The Future of Healthcare in the U.S. under Obamacare?

During the long and bitter debate over healthcare reform in the U.S., many here on ATS - from both the U.S. and the U.K. - used the U.K's healthcare system as both a model for what the U.S. should try and do, or as a model for why we should fear having anything like the British healthcare system.

The most stated reason for not wanting the U.S. to use the British model was fear that rising costs would lead to rationing of healthcare.

Unfortunately, according to recent news articles, the people saying we should fear a system such as the UK's appear to have been the correct ones, as to cut costs the UK has just announced sweeping changes to their healthcare system, including decentralizing the system and rationing what many consider basic services.

Here is an article that summarizes what's happing in the UK.

Axe falls on NHS services

Some of the most common operations — including hip replacements and cataract surgery — will be rationed as part of attempts to save billions of pounds, despite government promises that front-line services would be protected.
Patients’ groups have described the measures as “astonishingly brutal”.

[edit on 7/26/2010 by centurion1211]

This has nothing to do with the cost of NHS, which has been solvent for years. Rather -- it has everything to do with deregulation in banking, credit default swaps, and the global collapse of faith in the money system.

Self fulfilling prophesy, IMO: The same people who hate NHS, orchestrated the collapse of the market as a profit taking scheme. Follow the money.

whats scary is the Gov isn't even listing to the people on this subject. there just doing what ever the hell they want.

next they will implement a federal work out plan for the over wight population.

LOOK OUT FAT PEOPLE THERE COMING FOR YOU!!!!!!

Originally posted by 0zzymand0s
This has nothing to do with the cost of NHS, which has been solvent for years. Rather -- it has everything to do with deregulation in banking, credit default swaps, and the global collapse of faith in the money system.

Self fulfilling prophesy, IMO: The same people who hate NHS, orchestrated the collapse of the market as a profit taking scheme. Follow the money.

On the contrary, the news on this is all about cost cutting.

More from the article (my bolding for emphasis).

An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has uncovered widespread cuts planned across the NHS, many of which have already been agreed by senior health service officials. They include:
* Restrictions on some of the most basic and common operations, including hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery and orthodontic procedures.
* Plans to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from budgets for the terminally ill, with dying cancer patients to be told to manage their own symptoms if their condition worsens at evenings or weekends.
* The closure of nursing homes for the elderly.
* A reduction in acute hospital beds, including those for the mentally ill, with targets to discourage GPs from sending patients to hospitals and reduce the number of people using accident and emergency departments.
* Tighter rationing of NHS funding for IVF treatment, and for surgery for obesity.
* Thousands of job losses at NHS hospitals, including 500 staff to go at a trust where cancer patients recently suffered delays in diagnosis and treatment because of staff shortages.
* Cost-cutting programmes in paediatric and maternity services, care of the elderly and services that provide respite breaks to long-term carers.

With the U.S. running increasingly large deficits under the obama administration, expect this scenario to be repeated here when the money starts to run out. As you can see, the first victims of these cuts will be the terminally ill, mentally ill and seniors.



[edit on 7/26/2010 by centurion1211]

I know of this one plant that, if was made legal to use...would offset the price of healthcare, stimulate the economy to incredible lengths, even give a surplus verses a debt.

Why aren't we continously demanding this plant be removed from being illegal to use again?

oh, thats right...because we are all programmed drones



incidently, I dont even use it (anymore at least), but think the whole concept is just stupid....you got this fairly harmless thing that is made illegal for ? that would resolve many issues and give only positive results...

ya, its not fully on topic, but it is in the concept that we need a new source of income for the nation to offset the new social programs being installed, and the ones already installed for that matter...do it or go broke seems to be the only option here.

If this is completely out of place, feel free to snip it out...but I think it does add valueable content to the subject as a whole...cant get through a problem without some solutions present.

reply to post by centurion1211
I am not at all surprised by the rationing in the UK.

When everyone gets 'it' for free, it is only the matter of who pays for 'it', until they can't or won't pay anymore. Then you must ration.

reply to post by centurion1211


That's an interesting perspective, but look at it this way:

It costs UK taxpayers roughly 100 billion annually to fund NHS.

Costs so far to bail out the banks in the UK?

850 billion.

www.independent.co.uk...

The main reason they are looking for cuts is because of banking and finance deregulation destroyed their economy.

reply to post by 0zzymand0s
I think the US is in the same type boat, just sinking in deeper water!
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