Healthcare Public Option?

[Minor Axis]

A quick little poll. The current system is unsustainable, even if you have insurance. Costs are going to outpace employer's abilities to provide inexpensive comprehensive coverage. Who here has health insurance vs those who don't have insurance, how do you feel about the public option? If you live in another country, like Canada, please feel free to participate in the poll and post why or why not you don't support the public option.


United Health Care Profits rise dramatically. The top 3 executives of that company make 9 million, 12 million, and 3 million per year. Good or bad? It is excessive IMO.

American Lives vs Insurance.

GOP Health numbers come from firm owned by a Health Insurance company.

Health Care: Go Canada.

Health-Patient Satisfaction in Canada 2005.

 

[PoopaSwoof]

We had to drop our health insurance recently. When it comes down to eating and keeping a roof over our heads or paying way too much for shit coverage the choice was pretty plain really.
I really hate the idea of not having insurance and God help us if one of us gets really sick.
So yeah, I really wouldn't mind an option that wouldnt bankrupt us. It makes sense to see a 3% cost of management(public) vs a 20% cost(private). My money should go towards covering actual costs rather than corporate profits.

 

[Minor Axis]

It is the highest reason for bankruptcies in the U.S. and secondly, I don't know if it has been proven, but it's been suggested that when you have no/inadequate insurance,drastically effects your spending, ie supporting the economy, in that those people are much less likely to spend money in the economy, trying to set it aside for the next medical emergency.

 

[dt3]

I don't have any right now. I wouldn't mind some cheap alternatives, but I see no reason to believe the federal government will provide that.

I think it'd be much more efficient to mandate the individual states to provide the coverage. The smaller the level of government, the more responsive it is to the wishes of the people. And I believe that's in keeping with our Constitution, which calls for a small federal government with the majority of the power going to the States.

 

[Codrus]

i dont get sick
i dont go to the doctor for frivolous things or not
im not paying for something i dont use

insurance in genereal is a scam period, you always pay way more than you will ever get out of it and you can be dropped at there discretion.

insurance is bullshit

 

[Guyzerr]

i dont get sick
i dont go to the doctor for frivolous things or not
im not paying for something i dont use

insurance in genereal is a scam period, you always pay way more than you will ever get out of it and you can be dropped at there discretion.

insurance is bullshit

You will change your mind when you need it and someday you will need it. Nobody plans to get sick or injured. Of course you could die young and it could be instant as they say. In that case I guess you'll be right. Until then you be wrong.

 

[Codrus]

You will change your mind when you need it and someday you will need it. Nobody plans to get sick or injured. Of course you could die young and it could be instant as they say. In that case I guess you'll be right. Until then you be wrong.

doubtfull, im right more than 95% of the time

why do i need insurance?

why cant i just pay the doctor or hospital when i actually need them?, if i have to make payments ...so be it

its like paying for a car you cant drive, paying for food you cant eat............what is the point?

 

[Guyzerr]

doubtfull, im right more than 95% of the time

You must be in your teens.

why do i need insurance?

Nobody needs insurance but if you have it you are less likely to go bankrupt after your heart surgery.

why cant i just pay the doctor or hospital when i actually need them?, if i have to make payments ...so be it

Sounds logical but if I were the hospital and you were the patent I just made all better I would tell you " Gimme my money, all of my money right now and if you don't I'm a'gunna squeeze every last drop of blood ( assets ) from your life. "

Psst..... I was in the collection business / repo man for 21 years and I've seen what happens when someone doesn't pay.

its like paying for a car you cant drive, paying for food you cant eat............what is the point?

Well lemme see. I have an idea. We'll use me as an example k.

1953 - 1990 Lots of shit happened to me. Small stuff as well as a couple minor fix 'em up surgeries. Just for shits and giggles lets say $1000 per year. That would be low but I gotta start somewhere. = $37,000
1990 - Life saving bowel surgery and a 13 day stay in the horsepistol... about $40,00 if I remember correctly.
1990- Follow-up surgery to the above mentioned $10,000 rough guess
2000 - Gall Bladder surgery A bunch of thousands
2000 - Heart surgery. About $50,000
2000 - 2009 Been fairly health, knock on wood. Still I have to see a doctor a minimum of once every 3 months and get blood tests etc. Lets say another $1000 per year = $9000.

