A Few Things Every American Should Know About The French
The French are not shiftless. Like other ‘socialistic’ peoples of Europe they have struck a deal: they pay higher taxes, but in return they have reliable medical coverage, more job security, good unemployment benefits, virtually free education, five-week paid vacations, family allowances for children, and sometimes even housing allowances. There is a social “safety net.” There is less abject poverty, and there is far less disparity between the very rich and the very poor, as in America.
The French are not reactionary conservatives. They still respect their traditions, their families, and to some extent their church. But they legalized abortion 25 years ago, they have day care centers for infants of working mothers, and they now have a special statute that recognizes and protects homosexual unions. They did not not impeach their president (Francois Mitterrand) when he admitted to fathering an illegitimate child. (The French politely call it a “natural” child.)
“They pay higher taxes, but in return they have reliable medical coverage, more job security, good unemployment benefits, virtually free education, five-week paid vacations, family allowances for children, and sometimes even housing allowances.”
You do realize that if americans do that in hopes to get the same they would be cheated right?
Chances are that the politicians would waste the extra money on pork projects.
#32, jc,
I’m not saying France is horrible, but this column just looks at things from the white side of things…
Comment by jccalhoun — 10/16/2006 @ 12:09 pm
Maybe because we are almost all white male Americans.
If you want to pay more for an HMO type system which is designed to be a more all-encompassing system that emphasized prevention to (in theory) lower future treatment costs, then so be it.
Regardless of whether you call it insurance or HMO, or what ever, most of us belong to a Health Care group that is run by a company with the word insurance in it. I don’t give a poop what it is called. To me it is Health Care and I and my family will use the health care afforded to us by my wife’s and I’s contributions.
And for whatever it is worth, may we always contribute much more then we take out.
the only french i emulate is in cooking (and only the palatable dishes – horse meat nonwithstanding)
Some years ago, I was making only $2000.00 a month and didnt have medical(in Hawaii) cos it cost more than $300 a month to get it for myself(30 year old single fit, healthy male). I decided to forgoe it until I could afford the luxury of health insurance.
One day I sprained my ankle real bad and went to the ER and they said I couldnt use state subsidized medicare cos I made too much money($2000 a month). But the able bodied homeless dude who decided to chill at the beach was able to get state subsidized medicare. So I told the ER nurse that I should just quit my job and become a bum so that I could get state subsidised medicare. She laughed!!
Anyway, I got stuck with a $1000 medical bill for the Doc to squeeze my ankle for a few seconds and tell me I was lucky it wasnt broken cos then it woud have cost me a lot more. So, I stopped playing all sports and just played it “safe”, by sitting on my ass at home until I finally started making more money and got health insurance.
A note about expensive health insurance in Hawaii. The Board that regulates which health insurance companies can sell health insurance in Hawaii is(or was, may still be, i am not sure) presided by agents of the 2 or 3 medical companies that currently are allowed to offer health insurance. So much for competition bringing the cost of health insurance down. They do not allow all health insurance providers into Hawaii so that the few can make more money off the health of its citizens!!! Sad!!
Larry LeVine –
The American system is better. I work but have no heath care, paid vacations, or pension plan. Think of all the money guys like me save the American companies.
Two questions:
1) Why should your company be obligated to pay you anything other than wages/salary in exchange for the work that you do for them? Why should anyone other than the government be in the business of redistributing income?
2) If you value a company that covers health care and pension plans, and gives paid vacations, why don’t you leave your current employer for one that offers those benefits?
41,
Ah, the always simple and effective black and white.
You are correct about point one. It should be a government initiative. But one thing I never understood about American style private health care. If competition is supposed to bring the cost down, why is the US number 1 is health care costs? And don’t pull out the “it’s the best in the world” argument, cause that’s just too damn subjective. I’m talking pure economics.
If competition is supposed to bring the cost down, why is the US number 1 is health care costs?
Because, as at least one other poster has pointed out, there is a disconnect between who uses the system (patients) and who actually pays for it (insurance, and/or the employers who typically pay for the insurance).
And another important factor is the malpractice/tort industry. In addition to the sky-high costs imposed directly by malpractice insurance, there is the indirect effect of unnecessary examinations, etc. which are often performed solely to guard against malpractice liability.
Yes, of course you stupid pig, we should emulate the glorious French rather than put them down.
Being able to have a child is not a health problem
Interesting way of putting it, AB CD. Maybe that’s why Europe’s birth rate is so appallingly low.
