Hey, anti-Gov healthcare people.. um, did you know Hawaii has had it for 40 years?

[Dorian Gray]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-february-11-2010/the-apparent-trap

Watch this whole thing. I can't say it better than Jon and John and John do.

[Segnosaur]

Saw that when they showed it on TV. It was funny, and did raise a few points.

However, I did do some research on the issue. Not everything is as 'perfect' as it was made out to be. (Note: I'm not blaming the Daily show... a comedy program doesn't necessarily have to be a forum to nit-pick every detail.)

From what I found out:

- Hawaii's system isn't necessarily "government health care". From the looks of things, the law is that companies employing people for more than 20 hours a week have to provide health insurance. (Its not necessarily the government itself that's providing the insurance.) And, apparently its not quite universal (roughly 5% are uninsured, which is lower than the mainland.)

- According to Wikipedia, Hawaii benefits from being isolated and/or relying on the tourist industry. Thus, companies that might otherwise leave the state in search of less restrictive health care requirements (i.e. reducing overhead) are kind of stuck. What works in Hawaii may not work in, for example, California, where a manufacturing company can easily move to an adjacent state

- There are reportedly some problems with employers deliberately giving people less than 20 hours/week in order to avoid being on the hook for health insurance.

Granted, this doesn't necessarily mean that Hawaii's health system is bad, or that it's worse than that on the mainland. Just that it does have some flaws (even if they may be minor compared to other states.)

[EvilSmurf]

- Hawaii's system isn't necessarily "government health care". From the looks of things, the law is that companies employing people for more than 20 hours a week have to provide health insurance. (Its not necessarily the government itself that's providing the insurance.) And, apparently its not quite universal (roughly 5% are uninsured, which is lower than the mainland.)

You forgot the word "significantly" between is and lower.

- According to Wikipedia, Hawaii benefits from being isolated and/or relying on the tourist industry. Thus, companies that might otherwise leave the state in search of less restrictive health care requirements (i.e. reducing overhead) are kind of stuck. What works in Hawaii may not work in, for example, California, where a manufacturing company can easily move to an adjacent state

Someone better tell (first example I could come up with off my head) The Dole fruit company that they could move to the mainland. Secondly, a lot of companies wouldn't set their home base in Honolulu anyway just due to its isolation and time difference from the mainland.