Add it up, I double dog dare ya. What did it cost me? Zip, nada, zilch because I have insurance which I only started paying for in 2005 @ $96.00 per month for me and Mrs. Guyzerr. Prior to that I lived in provinces that covered it 100%. My personal taxes were slightly higher then but the trade off was worth it. If I would have been personaly responsible for those fees there isn't any way in my lifetime I could pay for it and still maintain a roof over my head, own a car, take a holiday etc.

When I visit the doctor I pay zip. When I get a prescription I pay $8.00 to cover the dispensing fee. If I got sick and had to be hospitalized it would cost me zip.

Starting to get the point yet?

 

[Minor Axis]

i dont get sick
i dont go to the doctor for frivolous things or not
im not paying for something i dont use

insurance in genereal is a scam period, you always pay way more than you will ever get out of it and you can be dropped at there discretion.

insurance is bullshit

Hilarious! Thanks for the chuckle!

why cant i just pay the doctor or hospital when i actually need them?

Oh for your next major illness, you have $100K+ laying around? They are not going to like $100 per month in payment.

Regarding the Republican Party- Delay, distort, demonize, go slow= no. Virtually every Republican on the airways are following the "don't rush" play book. It sounds good, but do you know when this issue was first brought up? In the 1940's. There is no such thing as rushing on this issue.

Any of you people who have not sold your soul to the Republican Party, ask yourself why they are fighting so hard for the insurance industry to maintain their huge profits over the ability of average citizens to have health insurance? Do you really have to ask? The golden calf they worship is big business and profits, not average citizens. For the individual who said they did not have insurance and would not mind some low cost options, don't look at the Republican or conservatives for that option. Ain't gonna happen.

 

[Codrus]

you two can think whatever you want, i dont care, im not here to talk you out of health insutrance. I'm not stupid, and i am by far not a teen.

what im saying is that it, just like most things where there are to many people and red tape involved, is over priced and poorly regulated. the helthcare/health insurance has done nothing but raise the cost of treatments/procedures/prescriptions (yes big pharma is guilty as well) and the paperwork has made it harder on doctors to give care. a treatment that would normally cost $3000.00 out of pocket gets jacked up to $5,500.00 ....becuase insurance is involved...why? you may only pay $1000.00 out of pocket but then you still have your payments or whatever is deducted out of your check every week or 2 for insurance and thats not including what the government takes right off the top.

dont look to government to help anyone but themselves republican or democrat.

if each individual paid the same flat fee every month, and we get rid of the beurocricy<sp> and bullshit we would'nt have this problem.

 

[Codrus]

It is the highest reason for bankruptcies in the U.S. and secondly, I don't know if it has been proven, but it's been suggested that when you have no/inadequate insurance,drastically effects your spending, ie supporting the economy, in that those people are much less likely to spend money in the economy, trying to set it aside for the next medical emergency.

in my opinion (which you will probably disagree with), bankruptcies are due to the fact that this country is rampant with people living beyond there means I.E. credit cards, car loans, mortages on 5 bedroom houses when theres only 2 people living there. people are more concerned with status symbols and keeping up with the jones than just living life. we are lost to product advertisements saying we need the latest and greatest the biggest the best..........take a look at someone who makes 100k a year and is in debt for 3x that amount......dont blame it on health care

 

[Meirionnydd]

in my opinion (which you will probably disagree with), bankruptcies are due to the fact that this country is rampant with people living beyond there means I.E. credit cards, car loans, mortages on 5 bedroom houses when theres only 2 people living there. people are more concerned with status symbols and keeping up with the jones than just living life. we are lost to product advertisements saying we need the latest and greatest the biggest the best..........take a look at someone who makes 100k a year and is in debt for 3x that amount......dont blame it on health care

Actually, the reason for most bankruptcies in the United States is due to issues with healthcare.

 

[Guyzerr]

Actually, the reason for most bankruptcies in the United States is due to issues with healthcare.

And it will only get worse.

According to your gov't approximately 17,000 Americans loose their health insurance daily.

 

[Guyzerr]

you two can think whatever you want, i dont care, im not here to talk you out of health insutrance. I'm not stupid, and i am by far not a teen.

