Thoughts on Universal healthcare

[sugarbush]

I'm and RN and I want Universal Healthcare

Yes insurance companies are regulated state by state. Kentucky is a crappy state in that I had to opt out of my health insurance to move my son onto my wifes policy. Here the children are on the older parents policy automatically and when my son was born with only one kidney my company said that the renal scan to make sure his one kidney was working properly not necessary....... As a parent I felt it was very necessary to know if my son needed a kidney transplant!!!

 

[horsejody]

I lived in England for a year. BTW I love the country and the people. I hated the healthcare. I almost died from having the mumps while I was there. I ended up with some wierd side effect that would normally get me hospitalized in the US. The doctor wanted me hospitalized, but it didn't happen. They couldn't get me into a hospital. I was highschool exchange student living with a host family. The host family cared for me at home while the doctor and the bureaucrats tried to figure out how to put me on the waiting list. Also, it was shocking to me to see older people needing things like knee surgury hobbling around in pain because they were on 3 year waiting lists for care. Government run universal healthcare only works for things like well baby check ups and vaccinations. If you actually get sick or injured, it stinks. At least, that is my personal experience with it.

A lot of the major developments in healthcare, especially drugs, is financed by selling those drugs and procedures at a high cost. If the ability to charge those costs is taken away, it won't be profitable for the companies to do the research and development anymore. The best case scenario would be for the other countries of the world to raise what they pay for prescriptions so it's not all put on US consumers anymore.

It is kind of a pet peeve of mine when people think that because they can't budget for priorities that the rest of the taxpayers should pay more for their expenses. Heres' a little scenario. Two people are looking for a job. Two companies are hiring. One company pays $12 per hour and has health insurance. The other company pays $14 per hour and has no health insurance. One guy takes the $12 job and has coverage. Another takes the $14 job and cries that he has no coverage and wants the taxpayers to buy him some because he can't afford $300 per month to buy it. Then everybody else (including the guy that took the job at $2 less per hour) has their taxes go up. I don't mind helping the unemployed. I do mind helping the irresponsible. My daughter just graduated from college. She had trouble finding a job. She finally found a job. It doesn't pay much, but she can afford to pay her rent, insurance, student loans, utilities, groceries and not much else. The employer doesn't offer health insurance. DD bought her own policy. It costs $138 per month. How does she afford it? She cancelled her more expensive cell service and just has a bare bones plan now. She cancelled her cable TV. She cancelled her internet service and goes to the library if she needs something online. She doesn't go out to eat. She lives very frugally. The cost of the insurance is $138 per month. Her cost cutting saves her about $20 on her phone bill, $55 on her television and $25 on her internet. That's about $100 in savings. The rest she saves by buying generics and not eating out. Those $5 - $10 trips through the drive through add up quick. We raised our kids to believe that being frugal and self sufficient were worthy goals. I honestly think that both of my kids would be ashamed to get government assistance or healthcare paid for by others while they sat there and watched cable TV, used the internet or enjoyed other unnecessary luxuries. Yes, they are luxuries. Healthcare is not. Sometimes we can't have our cake and eat it too. I know some people have debilitating diseases and can't get coverage. Those people I don't mind assisting. I know some people have lost their jobs and really have to get assistance. I don't mind helping them either. A lot of people are struggling to be self sufficient, and it makes it very difficult to take care of yourself when the government keeps taking more to help people that want a handout. I saw a survey once that was taken in a government food line. It was one of those places that hands out cheese and other staples. Every person asked said that they received welfare payments. Sixty percent also said that they had cable TV. Ridiculous.

Sorry for the rant. I hope that I didn't offend anyone. I can't afford to be taxed anymore!! And corporations pay for their tax increases by raising prices or laying people off.

 

[ursusarctosana]

Also, in Washington, there is Basic Health Plan, and I find it to be better than most employer's coverage. I think there are a lot of people stuck in between, though, where their employer's coverage is $800+ per month, just for them, and they cannot afford the family package because their income is too low and health insurance is too much.

Perhaps medical services, pres. drugs, and equipment prices are ridiculously inflated. Another idea I've heard discussed is that employers should pay for medical treatment, because, in a sense, they are renting a person's body to do their work for them. It's like driving a car--it must be maintained and people are not disposable. It's all about money.

