others are barred from all but service connected conditions. And us Vietnam era Class 6 vets may be locked out, too, when the money runs out.

[Bandit]

14. What is Class 6

I will need to know these terms sometime in the future I am sure.

[TreasonousBastard]

22. Whoa! It's been so long since I looked at that...

administrative stuff I forgot it's actually called a Priority Group. I seem to vaguely remember that I got in under the wire for Vietnam era vets back in the early 90s and that there was that special provision for us to get full care even if we didn't have a service connected condition, but I didn't see anything about that on the site. It seems to say any vet gets the care if broke enough. (Which is OK by me.)

Here's the VA website for medical benefits, but it doesn't entirely track with what I have, and there are wierd little unexpected benefits and glitches popping up all the time.

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/

[HelenWheels]

4. Trinidad clinics

I was in Trinidad/Tobago in the early 1990's with about 12 college students, an instructor and another nurse. They have free clinics and we had to use them. One of the kids was treated for a throat infection, another had an xray for an ankle injury and my nurse friend also had an xray for a leg injury. They didn't have to pay one cent. The clinics were crowded but the wait was not very long.

[sandnsea]

5. You probably have one

Most cities do, if they're above 40,000 or so. The problem is there are too many people who need health care. If they really promoted this as a solution to low income people, 25% of adults would be using these clinics for health care and that would overwhelm these clinics.

http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

[Bandit]

8. Then I guess the logical response would be to build more.

I have never heard of any of these clinics that are Government run and salaried doctors on hand. I am surprised I have never heard of any such thing. All I hear about is how the poor have to go to the emergency room for care and how that expense is driving uup the cost of everyone's health care.

[sandnsea]

10. They're government funded

And the doctors and staff are a combination of volunteer and paid, depending on location. Did you look up your area and see what's available?

Clinics for the poor really would be a two-tier system. It's okay as a stop-gap measure until we get something better. I've had military cattle-call health care. No Thank You.

[Maraya1969]

21. I went to one once and waited 4 hours for them to tell me the time had

run out and I had to come back the next day. I do think you can make an appointment but if you are sick that day and need real help, (I was having an asthma attack but not it was not that bad yet that I would go to the emergency room) you are out of luck.

And I have heard about the dental clinics and supposedly they just pull teeth if they are bad and do not do any cosmetic work.

[sandnsea]

25. That's pretty much it

Two-tiered care and nobody cares because most people don't know they exist, or are under the delusion the care is just as good as the Mayo Clinic. It would never change unless rich people were forced to go to them too.

[Mari333]

6. oh hell yes

I dont go to the doctor because I dont have health insurance. and I cannot afford it. and Im almost 60. lost a lot on my retirement funds when corporate america fucked us all. so, yes, I would like to see tax dollars helping people rather then waging unending corporate wars. I wont hold my breath.

[OHdem10]

7. Absolutely--

[moonandsixpence]

9. I think it's the word 'clinic' that I don't like; how about

walk-up medical offices--no appointments (or insurance) necessary?

[Bandit]

11. Maybe... Med Center..or Health center..

Whatever....it is the concept I am about.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. Give whatever name you like. With 47 million uninsured, the need is great.

And since it looks like our 'leaders' don't really give a rat'$ a$$ about even affordable health care, this might be our only option.

[fascisthunter]

12. why not

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

15. Yes, but would add

a feature on Preventive Care--where diet, supplementation, and exercise are discussed with each patient. Getting people eating right (I'm talking the specific individual, not in general) could stop a lot of long term problems before they start--ask anyone with Celiac disease or Diabetes, for example. And proper exercise can substantially lower the risk of osteoperosis in the elderly--but again it has to be the correct exercise for the individual. Likewise, prudent supplementation may mean a person is less likely to become dependent upon expensive prescription medication (Chrome, for example, regulates blood sugar).

[C......N......C]

16. It will be amazing to see how many people will fault your proposition.

K&R to a new awakening.

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. It shouldn't be necessary

Everyone should have access to the existing clinics, and there should be no economic barrier for a doctor to set up his or her practice in any community, regardless of median income.

[Festivito]

19. The Republican-Industrial complex would defund them until they died.

The clinics would become the butt of jokes, then lose voter support and die a slow painful death -- along with those it was intended to help.

[Laelth]

20. Yup. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[ensho]

23. kick

sure

[juno jones]

24. We have them here (WA state)

But we need more so that you can be seen without a presenting problem like unbearable pain. Right now for most un- and marginally insured they are like cheap emergency rooms where you might kill 8 hours and be asked to return the next buisness day.

Oh, and they only treat one thing at a time. I've never figured out how people with multiple problems get their stuff co-ordinated.

It's why I am leery of any half-measures short of universal health care. I can see us all poor folk being able to obtain medicare, but having to deal with an overburdened public system which absolutely no-one is talking about funding.

[Canuckistanian]

26. No, DOCTOR run, GOVERNMENT paid

That's what "single-payer" means. Government pays for it, DOCTORS run it.

But then, you'd still have what we in Canada call a "two-tier" system. And unfortunately, the better-paying private sector would drain the public sector of much needed medical talent and resources.

Trust me, you can't go halfway with this measure.

[LWolf]

27. As part of

a universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health CARE system in the U.S.?

Yes.

As a concession to big insurance?

No.

I think everyone deserves the same access and level of care. It should not be "pay to play, or settle for the free clinic."

[reggie the dog]

28. yes I would

here in France these government run "clinics" are called hospitals. "Clinics" over here are private. At any rate you get top quality care for free at the hospitals. Ok, not free all the time, sometimes you have to pay 1 euro.