#43 Frank IBC
Is the medicine really the place we want to have a low price competitive business model?
#44 Frank IBC
That is such a bullshit argument! If doctors would self govern there wouldn’t be as many malpractice suits. When they make a mistake why shouldn’t they pay? What is a child worth to you? What is an arm worth to you? What about the cost of taking care of a brain damaged spouse for the rest of their life because a doctor was incompetent in their practice? What is that worth? What would it cost for someone to take everything away from your you job, your spouse, your ability to take care of yourself. Would you still think malpractice insurance is a problem?
The simple solution to your problem is doctors should self govern and weed out the bad ones, and there are plenty, so that the number of malpractice suits come down.
I know many doctors, some are good friends. Not one of them is hurting despite their malpractice insurance. That might be because they very rarely make mistakes of a gross nature. You see malpractice insurance is like any other insurance it is based on YOUR risk of making a mistake and your history of mistakes and what type of medicine you practice.
$3 Million dollar homes. $90,000 cars, boats, second homes worth $1.2 I assure you none of them are hurting because of malpractice insurance.
#45 AB CD
Pregnancy may not be a problem but it is defiantly a medical condition. Therefore it falls under “medical” coverage.
Is the medicine really the place we want to have a low price competitive business model?
So you’re in favor of prices rising out of control?
When they make a mistake why shouldn’t they pay?
You miss the point totally. There is a tremendous amount of abuse in the malpractice/tort system. Cases in point are “cerebral palsy” suits against OB/GYNs. And blaming just about any birth defect on OB/GYNs, for that matter.
If France is such a great place to live, how come no one finds it worthwhile to have children there? They are fast becoming a Muslim country, and then it won’t be as worthwhile anymore.
Yup, we got us a faulty system, just like lots of other folks in the world. The truly sad fact, imho, is we trust political types with the wrong kind of connections to fix these faults. I haven’t seen a lot of improvement to this system for the last 30 years, other than the rich keep on getting richer and the poor keep on dying. Argue that as you will, any system that attempts to take care of its’ weakest members at the expense of those who can afford to help has my vote but then, I suppose this is contrary to any logical rationale for gathering obscene amounts of wealth. Surely, there is a middle ground…in France perhaps ?
Don’t honestly know. I work two jobs without health coverage. Call it my own personal choice to live in a financially limiting location so, I point no fingers but, you’d think health care wouldn’t cost as much for someone making less than 40k as for someone making 40k+ ? That’s good money here, peanuts anywhere else. My worth to society is measured by how much I earn ??? I suppose this is true, here in America.
They did not not impeach their president (Francois Mitterrand) when he admitted to fathering an illegitimate child.
C’mon. I can’t believe they’re still repeating the tired refrain that “Clinton was impeached cuz he got a BJ.” (Which is a lot less than what Foley got, at any rate.)
More on the weaknesses of Europe’s welfare states:
Sweden’s ‘IKEA Syndrome’ – everything is self-service because no one can afford to hire anyone. (Newsweek)
What’s their unemployment rate?
Between 10% and 15% for the general population, and over 50% for minority youth.
#49 Frank IBC
Of course I’m not in favor of prices rising out of control but……….. barging shopping for a doctor? Do you want to get a procedure by a discount doctor? Unlike other business, medicine should not be free market controlled.
Think about it this. Would you go to Wal-Mart to get a kidney transplant? I won’t buy anything there because it is all crap but boy is it competitive in price.
As far as malpractice suits. Yes, there are people that a sue happy but a large percentage of the time cases that have no merit get thrown out therefore the insurance company doesn’t pay out. The legal fees are minimal and usually are not paid by the defendant if the case is deemed frivolous.
Are you saying that when they are found responsible that the jury has made a bad decision?
Unless a doctor has a history of mistakes their rates don’t jump as much as they would like to have you believe. Just like your car insurance rates don’t just go crazy when you have a single accident. They go up but not enough for you to go “I won’t drive anymore because I am getting screwed by insurance rates”. Have two or three accidents then you are a higher risk and you should have to pay more and maybe you should not drive.
Instead of trying to remove the rights of people who are suffering from a doctors mistake. Doctors should govern there own and identify those doctors that are fuck-ups and remove their license to practice medicine. That would have a greater impact on malpractice cases. A doctor friend of mine says If you don’t like paying the insurance then go into research. You may not live in a $2 million dollar house but at least you won’t have to pay $100, 000 in malpractice insurance. You see he gets it. $100,000 is a small price to pay when you make $2 or $3 Million a year.
