BTW... is this not political talking about healthcare?
HOW do they justify these costs?
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On average, health care cost per individual is $7500 in USA. That means for family of four it is $30,000 per year, every year.
The infamous town in Texas where doctors pad up the bills (there was a documentary on it) the per person cost is $15000!
Tell me honestly, do you think your family uses $30,000 worth of medical services in a typical year? If not, where is that money going to? It is paying salary of many many individuals and of course hundreds of million dollars bonuses to the executives in medical and insurance industries.
We can debate and [censored] and moan but nothing will change. All we can do is pray.
- Vikas
The infamous town in Texas where doctors pad up the bills (there was a documentary on it) the per person cost is $15000!
Tell me honestly, do you think your family uses $30,000 worth of medical services in a typical year? If not, where is that money going to? It is paying salary of many many individuals and of course hundreds of million dollars bonuses to the executives in medical and insurance industries.
We can debate and [censored] and moan but nothing will change. All we can do is pray.
- Vikas
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Quote:
We can debate and [censored] and moan but nothing will change. All we can do is pray.
We can debate and [censored] and moan but nothing will change. All we can do is p
The way the healthcare system works, it hurts the working middle class and upper middle class. if your dirt poor, then you have the free state run medicaid program where you are not held liable for any medical expenses. If you work, have health insurance, and you even have a decent retirement saved. You do everything right, but you get sick, can't work, then accumulate 100k in medical bills. Well, then your just Fubared, and have to file for bankruptcy.
At least after you file for bankruptcy, you can hopefully qualify for Medicaid.
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Agreed, what you get in exchange over the freeloaders is privilege in terms of health maintenance. The poor get marginal medical care which typically means higher and more severe emergency services.
The system loses no money on them, they merely send the higher bills to others.
We've got socialized medicine. It's just variable privilege and outcomes.
I have the good fortune of affording health insurance so that I can pay $100 copay for an ER visit and receive $100 worth of services .... belonging to the ranks of the insured by paying "dues".
I don't know if my she-devil internist could stitch a leaky gash if her life depended on it. She doesn't do windows. She outsources to keep the royal bottom firmly planted.
The system loses no money on them, they merely send the higher bills to others.
We've got socialized medicine. It's just variable privilege and outcomes.
I have the good fortune of affording health insurance so that I can pay $100 copay for an ER visit and receive $100 worth of services .... belonging to the ranks of the insured by paying "dues".
I don't know if my she-devil internist could stitch a leaky gash if her life depended on it. She doesn't do windows. She outsources to keep the royal bottom firmly planted.
An interesting chart from WHO
http://www.photius.com/rankings/world_health_performance_ranks.html
http://www.photius.com/rankings/world_health_performance_ranks.html
I see Mexico and Sri Lanka have better health care than the U.S.A. according to that report.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOkay
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOkay
Well, define "better". In some ways, they probably do.
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An interesting article from the same site.
Even they can see the invisible elephant cartel working to keep our health hostage for ransom
One darkly comical quote
“An awful lot of the waste in this system is the antiquity of the information technology,” Ms. Darling said.
From the birth place of the information age ... only in America could be used to "self porkify"
Even they can see the invisible elephant cartel working to keep our health hostage for ransom
One darkly comical quote
“An awful lot of the waste in this system is the antiquity of the information technology,” Ms. Darling said.
From the birth place of the information age ... only in America could be used to "self porkify"
Preventable deaths, by nations:
http://www.allcountries.org/ranks/preventable_deaths_country_ranks_1997-1998_2002-2003_2008.html
http://www.allcountries.org/ranks/preventable_deaths_country_ranks_1997-1998_2002-2003_2008.html
I don't know what the answer is but when I was laid off last year my cobra was 1200.00 per month. That would have taken three enemployment checks to cover it. I elected not to take it. Three months later my wife came down with breast cancer. I tried to get medicaid but the day before the first surgery I was denied because I had money in a 401k plan . I asked the lady who gets medicaid and she said that if I had not worked my whole life and had nothing I would have received it. So since I worked for 40 years and saved my money bought a house ,paid into the goverment plans I was entitled to nothing. Does not seem fair. I would go to bed at night worrying about how I was going to pay for it, was I going to have anything left after 40 years of work. What about my kids where would I live ect, let alone the stress of my wife being sick with something that could kill her.This was the first time being uninsured ever , got to be a better way.I don't wish this on anyone.
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Originally Posted By: Virtuoso
Well, define "better". In some ways, they probably do.
You've GOTTA be joking. That is so ridiculous I won't even comment.
Well, define "better". In some ways, they probably do.
You've GOTTA be joking. That is so ridiculous I won't even comment.
Originally Posted By: expat
Originally Posted By: jcwit
I see Mexico and Sri Lanka have better health care than the U.S.A. according to that report.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOkay
No.
