National Health Care

BEWARE of National Health Care......because it's an "entitlement" program.
This means, once you start it, it cannot be stopped.

Social Security is an entitlement program.
We have undertaken it and it cannot be stopped.

According to the SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
(http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/TR04/II_project.html)

"If Congress funds Social Security in a manner that keeps it viable, between 2007 and 2035 the cost of Social Security expressed as a percentage of taxable payroll will grow from 11.07 percent to 19.29 percent."

Of course, as you know, you and your employer "split" that percentage.
But you cannot ignore that "one way or another" ---right now, 11% and by 2035, twenty percent of your potential income will be "taxed" in this way.

If one is thinking of imposing "National Healthcare" costs upon the public taxation system, consider that because HEALTHCARE is not for just you, but all your dependents (and those dependent members of society who earn no income).....and HEALTHCARE does not "kick in" at 55 years of age, or 65 years of age, but is for all ages, ALL ESTIMATES OF THE POTENTIAL COST OF NATIONAL HEALTHCARE START AT THREE TIMES THE COST OF SOCIAL SECURITY.

Furthermore (and I am a 69-year-old guy, writing this) ----- National Healthcare as a public cost.......is ENORMOUSLY wieghted toward the old.

Consider the following:

Statistics from the Connecticut Dept of Public Health
For the year 2005   (all other years reflect similar proportions)

HOSPTIAL DISCHARGES BY AGE & LENGTH OF STAY BY PATIENT AGE
0-4 years   10,891 discharges   2-days   21,782 total days
5-14 yrs   7,776      "      2-"   15,552 total days
15-24 yrs   13,617     "   3-days   40,851 total days
25-44 yrs   49,358      3-days   148,074 total days
45-64 yrs   90,048      3-days   270,144 total days
65 ++      150,699      4-days   602,796 total days

The above figures are strictly non-federal accute-care hospitals.   They do NOT include intermediate or long-term care, or nursing home care.

Recent statistics show that 40% (two out of every five) seniors require some form of long term care, and that the number increases every year.

48.6% of people age 65 and older may spend some time in a nursing home and 71.8% of people age 65 and older may use some form of home health care.

Less than 2% of nursing home costs are paid by Medicare with the national average nursing home cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $50,000 per year.

Older people use the majority of long term care services; however, long term care can also be used by a younger person who has suffered a serious illness or been in an accident.

Typical tenure of "Home Care" is 3-5 years.
Home Care averages 2 hours a day - $12,000 Annual Average
Where Home Care is provided 8 hours a day - $60,000 Annual Average
3 - 5 years Average Stay
In a high percentage of cases "Home Care" becomes "Long Term Care"
THE CONNECTICUT NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE HOME CARE

Assisted Living averages 2.8 years and converts to Long Term Care
Assisted Living $40,000 Annual Average
THE CONNECTICUT NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE ASSISTED LIVING

Long Term Care means Custodial Care
Long Term Care averages 2.5 years (to death of patient)
Nursing Home $54,000 Annual Average 
THE CONNECTICUT NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE LONG TERM CARE

When most people talk of National Health Care-------they have in mind an image of a young family or a temporarily unemployed family where some terrible thing happens....................

.........THAT'S what most have in mind.........

But the reality of NATIONAL HEALTH CARE is that something very close to 80% of the cost of the program is to (yes, yes, I know this is a perjorative word) PROP UP people over 55 years of age.

Dudes.....and dudettes.....I had my eyes opened recently.   My wife was hospitalized at Kaiser for three days following an operation.   I came in every day to read & keep her company.    As part of her prescribed routine I took her on 4-times-a-day "walks" through the perimiter "walkway" of that "Surgical Recovery Ward."     

I was blown away-------at the incredible frailty and age-----of ALL the occupants of those rooms.

My impression is confirmed by the Connecticut Public Health numbers.

What I saw on those wards IS THE TRUE PICTURE of National Healthcare

Judd

As an analyst for a major healthcare company here in CA, I'm keeping my mouth shut. 

-Brian G