#52 AB CD
What a stupid and racist comment!
You’re all crazy! Seriously, certifiable. I wouldn’t want any part of anything socialized. I’m not worth millions now, and I don’t expect anyone to give me hand outs – monetarily or medically. It’s no where near my God given right to be healthy. It’s no where near my God given right to make lots and lots of money. Am I glad I have decent health coverage? You bet yer sweet bippy! Do I work hard for my health coverage? You darn tootin! Would I work for an employer that didn’t give me that coverage? Heck no! Since when are we in America confined to who we work for? And why should the government provide health care for me? Let them stick to street paving, mail delivering, and war making!
Crazy in the cocconuts!
I should have that CHOICE. Lots of people go to Mexico and even India – where costs are only a fraction of in the USA – for medical procedures, and are quite satisfied with the results.
Just curious – how do YOU propose to keep fees from rising out of control – by regulation? I.e., forcing ALL doctors to become “discount doctors”?
#59
If need be… yes…
I’m far more concerned with ensuring that I, my family, and all other Americans have access to quality care than I am that doctors can buy 5 million dollar mansions rather than settling for 3 million dollar mansions.
# 59 Frank IBC
You should and do have that choice but I wouldn’t recommend those particular counties.
Regulations? If necessary Yes! Medicine is one of the only areas I would say that.
Set up a system where if a doctor shows gross incompetence or is careless 3 times and it causes pain and suffering to the patient or their family They loose their license to practice permanently throughout the country. They don’t get to be doctors anymore ever.
Punish those who file frivolous law suits harshly. Maybe they should have to pay all court costs for the doctor, which they already do in many states, as well as a large fine not to exceed 20% of their yearly income. The lawyer of a frivolous case should be fined 50% of their yearly income.
Those two should pretty much limit the problem of high malpractice insurance.
Government funding of drug research and development. We do it now anyway! BUT put some control on it. Give ALL drug companies the right to make the same drug that was funded with government money. You should be ok with that because it encourages competition.
Put a limit on drug patents. 2 – 5 years that’s it. Make your profit and then it becomes public domain. A patent is not a right! it is a privilege granted by the government.
All drug companies and medical supply companies should have to prove that they are charging their rates based on cost plus fair market value. The same kind of law that prohibits profiteering during disasters. If it’s not ok to charge $50 for a bottle of water in New Orleans then it is not ok to charge a 500% margin on medical supplies.
Tax benefits, not funding, to all medical facilities that provide more than 50% of their services to uninsured patients and can document the loss.
Doctors are supposed to care about people and want to help them. It shouldn’t be about money. Any discussion of free market is not only stupid but sick and it shows how poor our ethics and morality have become.
#61 – The lawyer of a frivolous case should be fined 50% of their yearly income.
No, no, no, no, no, and hell no… And I’m on board with just about everything else you write.
Legal representation is a right afforded to us all. We have an absolute right to address our greivences in a court of law and we have a right to be represented by an attorny. Obviously, we must provide that representation when we sue, but if you hold our hired representation (who took an oath to represent their clients to the best of their ability) accountable for our actions, you send a chill throughout the profession that will have a negative impact on all of us.
I have a right to seek recourse to the law. That right is effectively taken away if lawyers are afraid to accept clients.
Unrelated note – you also said “If it’s not ok to charge $50 for a bottle of water in New Orleans then it is not ok to charge a 500% margin on medical supplies.
I agree… but it is important to remember than while the second pill cost a nicket to manufacture, the first one cost two billion dollars. I want drug companies to kindly stop screwing consumers, but that doesn’t mean I want to start screwing drug companies.
#62 OhForTheLoveOf
The 50% was just a suggestion. Lawyers are already penalized for filling frivolous cases because it wastes the courts time. I used 50% just to emphasize the severe nature of the punishment for these instances. Beside if the case has any merit those fines would be dropped so it really would be to make them think it over and make sure they have all their ducks in a row before moving forward.
“but it is important to remember than while the second pill cost a nicket to manufacture, the first one cost two billion dollars”
This just simply is not the case. Yes it is expensive which is why I suggested government funding, but they make huge profits which comes after they spend all their money on research. Take a look at what the board and CEO of some of the major drug companies make. I think you might be surprised.
I don’t want the drug companies to get screwed I own stock in several of them but they do make excessive profit and it shouldn’t be allowed in the medical field. Any other business fine but when we are talking a business that deals in life and death NO!