A question for Candadians and UK folks and the Universal Healthcare

[redhen]

Quote:
I know what my job is as a foster parent.. thanks very much..

My kids go in when its needed.. i'm not an idiot.. and i truly dont need you to tell me about my job...

Try finding a provider that takes mass health? (not many choices in this town..) Try finding a dentist for them?? Many doctors simply WONT take Mass health... becuase they DONT pay AND they fight them about everything... "Is this REALLY needed ... do it THIS way.. its cheaper."..
I have to travel to the city an hour away for a dentist for the kids.(and we have 4 dentist right here in my town..)... and they dont cover much at all.. IMO..
Nothing like MY dental and health insurance covers... its a big difference...
Please dont presume that you know everything ...

Sorry, I don't presume to know everything. I fostered for 10 years and I happen to know quite a bit about it in my state. My post was not directed at you. It was simply in response to your post. I wan't saying you would get investigated. I was saying that we would if that happened. Try not to be so touchy.

Sorry Mass health is so crummy. Remember that the person who created it will probably be on the ticket in 2012. As PM says another thing to check out.

I was saying that in my state if you don't get the kids in and they get sick because of it you will be investigated and possibly have your license revoked. Yes only certain doctors and dentist except Medicaid. We have to drive 30 minutes to get our kids to a doctor that accepts Medicaid. It's a fact of life when you live in the boonies. When we lived in the metro area we could find multiple doctors within 5 minutes away.

You do prove my point though. Universal health care would have your local doctors on the same page as everyone else. You could use a doctor closer to you. Thanks

Its not just the distance to travel...
Mass health has more issues...
And i wonder if universal health care will be the same? If so... i'm very very worried..

 

[Dunkopf]

I don't think you have to worry. It will never pass. It has been tried twice now. The 1st time it was just rejected. This time it got twisted in a knot. The mandate will be found unconstitutional and the prior condition clause will be dropped because of no mandate. Other than that it's basically the same as what we had before.

 

[newfoundland]

In the UK system, infertility treatment is available free of charge, including cycles of IVF. Cosmetic surgery is more of a grey area. Breast reduction for example is available as this is seen as a health issue. A nose job, in the case of someone who has an extremely irregular nose, would be available as it would be thought that this condition could cause emotional and social exclusion. A tummy tuck for someone who had lost an awful lot of weight and had loose skin would also be available. All reconstructive surgery following accidents or breast surgery etc. are also available. Liposuction is not available on the NHS, neither are such things as having a nose remodelled simply as a vanity etc. Some would agree with these things others wouldn't. No system of government is perfect I'm sure. I think we feel that polititions can be less than honest with us in order to get re-elected.

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
If the US ever gets universal health-care for their people then you don't have to join. You could still continue with private health insurance.
Some people in Canada, for whatever reason only known to them, don't join health-care. They still use the walk-in clinics and pay a nominal fee.
They also know, that they will not be turned away for medical treatment if something serious happens, it is against the law to refuse medical treatment. They would have to pay some sort of restitution but they also know you can't get money from somebody who doesn't have any.

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
Precisely... bells and whistles... I think if people want all that extra stuff they can save, buy the snooty insurance, etc... but a Nat'l system could be made that covers the bare bones... not even that hard really... Gov't is great at creating jobs out of thin air, make an office to handle claims and tell all the hospitals, docs, etc to just send the bill to them when someone comes in without insurance. Not very organized, not The State running the offices for instance, but it would get the ball rolling... maybe? *shrug*

As to the no denial... am I wrong or are the companies still allowed to charge what they want? Is there any kind of cap on premiums? Or has the government totally told them what they can sell their product for, even if it means them losing money? 'Cuz if they're doing that it might inspire them to alter the way their plans work... assuming state law allows them to, maybe they'd come up with a no bells and whistles plan that fits the numbers their allowed to charge? Or they may just realize the scam has run it's course, sell out and go to Fiji. Can't say as I think that'd be a bad thing... all the peeps they employed, who know how to process claims can go work at that hypothetical Government Health Claims office...