So what's the dribble beneath this then?

what im saying is that it, just like most things where there are to many people and red tape involved, is over priced and poorly regulated. the helthcare/health insurance has done nothing but raise the cost of treatments/procedures/prescriptions (yes big pharma is guilty as well) and the paperwork has made it harder on doctors to give care. a treatment that would normally cost $3000.00 out of pocket gets jacked up to $5,500.00 ....becuase insurance is involved...why? you may only pay $1000.00 out of pocket but then you still have your payments or whatever is deducted out of your check every week or 2 for insurance and thats not including what the government takes right off the top.

dont look to government to help anyone but themselves republican or democrat.

if each individual paid the same flat fee every month, and we get rid of the beurocricy<sp> and bullshit we would'nt have this problem.

You mean an insurance premium payment that you're not here to talk about?

I typed a pile of crap but decided to delete it because it seems you are having a hard time grasping what I wrote before.

 

[Alien Allen]

And it will only get worse.

According to your gov't approximately 17,000 Americans loose their health insurance daily.

statistics can be deceiving. A good portion of those are only for short term.

we need to do something but this mess that Obama is promoting is garbage. Full of lies and bull shit.

He put on quite a show last night. I am sure the liberals wet there pants as he spoke. He is quite the con artist. But the devil is in the details and the devil has its paws all over this monster.

 

[Minor Axis]

you two can think whatever you want, i dont care, im not here to talk you out of health insutrance. I'm not stupid, and i am by far not a teen.

The reason you need insurance is that if you have a major illness, the bill will be so astronomically big, the payments they are going to want will be equivalent to your mortgage if not a large down payment up front. If you have the money, then it is no problem

what im saying is that it, just like most things where there are to many people and red tape involved, is over priced and poorly regulated. the helthcare/health insurance has done nothing but raise the cost of treatments/procedures/prescriptions (yes big pharma is guilty as well) and the paperwork has made it harder on doctors to give care. a treatment that would normally cost $3000.00 out of pocket gets jacked up to $5,500.00 ....becuase insurance is involved...why? you may only pay $1000.00 out of pocket but then you still have your payments or whatever is deducted out of your check every week or 2 for insurance and thats not including what the government takes right off the top.

I agree with some of this except the boogey man is not the government, it is for-profit health care.

dont look to government to help anyone but themselves republican or democrat.

If I told you, you are sick and the bill will be $750000, who would you look to?

if each individual paid the same flat fee every month, and we get rid of the beurocricy<sp> and bullshit we would'nt have this problem.

Hey you are talking about Universal Health care! Listen there is always going to be some kind of a bureaucracy to handle the money. It's impossible otherwise.

 

[Minor Axis]

in my opinion (which you will probably disagree with), bankruptcies are due to the fact that this country is rampant with people living beyond there means I.E. credit cards, car loans, mortages on 5 bedroom houses when theres only 2 people living there. people are more concerned with status symbols and keeping up with the jones than just living life. we are lost to product advertisements saying we need the latest and greatest the biggest the best..........take a look at someone who makes 100k a year and is in debt for 3x that amount......dont blame it on health care

No doubt some percentage of people live beyond their means, which in combination with illness put them over the top, but bankruptcies just because of illness are a documented statistic. Average families don't have the kind of money laying around to pay for a major illness. And if they do, they are probably spending all of their retirement funds for the purpose.

 

[Minor Axis]

statistics can be deceiving. A good portion of those are only for short term.

we need to do something but this mess that Obama is promoting is garbage. Full of lies and bull shit.

You are entitled to your opinion based on your views, but right now the Republican Party are lying their asses off in defense and fighting HARD for insurance corporations, not average Americans. My God you can't dismantle any cash cow!

 

[Thornless]

Free (high taxed) Government run health insurance has saved my family over and over again, not just the lives of my family members but kept them and us from going bankrupt and loosing our homes because without it... we'd of never been able to save them or make hospital payments.

I miss my Ontario Health Insurance Plan. I could of used it something like that down here for my first child's birth instead of paying over 3K to the hospital for shit my insurance company should of covered.

 

[MoonOwl]

We have trillions for wall street but squat for WePeeps.