Socialized Healthcare and EMS

AlaskaEMT

AlaskaEMT

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I hope I'm not the only person interested in this topic... If a Democrat takes office (and the possibility seems likely), how will socialized healthcare effect EMS?

Less/more calls? Higher/lower wages? More/less funding? And many other factors I'm probably missing... what do you think?

I'm also new here, nice to meet you guys.
 
I will not vote for someone who supports socialized healthcare. The insurance companies need some serious reform as does medicaid/medicare but socialized healthcare is definitely not the answer. The quality of care and the rate of innovation would be greatly decreased.
 
LucidResq said:
I will not vote for someone who supports socialized healthcare. The insurance companies need some serious reform as does medicaid/medicare but socialized healthcare is definitely not the answer. The quality of care and the rate of innovation would be greatly decreased.
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Agreed. However, the fact that we insure every aspect of healthcare is a big part of the problem IMO.

Also, many are up in arms about paying $3 or $4 per day for a life improving drug but do not think twice about spending that on their daily cup o' joe.
 
Interesting video Rid and unfortunatly all to true. There are a great many good things about Canadian and American health care and some bad things. The hard part is to have just the good things.

We (Canada) have some big wait time issues, no question about it. But we have some good things too. Eg: A co-workers wife was about to have a premature baby, (23wks). The baby was born and lived in Neonate ICU for months getting all the care it needed. Cost to family for health care $0. Requirement for private health coverage, zero. If I take in an accident victim witha a broken leg. It gets fixed. Cost $0.

What happens in the US if you don't have private health insurance? What if you can't pay?

Somewhere between the systems used around the world is a better system. The hard part is finding it and making it happen.
 
One thing:

For the love of God, don't rule out government involvement all together.

Its obvious our current system has major problems, I'm open to ideas on the best choice.

But the whole "invisible hand" idea really did a number on labor through the Gilded Age, until Unions popped up and Government regulations took place.

Many libertarian types scream on and on about "Free Market" blah blah blah....haven't we seen that a completely unregulated private sector isn't the best choice?
 
Oh believe me, I'm not suggesting a total free market free-for-all, and I do not oppose government involvement. I don't have the answer as to what will work, but I know that a happy medium between socialized and capitalistic health care could be implemented, and that neither extreme is ideal at all.
 
All good points, but we already know that taking ANY industry off the free market reduces quality. We haven't yet talked about how socialized medicine will effect the pre-hospital environment. With universal healthcare, I think people will be more inclined to receive treatment and medical advice _before_ it becomes an emergency... which could translate into less calls.
 
Very true and Good point.

But with the Baby Boomers getting old....think that may offset new preventative measures? Also, how bad would lower call volume be if they are able to staff to the extent needed?

Those are questions I don't have any answers to
 
AlaskaEMT said:
All good points, but we already know that taking ANY industry off the free market reduces quality. We haven't yet talked about how socialized medicine will effect the pre-hospital environment. With universal healthcare, I think people will be more inclined to receive treatment and medical advice _before_ it becomes an emergency... which could translate into less calls.
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I think abuse of ambulance service is that some people see us a free ride to the hospital. If all healthcare is free, they will call more often.
 
AlaskaEMT said:
All good points, but we already know that taking ANY industry off the free market reduces quality. We haven't yet talked about how socialized medicine will effect the pre-hospital environment. With universal healthcare, I think people will be more inclined to receive treatment and medical advice _before_ it becomes an emergency... which could translate into less calls.
Click to expand...

My favorite idea is to replace private insurance with the government. This keeps most healthcare providers in the private sector, where the profit motive maintains or improves quality of care.

While the government may not pay hospitals the same fees they charge insurance companies, hopefully the increase in "paying" customers will keep costs lower.
 
rmellish said:
My favorite idea is to replace private insurance with the government. This keeps most healthcare providers in the private sector, where the profit motive maintains or improves quality of care.

While the government may not pay hospitals the same fees they charge insurance companies, hopefully the increase in "paying" customers will keep costs lower.
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"The scariest words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'" - President Ronald Reagan

I agree that our system is broken, but I'm not entirely sure that socialization is the way to go.
 
ffemt8978 said:
"The scariest words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'" - President Ronald Reagan
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I agree with the quote but most people think of us as "from the government" because 911 is usually the government. Just saying. Considering how most EMS systems are run I think Reagen may be on to something.

I happen to be against socialized medicine although I would like the government help people out. Free market with gov't assistance.
 
Outbac1 said:
Interesting video Rid and unfortunatly all to true. There are a great many good things about Canadian and American health care and some bad things. The hard part is to have just the good things.

We (Canada) have some big wait time issues, no question about it. But we have some good things too. Eg: A co-workers wife was about to have a premature baby, (23wks). The baby was born and lived in Neonate ICU for months getting all the care it needed. Cost to family for health care $0. Requirement for private health coverage, zero. If I take in an accident victim witha a broken leg. It gets fixed. Cost $0.

What happens in the US if you don't have private health insurance? What if you can't pay?

Somewhere between the systems used around the world is a better system. The hard part is finding it and making it happen.
Click to expand...

It isn't free. Just because you don't pay a fee doesn't make it free. What are your taxes? And why should others pay for your healthcare?
 
Zanerd said:
One thing:

For the love of God, don't rule out government involvement all together.

Its obvious our current system has major problems, I'm open to ideas on the best choice.

But the whole "invisible hand" idea really did a number on labor through the Gilded Age, until Unions popped up and Government regulations took place.

Many libertarian types scream on and on about "Free Market" blah blah blah....haven't we seen that a completely unregulated private sector isn't the best choice?
Click to expand...

No, we haven't. We have a "mixed economy". We have never had a completely unregulated private sector.
 
LucidResq said:
Oh believe me, I'm not suggesting a total free market free-for-all, and I do not oppose government involvement. I don't have the answer as to what will work, but I know that a happy medium between socialized and capitalistic health care could be implemented, and that neither extreme is ideal at all.
Click to expand...

Why? We have no model for "free market" health care. Yet we do for socialized medicine.
 
AlaskaEMT said:
All good points, but we already know that taking ANY industry off the free market reduces quality. We haven't yet talked about how socialized medicine will effect the pre-hospital environment. With universal healthcare, I think people will be more inclined to receive treatment and medical advice _before_ it becomes an emergency... which could translate into less calls.
Click to expand...

But it doesn't mean that people will take better care of themselves. It means they will expect their government to.
 
Are you kidding? Much higher call volume for less emergent reasons, much lower pay, much less funding, forget new trucks or new equipment - that is the way of socialized medicine for EMS.
 
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