Overall U.S.A. was rated 37
Mexico 61
Sir Lanka 76
Thank you for pointing that out, I didn't catch that column to the right.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
I see Mexico and Sri Lanka have better health care than the U.S.A. according to that report.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOkay
No.
Overall U.S.A. was rated 37
Mexico 61
Sir Lanka 76
Thank you for pointing that out, I didn't catch that column to the right.
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Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: Virtuoso
Well, define "better". In some ways, they probably do.
You've GOTTA be joking. That is so ridiculous I won't even comment.
Better doesn't necessarily mean "highest performance". You're going to form a foot print of immutable outcomes that's indexed across the national composite. Having a shrinking percentage getting better (or the best) care and having those overall figures show better or worse is how successful a "system" is.
Originally Posted By: Virtuoso
Well, define "better". In some ways, they probably do.
You've GOTTA be joking. That is so ridiculous I won't even comment.
Better doesn't necessarily mean "highest performance". You're going to form a foot print of immutable outcomes that's indexed across the national composite. Having a shrinking percentage getting better (or the best) care and having those overall figures show better or worse is how successful a "system" is.
no comment you left me speachless!!
Originally Posted By: yeti
what dhise says is true.
ls2 --watch mike moore's movie, "sicko". i just saw it for the first time just after xmas.after a segment on the canadian system, he stated that almost all of the things that the media and politicians were knocking the canadian system for -- were wrong.go figure.the politicians don't want you to know about other countries' systems. because it might get people to think. politicians don't want people to think. a few comments that i remember from it -- a baby born in el salvador has a better chance of survival than one born in detroit. if you can find money to kill people, then you can find money to help people (from a u.k. resident).the u.s. has the worst infant mortality rate in the western world. watch the movie. it's interesting.
every country's health care system has it's good and bad about it. but a country that spends nearly 20% of it's GDP on health care (per vikas' post), has a "broken" system.and the u.s. scores poorly in infant mortality rate, and average lifespan criteria of developed countries -- THE two major criteria used in rating a country's health care.all while spending nearly 20% of it's GDP.
everyone seems to have opinions as to how to fix the u.s. system. being just south of detroit, mi.,windsor sees a lot of american news. the b.s. that the american politicians spew about health care makes me laugh. the only thing that makes sense in dealing with a system that needs reform, is to study the systems of the other industrialized countries, especially the G7 -- and pick the best parts of each system. look at these as a basis for change. but, that makes too much sense.
before people throw proverbial rocks at the health care systems of another country, they should examine their own systems' shortcomings. i'm sure that all countries have systems that are far from perfect. again, watch "sicko". it will open peoples' eyes.
i didn't see the reference to the "sicko" movie earlier,as i was still writing. if mr. moore was not telling the truth, it would be easy enough to refute what was stated in the movie.has anyone shown his statements to be wrong ? if so, speak up. inquiring minds want to know.
Its now up to me to discredit the work of a known hypocrite propogandist?!? Sorry thats way above my pay level.
I have seen the movie btw and its a work of fiction just like his other tripe. He takes a minor point and sensationalizes it beyond the pale. Do you wish you lived in Cuba????
I'm not defending our present system, it's broke, only an idiot would try to defend the status quo. But making health care a right thats controled by a living and breathing federal government is foolish beyond belief. Exactly how much of this country's GDP do you want the government to control, everything?!?
what dhise says is true.
ls2 --watch mike moore's movie, "sicko". i just saw it for the first time just after xmas.after a segment on the canadian system, he stated that almost all of the things that the media and politicians were knocking the canadian system for -- were wrong.go figure.the politicians don't want you to know about other countries' systems. because it might get people to think. politicians don't want people to think. a few comments that i remember from it -- a baby born in el salvador has a better chance of survival than one born in detroit. if you can find money to kill people, then you can find money to help people (from a u.k. resident).the u.s. has the worst infant mortality rate in the western world. watch the movie. it's interesting.
every country's health care system has it's good and bad about it. but a country that spends nearly 20% of it's GDP on health care (per vikas' post), has a "broken" system.and the u.s. scores poorly in infant mortality rate, and average lifespan criteria of developed countries -- THE two major criteria used in rating a country's health care.all while spending nearly 20% of it's GDP.
everyone seems to have opinions as to how to fix the u.s. system. being just south of detroit, mi.,windsor sees a lot of american news. the b.s. that the american politicians spew about health care makes me laugh. the only thing that makes sense in dealing with a system that needs reform, is to study the systems of the other industrialized countries, especially the G7 -- and pick the best parts of each system. look at these as a basis for change. but, that makes too much sense.
before people throw proverbial rocks at the health care systems of another country, they should examine their own systems' shortcomings. i'm sure that all countries have systems that are far from perfect. again, watch "sicko". it will open peoples' eyes.
i didn't see the reference to the "sicko" movie earlier,as i was still writing. if mr. moore was not telling the truth, it would be easy enough to refute what was stated in the movie.has anyone shown his statements to be wrong ? if so, speak up. inquiring minds want to know.
