I have been watching the uk budget and it really has made me think about the way we are different and the subject that has come mostly to mind is the way we treat our sick here in the USA.
This is not going to be about the general healthcare system but more about the cost of drugs (we all know that instead of being cheap because of competition they are as expensive as the general market can support)
In the Uk they have free prescriptions for all under 18 and over retirement age and also for those on benefits (unemployed and low income) In fact i believe only about 40% (this is an estimate not hard fact) of the population pays for a presciption and the price is set no matter the cost of the drugs unless the drugs can be bought cheaper over the counter in which case the pharmasist is legally required to sell it cheaper and not use the prescription.....the price they pay for this? ...tax. ( the cost of the drugs is a lot cheaper because the government buys in bulk and deals on price...something that doesn't happen here)
So the question is to residents of the USA...would you be prepared to pay say 2 cents in the $ more tax to give children and retired folk free prescription drugs or do you think that the current situation is fair?
This is not about the drug companies needing to invest in research or why the cost of the drugs are so much more expensive here than nearly anywhere else in the world rather a poll about how to make sure we can all afford to stay healthy
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