American health (no) care system

[AParsons]

So, first I have always lived here in Australia.

So when I hear of things from the USA like, someone losing fingers on their hand and then having to decide which fingers he wants re-attached because he doesn't have enough money to get them all re-attached. I think WTF and this is total BS. Then I hear of things like people having part(?) of their doctors visit cost refund refused. WTF? Why have insurance at all??

Is it really that bad???

So the rich get doctors care but the poor suffer??

[dedndave]

in many cases, the "poor" get no care at all
the "middle class" are the ones that get partial care

Why have insurance at all??

second biggest scam in the history of mankind
ok - maybe third   :P

[Gunner]

If there was no such thing as "Campaign contributions" more than half the crap that goes on WOULD CEASE TO EXIST!!!!

[AParsons]

Why do people over ther put up with it? Why don't people rally together and force the government to change?

[dedndave]

this "occupy" movement is about as close as they've come
and - that's probably about as far as they'll get, too
notice - it has had no real effect

there is a lot of big money involved so, if you did start to actually make a chage.....

1) you'd be labeled a terrorist and disappear
2) you'd just disappear - kinda like jimmy hoffa

[rags]

Dave, actually the "poor" and those on welfare do get good medical coverage via Medicaid.
But as you said its the middle class that gets the partial care.

[dedndave]

 :P

yah...
i was thinking that, if you went to prison as a terrorist, you'd probably get good health care

[AParsons]

:P

yah...
i was thinking that, if you went to prison as a terrorist, you'd probably get good health care

From what I have seen in the media, it appears that terrorist get better health care than most in the US.

The US health system seems so corrupt it is just a joke.

[hutch--]

I think the general drift is that the medical lobby is so powerful in the US and that well wired into Congress that there is little chance of breaking their financial scam on taxpayers. The nod seems to be to go to Cuba to get cheap health care if you are not rich in the US.

For most of the rest of the western world, health care is not directly money based and while it has been scammed from time to time, generally it works OK and is within reasonable cost ranges. To this extent US taxpayers are being fed bullsh*t about the costs, if much poorer countries can do it effectively (Cuba) then it can be done by a country with the resources the US has. The reason why it has not is political, not financial.

[dedndave]

my health plan is easy - don't get sick because i can't afford it
works pretty well
Z is a different subject

[PauloH]

I'm a medicine doctor in Brazil. Corruption is the biggest disease here. Our government doesn't apply everything it can, and it can do a lot better.

[clive]

So, first I have always lived here in Australia.

So when I hear of things from the USA like, someone losing fingers on their hand and then having to decide which fingers he wants re-attached because he doesn't have enough money to get them all re-attached. I think WTF and this is total BS. Then I hear of things like people having part(?) of their doctors visit cost refund refused. WTF? Why have insurance at all??

Is it really that bad???

So the rich get doctors care but the poor suffer??

Health care generally isn't "free" anywhere, in places like the UK and Canada you pay for it with higher taxes on everything. And regressive taxes like VAT which disproportionately impact the poor.

Many people don't have health insurance. Either due to cost, or it not being paid for by an employer. It used to be a choice, ObamaCare supposedly forces participation, we'll see if that is remotely constitutional, they can't figure if the penalty is a tax or a fine, but costs have still risen significantly. Basically because those who pay carry the weight for those that don't. ie the middle class pay for themselves and the indigent.

Health care insurance, like car insurance, has deductables to reduce the premium costs. Wreck your car expect the first $500 to come out your own pocket, need medical care expect to pay the first $1000-$1500 depending on your plan. Insurance is designed to cover uncertainty.

US emergency rooms have to treat all comers, those paying for treatment have to carry the weight of those who don't. Yeah, they might not sew your limbs back on, but they will stop you from dieing. The gang members shooting each other seem to get treatment without paying for it, and I'm sure some people get their limbs reattached too, or nails pulled out of their skulls. The idea that the US leaves accident victims to die in the street, is just a crock.

I've lived under both UK and US systems, you are going to get suckier, slower care in the UK where it's "free", which is why there's always been private health care providers and insurance there too. The UK has "free" dental care, seen the teeth on your average UK resident?

Bottom line, health care costs money, yours or someone elses.

[clive]

The nod seems to be to go to Cuba to get cheap health care if you are not rich in the US.

Working great for Chavez. Cheap != Effective. That said, doesn't some 90% of US health care costs come from futile attempts to delay the reaper a few months?

They solve some of this in the UK by giving people with 4 months to live appointments 6 months in the future, or placing them on waiting lists.

[dedndave]

one major problem is...
the pharmaceutical companies are owned by the same rich-ass-basturds that own the insurance companies

[Bill Cravener]

We have posted about the idiotic nonsense called the American health care system many times in the past here on the Masm board. The fact is it is a truly moronic system based on insurance company greed! Some 30% of health care costs here in the US is waste. Causes for the waste: overtreatment of patients, the failure to coordinate care, the administrative complexity of the health care system, burdensome rules and fraud.

Yeah, they might not sew your limbs back on, but they will stop you from dieing[sic].

Lack of health insurance causes some 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States. There are millions of Americans who do not qualify for government provided health insurance and the very high costs make it impossible for millions of others to afford. When charity or uncompensated care is not available they simply have to go without needed medical treatment until often it's too late. Hard to believe such things happen here in the States but it does every day.