https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 19:57:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134246 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 10:03:44 +0000 Lindsay05 1134246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: i am a huge fan of that swiss policy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134191 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 09:30:28 +0000 looch 1134191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So can I clarify some terms? Universal healthcare is a huge umbrella term. Switzerland's policy falls under this umbrella, even though it is not tax payer funded and almost entirely self paid. </p> <p>The federal government there mandates that everyone must have health insurance coverage that is in line with their salary, so there are several insurance companies that provide plans with several tiers, so there is something everyone can afford. Employers pay nothing, so the cost is entirely on the private citizen. To give you an idea, coverage for my husband and I was about $200 each per month. For me, that included the basic maternity care, which was a private delivery room but a 3 person ward style recovery room for 4 days.</p> <p>Individuals can buy supplementary insurance for other things, like craniotherapy and orthodontia, which we did for our son. When he was born, it was another $200 per month.</p> <p>That, surprisingly, is still considered universal healthcare. I should also note, that if you are a Swiss child and you have a pre-existing condition, you must be covered, but if you are not Swiss, the insurance companies are under no obligation to insure you.</p> <p>Now contrast this to Singapore, which requires employers to pay 100% of their employee health insurance premiums. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134166 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 09:13:05 +0000 Mae 1134166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: No I meant universal healthcare. Most places with universal healthcare pay the same or less what we pay for it, they just get a whole hell of a lot more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134138 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 08:56:14 +0000 Lindsay05 1134138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: ha of course! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134136 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 08:54:06 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1134136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lindsay05: yet healthcare expenditures are half of what they are in the US in every universal system. We pay double what they do, it just doesn't all necessarily get taken out in lump sums through the paycheck. If it did, there would be severe dissent and people would clamor for a universal system that would cut those costs in half! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134127 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 08:39:46 +0000 Lindsay05 1134127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: thats right, universal healthcare does not mean free health care. When you see half your paycheck disappear every two weeks it is a cold reminder that there is a hefty price tag attached to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1134043 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 05:54:31 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1134043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: healthcare not health insurance? There is a difference. I would love universal healthcare too, but maybe not so much when I see the price tag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133998 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 02:17:50 +0000 lamariniere 1133998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I'm not sure of the ins and outs of the system, but it is universal and, from what I understand, publicly funded. Also, all employers provide insurance. I am self-employed, and even though I have generous coverage through DH's job, I am required to pay into the public system, so I am doubly covered. I know many Austrians also purchase supplementary private insurance to complement their public insurance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133912 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 22:19:45 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1133912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: I like universal pre-k! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133895 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 21:54:06 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1133895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BlueWolverine: totally agree! I live in the bluest dot in Utah and am represented by a very conservative person. My district includes rural Utah. What?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133893 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 21:48:45 +0000 BlueWolverine 1133893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>End gerrymandering. Doing this would do more than term limits. So many extremists in Congress behave badly because they KNOW they'll be re-elected. Their districts have been so gerrymandered to include people who would never vote for the other party that they have no incentive to negotiate and play nice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133880 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 21:41:32 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1133880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally think that term limits won't really help. Then you just get a bunch of people who don't know the rules and procedures. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133853 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 21:14:23 +0000 sotofamilia 1133853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Term limits for congress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133811 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 20:33:58 +0000 jedeve 1133811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mat leave would be up there. Universal pre-k, single payer health care, and k12 tuition controls I think would be next, as they have significant long term impacts. </p> <p>Of course none of these things come with tax cuts. So the place to start would probably be getting rid of tax systems that tax the wealthy at a lower rate than the poor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133793 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 20:09:19 +0000 Mae 1133793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Universal healthcare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133762 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 19:33:37 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1133762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Immigration policy...the part that favors certain groups.</p> <p>Example we have a wet foot dry foot policy when it comes to Cubans escaping the dictatorship. If a Cuban refugee stands on American soil the refugee can stay. If the Coast Guard seizes the boat in the water the refugee is sent back. Haitian refugees come over just as much and no matter what we send them back. Haitian refugees are trying to escape a corrupt government and poverty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133737 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 19:05:10 +0000 betsyboop 1133737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>gun control </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133735 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 19:02:22 +0000 junebugmama 1133735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I would love to just move to Switzerland I'm pretty sure. I also love their education system </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133724 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 18:51:06 +0000 looch 1133724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I am curious about your healthcare , is it self paid, like in Switzerland? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133620 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 16:20:55 +0000 Lindsay05 1133620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are many thing however I would like to change concurrent life sentences to consecutive life sentences. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133618 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 16:16:27 +0000 kjpugs 1133618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: @Mrs. Pen: So agree! Congress - and politic office in general- was meant to be a volunteer-like sacrifice that you shouldn't do for too long. George Washington turned down another term as president for that reason- he did not believe it should be a career. Instead politics now have become like a celebrity-style "career," which is SICKENING. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133600 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 16:04:54 +0000 Bao 1133600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: this exactly!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133597 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 16:01:48 +0000 lamariniere 1133597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We already have universal heath care here and 1 year paid mat leave!</p> <p>I would ban smoking in restaurants, cafés and public spaces. Austria is the last EU country to allow smoking indoors and it is absolutely disgusting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133559 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:38:14 +0000 deerylou 1133559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Completely agree. Universal healthcare, for sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133547 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:29:27 +0000 loveisstrange 1133547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: I think it should be a 2 term limit, just like being president. But I think a "lifetime limit" would be a good idea too. I absolutely agree that politics shouldn't be a career. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133544 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:27:45 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1133544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can't narrow it to one thing... But I'd take corporate money out of elections, single payer healthcare, and a better social safety net.... Oh and maybe most importantly I'd have non-partisan districting so that we could do away with gerrymandering! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133540 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:25:40 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1133540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: yessss!!! My uncle posted in fb that he thinks there should be a minimum of 15 years real life working experience for someone to work in politics- no life careers as politicians. I'd never thought about it like that but like the idea!</p> <p>@stargal: hahaha :bfp: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133537 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:24:47 +0000 looch 1133537@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mandatory healthcare coverage separate from employment, basically the Swiss model. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133534 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:22:58 +0000 loveisstrange 1133534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Term limits for Congress, FTW! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-change-one-policy-in-america#post-1133533 Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:22:44 +0000 stargal 1133533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>that you cant close down the gov't ;) </p>