Of course if there isn't a cap... well, then they just tell someone that due to _____ their premium will be 10000/month... Oh, you can't afford it? You're CHOOSING to go elsewhere... darn that's too bad. And it's business as usual. They wouldn't HAVE to deny coverage to anyone, the cost could be raised to prohibitive levels... already are for us anyways, but a lot of folks have been making it that might not if this is the way it would work... and I can't for the life of me recall if a cap on premiums was included or not... Anyone?

Edit... Black... I donno about a full on Plan... but this latest stuff... YEAH you do have to join or be fined as a criminal. Buy a privately owned, little/no government oversight company's product... or else.

You might not be ordered to use the system... unless you have kids, then I guess if you didn't they could use your children as leverage if they ever got sick... but 10-1 there'd be a national ID system that everyone's name was in...

Thai... that pic looks pretty much like ours... no, that's not true... around here a yellow that sunny and cheerful would NEVER be allowed in a hospital room.

Edit... I just had a sorta creepy thought... what about places like CareNow that don't file insurance... are they going out of business... or do you think there'll be enough people like us that can't afford it even if it does mean a fine that'll still use their services?

And could the government access their files to see who's sidestepping their commands... all the peeps going there don't have insurance... right there in black and white... yep, time to lay off the coffee... caffeine is making me paranoid.

 

[redhen]

PM .. what type of insurance do you and your family (kids/hubby) have?

 

[PineappleMama]

Hubby is covered through work...

Small business where the ailments of everyone effect each person's rate... so B having BP meds raises DH's costs... but DH being in fine health, non-smoker, young does NOT lower B's rates. That same thing applies to any spouses and/or children added, at the employee's expense... so for just me to be added would be $400/month...

Our bills total this month are 1877... it's a five check month so income is 2555... leaving 678 for groceries, gas, shampoo, pet food (which I realize is totally optional), clothes, shoes, the whole works for a family of four... take out 400 and we'd be up a creek... make it a four check month where our income is only 2044 (167 left) and it's impossible... and again, that is only for me to be added, doesn't include the kids.

As I said before we aren't 'poor enough' for the kids to be on Medicaid and the CHIPS system... well, renewal is supposedly every six months yet ours was nixed for not sending in renewal papers (though I mailed AND faxed them) after only five months... it took four to get a card and we were booted before I could get an appointment for them... so... basically that system just sends in you a circle, wasting your time, and taxpayer dollars on all the paperwork... to get nothing. When I called, three times mind, about the renewal stuff I did everything asked of me... even had the confirmation slip for the fax... but when I called back with that it was 'tough nuggets'... and the person on the line hinted that the reason for it was not our income, verification of that income... they hinted that it was because of our race... and that that was just their opinion based on how many cases they'd seen where some folks got it and others didn't... but coulda just been pulling my leg... but either way it peeved me to no end and pretty well destroyed any faith I might have had in that system.

Likewise for Food Stamps... times got tight (same time as the CHIPS episode) so I applied for the kids... we weren't 'poor enough' for that either... according to the charts that are on the books we are... yet when you actually apply... something changes. Based on their charts, what they're poda be going by, we qualify... so what precisely is it that makes us ineligible? Kids under 18... income checks out... so what's the problem? Anyone care to take a guess?

But, really a moot point... because most the months are 4 checkers and we couldn't afford even half the premium on those months... on 5ers we could... especially if we had help in the food department... but there's only, what maybe 4 of those a year? And that is why I'm very concerned about this new law... there's a tax write off or something for 'poor folk'... but that's not going to help us make the payments for a year until we can file it... other option is to go on as now... get fined for not being able to afford it... and that of course will cut into the tax return that could pay for the premiums next year... so then next year we'll be in the same boat... that's the scenario that plays in my head... I really don't want to be a criminal... but if I have to choose between my kids eating for a month, or them having a little card that gets nothing until we shell out thousands more in a deductible... hmmm... yeah, I'm going to buy food. I don't think the guys up yonder really have any concept of what the average citizen is paying to live, what we pay for food, bills, clothes... and no clue that we manage it on a small fraction of what they're pulling in... at least, I hope that it's just ignorance that made them pass this... that they didn't know perfectly well that it would put people like us in the position of choosing food or insurance... that's an even scarier thought... who'd have imagined that them being ignorant would be the good option?