 

[Dar]

Quote:

I could not agree more!!!!

we are our own worst enemy when it comes to our health and we can also be our greatest ally

 

[hinkjc]

Here's a good read on regulation of insurance. http://www.naic.org/documents/consumer_state_reg_faq.pdf

 

[Donnadzitall]

Quote:
I agree that the cost of care needs to come down...seriously come down....and then you do have Drs. that don't get paid or malpractice suits are high in number too. I think if it could all come down in price some how or somewhere, then the average citizen can afford to pay for some things. I,too, think that prevention is important. I do know there are some insurance programs that give you perks or reductions for not smoking, drinking and etc. How do they really know? I don't know but as someone else said...sometimes you can be the epitome of healthy and doo doo still happens. Sad.

 

[ursusarctosana]

Quote:

I could not agree more!!!!

we are our own worst enemy when it comes to our health and we can also be our greatest ally

My family member, who passed away Nov. 12 from cancer, fought for eight years. He was 43. He didn't smoke, didn't drink, and the doctor, when he had merely weeks to live, shook his hand and told him he was the strongest person he'd ever treated. Sometimes it doesn't matter what anyone does. The bottom line is that when we love someone, watching them die and suffer excruciating pain without proper treatment is equivalent to any ideal we may have of burning in hell, etc. All that matters during those moments is comfort.

But, I agree, though, that if a person is going to smoke and smoke and smoke cigarettes and eat processed boxed preserved foods all the time, it is inevitable that poor health will eventually catch up with them. Unless, they are my grandparents who smoked roll your own cigarettes from age twelve and lived to be 81 and 87 years old.

I think a lot of health-related conditions, while perhaps postponable, sometimes preventable, have a genetic component and there is only so much impact we can have on our health. It's like a bowl filled with numbers and, uh oh, a perfectly healthy 20 year old man or a 35 year old woman or 2 year old girl's number is drawn. Time's up and the fight will be ugly!

 

[phalenbeck]

I of course have read and been told the horror stories on Universal Health care, and thought to do my own survey. At the time I was working at a major beach facility in Florida and met folks form about everywhere in the world. I have personally spoken to Canadians (mostly) Britts, Germans, and did not find anyone unhappy with there health care. There was 1 Canadian that complained of costs/taxes, till I said I was paying $700.00 for Insurance + taxes. -----If you ask a U.S. resident it is hard to get a positive response. ---I think we have been lied to by insurance people, Doctors, Conservatives that universal health care is somehow bad. I suggest you ask a Canadian, or a Britt, or a German. -----In many areas of this country health care is rationed, unavailable, and of low quality. The employer baised system has failed while universal health care has (mostly) sucessfull in the rest of the wourld.

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:
They charge you for a doctors note??!!

I can get one for free if I just call my dr and tell them "hey look, kids been out sick with the flu.. I need a note" and they give it to me.

Physicals are covered under our plan - 1 a year - 100%... I just pay a copay of $15.00

and that includes for DH's CDL

That is great for you, but most of the people I know are lucky to have the bare bones in health insurance.
Sure I can call my doctor for a free note for my kids school. Oh wait, not if I can not AFFORD a doctor anymore.
Can everyone in the USA have your insurance?

No need to be sarcastic - and I didnt say my plan was that great either, have you read my posts previous or after? I was saying that I couldnt believe the other poster had to pay for a drs note. under a universal healthcare plan, after all, thats what we are discussing, right? I've been with my kids peds since they were born, so - in my situation it has to do moreso with patient-doctor relationship than healthcare plans.

 

[hinkjc]

Another idea I've heard discussed is that employers should pay for medical treatment, because, in a sense, they are renting a person's body to do their work for them.

That's one thing most people don't realize is that employers often do share in the cost of your health care package. They are also the one choosing the health care options to offer their employees (often based on price). Depending on how much the employer shares in this expense is what determines your cost for the plan. I know of companies that pay as much as 80+% towards health care plans offered to employees. The employee pays the remaining via paycheck withdrawals (the only amount most people typically see). The actual cost of administering a plan to many employees is often overlooked by those who buy into the plan.​