Soak the Rich, Lose the Rich (Texas has it right)

[mawilson 2,133]

Good for you, however if you lost your job and couldn't get another and fell sick......what then?

*Then* I would pay for it. If someone lost their job, they do have the right to stay in the health plan

they had at that job - it's the law. Of course, they must pay the total premium themselves.

Oh and if people want private health care in say the UK, guess what they pay for it if they wish to. At least they have a choice or freedom to choose in that regard whether they want to go private or not. Over there is almost life/death, insurance/no insurance.

I don't want to pay for it. I already have excellent private coverage fully paid for by my employer.

As do hundreds of millions of Americans (62%) who get health insurance through their job.

62% of Americans get fully paid insurance through their jobs? Evidence please. I believe the figure should read 62% of Americans have access to insurance through their job which they pay for out of their wages (supplemented by their employer) and which still requires co payments. Still, I could be wrong.

That is correct - 62% of Americans get health insurance through their job.

[Peikko 1,575]

What that means though, is that 62% of Americans have access to a reasonable insurance plan. However, even a reasonable plan, where the insurance company is paying 100% for some procedures (generally the cheap ones) can lead one into severe hardship when a procedure does not qualify for 100% coverage and the insured has to co pay. Even with a good insurance plan, that co pay can be 40%. 40% of an expensive procedure is often enough to bankrupt. If that procedure is to be performed on the person in who's name the insurance policy is held and who due to the illness no longer can perform that job which pays for the reasonable insurance plan that family is sunk.

That is not a good health care system, it's not even adequate. It's essentially useless.

No, worse than useless because people go around shouting from hilltops how fVcking great it is.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Madame Cleo

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If that procedure is to be performed on the person in who's name the insurance policy is held and who due to the illness no longer can perform that job which pays for the reasonable insurance plan that family is sunk.

AD&D insurance. Get it.

Being adequately insured is a very important part of being financially secure.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

Good for you, however if you lost your job and couldn't get another and fell sick......what then?

*Then* I would pay for it. If someone lost their job, they do have the right to stay in the health plan

they had at that job - it's the law. Of course, they must pay the total premium themselves.

Well if that happened you be in for a very big shock! Your life savings would be eaten away, don't you have any idea how much that monthly premium will now cost? So you got to wonder how someone without a job (who has little money) will pay a big bill like a monthly health care premium? What happens is people go from every day living to living to survive. They're now broke, they only now have enough to pay the rent/mortgage, the utility bills, food etc etc. So they can't go to the normal doctor, can't afford to, so their condition gets worse, they put it off until it gets to the stage they almost end up working themselves to death.

Have you ever had to haggle with an ER doc to x-ray your sick child because you're uninsured and can't afford to take them to a regular doctor? I hope not because this is the type of scenario millions of decent/hardworking Americans deal with everyday. I had to do this when I was over last summer, if I didn't haggle the ER doctor at that time to give the child an x-ray he would have died of pneumonia.

Is this the type of thing we should be seeing in a westernised, democratic country like the USA, it boggles my mind to see this type of thing happening so frequently in the USA.

[mawilson 2,133]

Good for you, however if you lost your job and couldn't get another and fell sick......what then?

*Then* I would pay for it. If someone lost their job, they do have the right to stay in the health plan

they had at that job - it's the law. Of course, they must pay the total premium themselves.

Well if that happened you be in for a very big shock! Your life savings would be eaten away, don't you have any idea how much that monthly premium will now cost? So you got to wonder how someone without a job (who has little money) will pay a big bill like a monthly health care premium? What happens is people go from every day living to living to survive. They're now broke, they only now have enough to pay the rent/mortgage, the utility bills, food etc etc. So they can't go to the normal doctor, can't afford to, so their condition gets worse, they put it off until it gets to the stage they almost end up working themselves to death.

Have you ever had to haggle with an ER doc to x-ray your sick child because you're uninsured and can't afford to take them to a regular doctor? I hope not because this is the type of scenario millions of decent/hardworking Americans deal with everyday. I had to do this when I was over last summer, if I didn't haggle the ER doctor at that time to give the child an x-ray he would have died of pneumonia.

Is this the type of thing we should be seeing in a westernised, democratic country like the USA, it boggles my mind to see this type of thing happening so frequently in the USA.

There are programs that provide coverage to people who cannot afford to buy it on their own,

as well as those who have a serious medical condition or disability.

The programs vary by state. In New York, the main programs are Medicaid, Family Health Plus

and Child Health Plus. They have income and asset limits, but if you're "broke", you will likely qualify.

[Peikko 1,575]

If that procedure is to be performed on the person in who's name the insurance policy is held and who due to the illness no longer can perform that job which pays for the reasonable insurance plan that family is sunk.

AD&D insurance. Get it.

Being adequately insured is a very important part of being financially secure.

I agree. However, it seems to me that there are far too many ways that an insurance company can wriggle out of its presumed obligations to the insured. That also does not take account of all the millions who fall foul of co pay.

[AlHayatZween 2]

The problem arises when you are in the margin. When you earn too much to qualify for these programs, but not enough to pay $300, $500, $800 + a month for individual insurance for either yourself or your whole family.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

Good for you, however if you lost your job and couldn't get another and fell sick......what then?

*Then* I would pay for it. If someone lost their job, they do have the right to stay in the health plan

they had at that job - it's the law. Of course, they must pay the total premium themselves.