 

[redhen]

So only DH is covered? Not you or the kids? I'm not sure i got a straight answer to my question..lol
What happens if something serious happens? Whos going to pay for it? it could run you 100's of thousands...
As you said.. you live month to month... (just like me)....
Why i'm asking is.. ..you tell me that you dont want infertility included in this health care reform... because you dont want to "pay" for it... And you also said that having kids is a choice.. etc...
But.. if something drastic happens to you or your family.. whos going to pay for it?.... the tax payers...
Why should I pay for YOUR kids food stamps and health ins?? You CHOSE to have them.. take care of them yourself... (now i DONT REALLY mean that.... but you get where i'm coming from...??.. Do you SEE how it FEELS now?? Not very nice is it?? ..)
Think about it for a minute.... really think how one-sided you really are...
You cant have it both ways...
If you want food stamps and help with paying for health ins... then you need to be willing to "give" a little too..
And by that..i mean.. dont be SO judgemental about "what" should be covered... as long as EVERYONE is covered.. including MY infertility treatments and YOUR kids... ...

 

[PineappleMama]

DH covered, us not. Straight yes?

No worries, I do totally see what you mean...

On Food Stamps... a person who pays taxes, for years, that hits a bump in the road... applies for help... gets it... gets back to work... I have no problem with that. That's what the system is for, to help out folks in troubled times... what bugs me is people that don't bother working before signing up, after signing up... ever... they just use use use... bonus points for the ones that drive the new caddy (yes saw this parked outside the office, taking up the handicap spot no less)... I have to guess they're making untraceable cash to pay for that and still qualify for aid... but that's speculation...

Same with Medicaid... DH is paying for that with every check so if his kids need it it should be there. That's what it's for. Until we can provide for them.

DH is in school, working his arse off FT student with near perfect GPA AND working FT as well... he is doing everything he can to improve his, and our, lot in life... so that we won't have to depend on those types of aid... that's assuming we could actually get it, which we cannot. Again, remember here, even having less than $200/month for food for four (and everything else) isn't 'poor enough'... but it's plenty 'rich enough' for them to pass this law that will make us have to find $400+ for insurance for me and the kids.

But the fertility thing... you and I aren't on the same page... I don't think we're even in the same book... I think having kids is a choice... you choose to bring them into the world (and thus be responsible for them) or you don't... once conceived they should be given good care... but paying out the nose to get that conception... well... warning this may seem harsh, I've tried to avoid saying this but it isn't working so... paying for conception to me doesn't seem much different than paying for sex... minus the pleasure obviously... but the end result is the same... I think every child should have a chance at a decent life... thus prenatal is covered... but HOW they were conceived... that's private and I feel should stay that way... I don't think the government should be sticking their nose into my sex life and I don't think tax dollars should be spent paying for other peoples'... that's on top of our basic difference of opinion that children are a gift/choice (depends on your thinking I suppose but I think both)... not a Constitutionally guaranteed right... you have the right to pursue kids if you want (happiness and all)... but you aren't guaranteed that you'll get them. Likewise you've got the right to (over 35, etc) run for President of the United States, doesn't mean you're guaranteed by law to get it. Everyone's guaranteed The Pursuit... not the destination. If that makes ANY sense at all??

 

[redhen]

Quote:
No..makes no sense at all.. sorry..
The sex thing?? WTH.. where is your mind at?? Wow... wacked... really.
Honestly.. that makes no sense and you know it... your just grasping at straws now...
So..let me get this straight...You're willing and ready to take money from ME (i.e joe tax payer).. to pay for YOUR kids food and health care....
but you're not willing to support infertility coverage in national health insurance??..
Yeah... think about how you sound.... how greedy and selfish ...
Anyways.. end of discussion... no point in going over it again and again with someone with your thought process...
Peace!