Individualism Dies The Stroke of a Pen

[JimandChristy 1,689]

No, not really. Those free riders cost me only about $1,500 - $2,000/year in premiums.

Seeing that you choose not to have insurance, would you sign a waiver that no ER would have to treat you unless you pay up front?

Nah let him sign onto the Republican Health Care Plan...

Edited March 24, 2010 by JimandChristy

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Nah let him sign onto the Republican Health Care Plan...

Makes sense to me. Nobody gets to live forever.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Makes sense to me. Nobody gets to live forever.

Sign up, Bill.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Sign up, Bill.

Hey, nobody gets out of here alive.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Hey, nobody gets out of here alive.

Well, yes. Technically, it's just a matter of the time of departure. That's really all we're talking about. As it stands, Americans depart earlier than their peers in the developed world while spending twice what their peers spend on pushing that departure date out. I'd rather have the deal of our peers.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

Well, yes. Technically, it's just a matter of the time of departure. That's really all we're talking about. As it stands, Americans depart earlier than their peers in the developed world while spending twice what their peers spend on pushing that departure date out. I'd rather have the deal of our peers.

Indeed and there are still Americans out there who don't want to learn from their fellow peers in first world countries.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Indeed and there are still Americans out there who don't want to learn from their fellow peers in first world countries.

Americans know better. Anyone that believes we've been fleeced all these decades and have been getting the rawest of deals is not really an American. They're all covert socialists. Damn, where's McCarthy when you need him?

[Scott & Lai 12]

The thought of that might be absurd to you...but unfortunately it is reality. MANY, MANY people go bankrupt and lose EVERYTHING each year trying to afford medical bills for themselves or loved ones who have suffered a horrible injury or illness. It seems the reality of how high the costs are for even a short stay in the hospital may be are alluding you.

-Blu-

You missed Paul's point. He isn't doubting the reality of the astronomically high health care costs. He is, in fact, saying that those costs, not insurance, are the big problem with our healthcare system, and it is reducing those costs that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, that is not the focus of the health care bill.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You missed Paul's point. He isn't doubting the reality of the astronomically high health care costs. He is, in fact, saying that those costs, not insurance, are the big problem with our healthcare system, and it is reducing those costs that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, that is not the focus of the health care bill.

The bill starts to address the cost issue as well. Yes, there should have been more of it in there but there are cost control measures included. Steven pointed them out in the other thread. It's a start on that front and it does take on the fee-for-service scheme that is one of the main cost drivers in our current system.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

You missed Paul's point. He isn't doubting the reality of the astronomically high health care costs. He is, in fact, saying that those costs, not insurance, are the big problem with our healthcare system, and it is reducing those costs that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, that is not the focus of the health care bill.

Exactly.

I have a friend with no job, no money, who stumbled into the ER with trouble breathing. They asked him for insurance. He showed them his CALPERS ID card, and they rushed him into a room. They hooked up all the beeping and flashing things, put him on oxygen, and got him stable. 45 minutes later, they told him he didn't have any insurance, gave him the name of a heart specialist, put him in a cab, and dropped him off in front of another medical building.

He finds the office. The receptionist asks how much money he made last year. He told her, she says no problem, that is below the threshold. He sees the doctor for five minutes, he tells my friend he has an enlarged heart, writes him a scrip for some diuretics, gives him some free samples, and kicks him out the door.

An ex-girlfriend of mine, and I, get put down as next of kin, she as his sister, and I as his brother. There is no shortage of people that have tried to intervene on his life, but he won't get off meth, and is currently living under a bridge.

Once a month, or so, the hospital calls me up wanting to locate him, and his "sister" told she saw one of the bills from the hospital asking for $700,000.

Now, tell me. What is the problem here? I wish I could charge a million dollars an hour for anything.

Edited March 24, 2010 by ##########

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The bill starts to address the cost issue as well. Yes, there should have been more of it in there but there are cost control measures included. Steven pointed them out in the other thread. It's a start on that front and it does take on the fee-for-service scheme that is one of the main cost drivers in our current system.

So you think Best Buy should service your computer for free?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So you think Best Buy should service your computer for free?

No, that's not the point. But they don't have to check the monitor connection if there's an issue with the USB port just so they can charge me for checking the monitor connection. Have them figure out what is necessary and what isn't and then limit their service to what's necessary. The way to achieve that is by paying a fee for treating a certain condition rather than paying for each and every procedure they can think of putting me through. And just to be sure we're not short-changed, the fee covers re-occurrence. So, if I have to come back because they did half a job, that's on the hospital and not for my insurance to pay again. That's how you drive innovation, efficiency and cost control.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

No, that's not the point. But they don't have to check the monitor connection if there's an issue with the USB port just so they can charge me for checking the monitor connection. Have them figure out what is necessary and what isn't and then limit their service to what's necessary. The way to achieve that is by paying a fee for treating a certain condition rather than paying for each and every procedure they can think of putting me through. And just to be sure we're not short-changed, the fee covers re-occurrence. So, if I have to come back because they did half a job, that's on the hospital and not for my insurance to pay again. That's how you drive innovation, efficiency and cost control.

Take care of medical malpractice insurance/lawsuits and you can solve A LOT of problems right there...

It's a CYA thing most of the time on things like that, not so they can get more money from you...

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Company has BCBS and also an extended benefit plan as well. They pay the majority of the costs for the plans.

I still make my choice.

Well, you're a feckin' eejit then if you don't ask your employer to give you about 10 grand more in your salary, because that's what you just screwed yourself out of.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Take care of medical malpractice insurance/lawsuits and you can solve A LOT of problems right there...

It's a CYA thing most of the time on things like that, not so they can get more money from you...

Don;t look now but the bill contains incentives for states to innovate on TORT reform as well. And the CYA is the smallest of problems. TORT reform as propose by the GOP was evaluated by the CBO and found to yield a fraction of a percent on health care cost. It's not the magic bullet it is made out to be.