I know the comedian’s punchline to his best joke has already been leaked: "Your privatized health care system gives you too many benefits" so I thought I would give you some additional background to make the humor even greater.
…most Americans are unaware that the United States is the only country in the developed world that doesn’t already have a fundamentally public–that is, tax-supported–health care system.
That means that the United States has been the unwitting control subject in a 30-year, worldwide experiment comparing the merits of private versus public health care funding…
So, instead of getting on the air tonight and saying that we are spoiled with our lousy health care, shouldn’t Mr. President get on the air and declare that we are going to begin moving toward Universal Health Care?
There are many common arguments for and against universal health care. Those in favor of universal health care often point out that it would provide health care to the people who currently do not have it. Opponents of universal health care often argue that universal healthcare may require higher taxes. These opponents also claim that the absence of a market mechanism may slow innovation in treatment and research, and leads to rationing of care through waiting lists. Both sides of the political spectrum have also looked to more philosophical arguments, debating whether or not people have a fundamental right to have health care provided to them by their government. [Source]
I wonder how the 50 million uninsured Americans are going to respond to the president’s "Gold-plated health care plans".
I wonder if they realize some people have to pay more just to get some basic coverage because they are identified as uninsurable by health insurance companies. [Source]
Hmmm. Canada? I wonder what the education is like up there. Let’s see. Socialized health care. Less infant mortality and longer life at less cost. Legalized marijuana. Oh! I get it. Isn’t Canada where all the hippies went instead of Vietnam? Eh?
I’ve often asked without getting an answer: Why public education is not considered socialism, but universal healthcare is often dubbed as socialism? For most Americans, affordable healthcare is available only through their employers. This stifles entrepeneurship. Instead of inexpensive preventative healthcare, our “healthcare” system is geared towards catering for emergencies, when a sudden illness has emerged, or expensive long-term chronic illness care. We have an alleged shortage of doctors, but our immigration make it well night impossible for foreign physicians to practice in the U.S. Drug companies fight nail and tooth against importation of cheaper drugs from abroad. Our private “healthcare” system is a cartel, and the only way to reform it is to establish a public, or government controlled, healthcare system, similar to our public education system.
For the past decade I have worked for myself and for that decade I have been uninsured. The kids are covered but I’m not because I simply cannot afford it and I was told that if I bought an individual policy and made a claim that my rates would skyrocket until I went away. Not sure if that is true but I could see it happening.
I have been afraid to go to the doctor for fear of being diagnosed with anything that might hinder my chances of getting insurance when I sign on with a company that provides health care. What does that mean? Perhaps I have something that could have been taken care of within the past decade that over 10 years has grown to a point of not being treatable. Because I cannot afford the insurance, my life is shortened.
Oh the other hand, I’m the healthiest person I know because if I do have something like prostate cancer, skin cancer, terminal stupidity, high cholesterol, etc., I’m unaware of it 🙂
Doug, health insurance is not like auto insurance. Your rates do not go up because you use it. Unless of course something “comes up” that renders you “uninsurable” then all bets are off as they will try to find something to drop you (legally they can’t once you have the insurance, but they will always try to find a way to weasel out under a technicality… ie. once you have a problem, don’t ever be late with your premiums payment).
explain health insurance to me please
we dont have it here – why is it so important?
we personally have a medical beneifts policy (taken privately) that does not cover any hospitalisation but does cover ancilliaries, eg dental, massage, optometrist etc. ot the full amount, but some of it
in addition we have a public health system (though it is pretty overloaded)
i’ve always worked on the maths that says unless you are going to make a claim the premiums cost more in the long run than the cost of paying for it directly. this has worked out correctly in all the areas we don’t insure. obvioously we do insure those areas where we anticipate claims and as such tend to make more claims than the premium cost. sop we insure our household goods for theft, fire and acidental damage (great with kids who drop things like cameras!), computers against breakdown and damage and vehicles. major health we figure we will pay for if and when it happens, and minro health like dental we take a policy that covers 75% of the cost, so teh premiums while expensive affectively get returned by using the services they cover and we get some stuff for free.
if as you say you are healthy, and it seems all your family largely are, ignore the insurance and worry about stuff that you can actually do something about. – just my 2c
If someone needs medical care, we call to make an appointment. The first question we are asked is what insurance we use. MANY providers refuse to see people without insurance. Then, the cost of medications is astronomical. Think a week’s worth of groceries for just one or two antibiotics. If a major accident or illness occurred, it could take us the rest of our lives to pay for it. If Doug was ever offered insurance, we would almost certainly be turned down, but if we have gotten care for anything in the year prior to applying, we are guaranteed that we will be turned down. Realistically, because we have been uninsured for so long, most providers will turn us down. We tried a few years ago and couldn’t get any for less than our income.
so how do people normally pay for the medication – does the insurance cover it all?
People with insurance pay about 10.-30. per script.