Its now up to me to discredit the work of a known hypocrite propogandist?!? Sorry thats way above my pay level.
I have seen the movie btw and its a work of fiction just like his other tripe. He takes a minor point and sensationalizes it beyond the pale. Do you wish you lived in Cuba????
I'm not defending our present system, it's broke, only an idiot would try to defend the status quo. But making health care a right thats controled by a living and breathing federal government is foolish beyond belief. Exactly how much of this country's GDP do you want the government to control, everything?!?
Originally Posted By: drg
I don't know what the answer is but when I was laid off last year my cobra was 1200.00 per month. That would have taken three enemployment checks to cover it. I elected not to take it. Three months later my wife came down with breast cancer. I tried to get medicaid but the day before the first surgery I was denied because I had money in a 401k plan . I asked the lady who gets medicaid and she said that if I had not worked my whole life and had nothing I would have received it. So since I worked for 40 years and saved my money bought a house ,paid into the goverment plans I was entitled to nothing. Does not seem fair. I would go to bed at night worrying about how I was going to pay for it, was I going to have anything left after 40 years of work. What about my kids where would I live ect, let alone the stress of my wife being sick with something that could kill her.This was the first time being uninsured ever , got to be a better way.I don't wish this on anyone.
Stories like this should be poster child's for a gov't run healthcare system.
I don't know what the answer is but when I was laid off last year my cobra was 1200.00 per month. That would have taken three enemployment checks to cover it. I elected not to take it. Three months later my wife came down with breast cancer. I tried to get medicaid but the day before the first surgery I was denied because I had money in a 401k plan . I asked the lady who gets medicaid and she said that if I had not worked my whole life and had nothing I would have received it. So since I worked for 40 years and saved my money bought a house ,paid into the goverment plans I was entitled to nothing. Does not seem fair. I would go to bed at night worrying about how I was going to pay for it, was I going to have anything left after 40 years of work. What about my kids where would I live ect, let alone the stress of my wife being sick with something that could kill her.This was the first time being uninsured ever , got to be a better way.I don't wish this on anyone.
Stories like this should be poster child's for a gov't run healthcare system.
Originally Posted By: Virtuoso
Originally Posted By: drg
I don't know what the answer is but when I was laid off last year my cobra was 1200.00 per month. That would have taken three enemployment checks to cover it. I elected not to take it. Three months later my wife came down with breast cancer. I tried to get medicaid but the day before the first surgery I was denied because I had money in a 401k plan . I asked the lady who gets medicaid and she said that if I had not worked my whole life and had nothing I would have received it. So since I worked for 40 years and saved my money bought a house ,paid into the goverment plans I was entitled to nothing. Does not seem fair. I would go to bed at night worrying about how I was going to pay for it, was I going to have anything left after 40 years of work. What about my kids where would I live ect, let alone the stress of my wife being sick with something that could kill her.This was the first time being uninsured ever , got to be a better way.I don't wish this on anyone.
Stories like this should be poster child's for a gov't run healthcare system.
Exactly.....That's what it's all about!
I'm not a bleeding hear liberal, I don't believe 'Dead Beats' should have a free ride. But when I hear stories like this, Working Stiffs, like me, falling short for BASIC care in a developed country, While others brag about the 'Cadillac' service they get (because they can afford it) Makes me shake my head and wonder about you guys
Originally Posted By: drg
I don't know what the answer is but when I was laid off last year my cobra was 1200.00 per month. That would have taken three enemployment checks to cover it. I elected not to take it. Three months later my wife came down with breast cancer. I tried to get medicaid but the day before the first surgery I was denied because I had money in a 401k plan . I asked the lady who gets medicaid and she said that if I had not worked my whole life and had nothing I would have received it. So since I worked for 40 years and saved my money bought a house ,paid into the goverment plans I was entitled to nothing. Does not seem fair. I would go to bed at night worrying about how I was going to pay for it, was I going to have anything left after 40 years of work. What about my kids where would I live ect, let alone the stress of my wife being sick with something that could kill her.This was the first time being uninsured ever , got to be a better way.I don't wish this on anyone.
Stories like this should be poster child's for a gov't run healthcare system.
Exactly.....That's what it's all about!
I'm not a bleeding hear liberal, I don't believe 'Dead Beats' should have a free ride. But when I hear stories like this, Working Stiffs, like me, falling short for BASIC care in a developed country, While others brag about the 'Cadillac' service they get (because they can afford it) Makes me shake my head and wonder about you guys
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