Well if that happened you be in for a very big shock! Your life savings would be eaten away, don't you have any idea how much that monthly premium will now cost? So you got to wonder how someone without a job (who has little money) will pay a big bill like a monthly health care premium? What happens is people go from every day living to living to survive. They're now broke, they only now have enough to pay the rent/mortgage, the utility bills, food etc etc. So they can't go to the normal doctor, can't afford to, so their condition gets worse, they put it off until it gets to the stage they almost end up working themselves to death.

Have you ever had to haggle with an ER doc to x-ray your sick child because you're uninsured and can't afford to take them to a regular doctor? I hope not because this is the type of scenario millions of decent/hardworking Americans deal with everyday. I had to do this when I was over last summer, if I didn't haggle the ER doctor at that time to give the child an x-ray he would have died of pneumonia.

Is this the type of thing we should be seeing in a westernised, democratic country like the USA, it boggles my mind to see this type of thing happening so frequently in the USA.

There are programs that provide coverage to people who cannot afford to buy it on their own,

as well as those who have a serious medical condition or disability.

The programs vary by state. In New York, the main programs are Medicaid, Family Health Plus

and Child Health Plus. They have income and asset limits, but if you're "broke", you will likely qualify.

That's not true, you still be in for an even greater shock it seems! Medicaid only covers a narrow bound of people, like the elderly, children, mentally/physically disabled. If you are male or female and you are able to work you cannot be covered....the limits are so low as it is. So a decent hard working family who are above that low limit still don't earn enough/can't afford to get health insurance.

Edited May 20, 2009 by JimandChristy

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Go to college. If your income is low, you'll qualify for aid from the government. And once enrolled full time (at least in NJ) the college is required to offer you health coverage.

What's more, pick the right course of study and when you graduate you will likely get a job that offers insurance

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Good for you, however if you lost your job and couldn't get another and fell sick......what then?

*Then* I would pay for it. If someone lost their job, they do have the right to stay in the health plan

they had at that job - it's the law. Of course, they must pay the total premium themselves.

Well if that happened you be in for a very big shock! Your life savings would be eaten away, don't you have any idea how much that monthly premium will now cost? So you got to wonder how someone without a job (who has little money) will pay a big bill like a monthly health care premium? What happens is people go from every day living to living to survive. They're now broke, they only now have enough to pay the rent/mortgage, the utility bills, food etc etc. So they can't go to the normal doctor, can't afford to, so their condition gets worse, they put it off until it gets to the stage they almost end up working themselves to death.

Have you ever had to haggle with an ER doc to x-ray your sick child because you're uninsured and can't afford to take them to a regular doctor? I hope not because this is the type of scenario millions of decent/hardworking Americans deal with everyday. I had to do this when I was over last summer, if I didn't haggle the ER doctor at that time to give the child an x-ray he would have died of pneumonia.

Is this the type of thing we should be seeing in a westernised, democratic country like the USA, it boggles my mind to see this type of thing happening so frequently in the USA.

There are programs that provide coverage to people who cannot afford to buy it on their own,

as well as those who have a serious medical condition or disability.

The programs vary by state. In New York, the main programs are Medicaid, Family Health Plus

and Child Health Plus. They have income and asset limits, but if you're "broke", you will likely qualify.

That's not true, you still be in for an even greater shock it seems! Medicaid only covers a narrow bound of people, like the elderly, children, mentally/physically disabled. If you are male or female and you are able to work you cannot be covered.

Not true. Medicaid is administered by the states, and each state has different eligibility requirements. In California, it is an income threshold (MediCal).

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Medicaid in NJ is very limited.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The new American creed: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Insurance.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

Good for you, however if you lost your job and couldn't get another and fell sick......what then?

*Then* I would pay for it. If someone lost their job, they do have the right to stay in the health plan

they had at that job - it's the law. Of course, they must pay the total premium themselves.

Well if that happened you be in for a very big shock! Your life savings would be eaten away, don't you have any idea how much that monthly premium will now cost? So you got to wonder how someone without a job (who has little money) will pay a big bill like a monthly health care premium? What happens is people go from every day living to living to survive. They're now broke, they only now have enough to pay the rent/mortgage, the utility bills, food etc etc. So they can't go to the normal doctor, can't afford to, so their condition gets worse, they put it off until it gets to the stage they almost end up working themselves to death.

Have you ever had to haggle with an ER doc to x-ray your sick child because you're uninsured and can't afford to take them to a regular doctor? I hope not because this is the type of scenario millions of decent/hardworking Americans deal with everyday. I had to do this when I was over last summer, if I didn't haggle the ER doctor at that time to give the child an x-ray he would have died of pneumonia.

Is this the type of thing we should be seeing in a westernised, democratic country like the USA, it boggles my mind to see this type of thing happening so frequently in the USA.

There are programs that provide coverage to people who cannot afford to buy it on their own,

as well as those who have a serious medical condition or disability.

The programs vary by state. In New York, the main programs are Medicaid, Family Health Plus

and Child Health Plus. They have income and asset limits, but if you're "broke", you will likely qualify.

That's not true, you still be in for an even greater shock it seems! Medicaid only covers a narrow bound of people, like the elderly, children, mentally/physically disabled. If you are male or female and you are able to work you cannot be covered.

Not true. Medicaid is administered by the states, and each state has different eligibility requirements. In California, it is an income threshold (MediCal).

Ahhh but that's thing, the income threshold doesn't help most people who are uninsured because they are above that threshold (So don't qualify for medicaid) but at the same time don't earn enough to get health insurance. Anyway this is just one of the many examples why the whole system isn't right.

[Peikko 1,575]

It'll never be put right either. So long as any solution is linked to that dastardly govmint, the cure is worse than the disease.

[AlHayatZween 2]

The new American creed: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Insurance.

Couldn't quality health care be covered by the Pursuit of Happiness clause?