Why do Americans take away health insurance when a person loses a job?

[editec]

HI,

This is really to be a serious topic that each and every one eed to think about. Why it be teh choice to get their own custom health insurance?

Because that is how our HC system developed after World War II, Cb.

Our health care insurance system wasn't centrally planned, it grew naturally from the private sector. The insurance industry realized they could make good money selling HC and private industries used health care insurance as one of the benefits of working for that industry.

And this private system of HC tied to ones emplyees worked fairly well for a long time, but the rising cost of HC and the declining wages of most Americans has stressed the system to the point where for many of us, any major health crises bankrupts the family.

 

[AmberR108]

for those of you who have never really faced a serious/catastrophic illness in the family..

An interesting question was posed on the Sick Around The World | FRONTLINE | PBS

"I don't understand why in America you would take away the health insurance when a person loses his job. Isn't that when she needs it?"



Read more: Advice For Consumers | Sick Around America | FRONTLINE | PBS

...some things need repeating.

Health insurance policies in America are great, until you actually have to use them.

As a person who has experienced serious and incredibly expensive healthcare costs in my family I feel what gets you is the all-consuming-ever-growing-endless whirlpool of fees for sub-par quality healthcare (in my experience). Which is only compounded when you lose what little coverage your employer probably provided.

 

[AmberR108]

An interesting question was posed on the Sick Around The World | FRONTLINE | PBS

"I don't understand why in America you would take away the health insurance when a person loses his job. Isn't that when she needs it?"



Read more: Advice For Consumers | Sick Around America | FRONTLINE | PBS

It's all about personnel responsibility, when a business is poorly managed they save money and earn their bonus by fucking over personnel.

Excuse me, so what do you think, that an employer should continue providing health insurance to someone who no longer works for them? I mean, really, is that what you think?

Under COBRA, employees can continue their coverage after they lose their job, but they must now pay for it themselves, rather than the employer pay for part or all of it. And it's damn expensive. Unfortunately, in the case of some employees, losing their job is when they begin to appreciate what their employer was doing for them.

I sure appreciate the health insurance my company provides and pays most of the premium for. But it's the insurance companies that are the problem. They just raised our rates again, to the point that to keep the deductions from my paycheck for the insurance the same (about $150 every two weeks...my company pays several hundred more per month for my premium) I had to raise my deductible from the already high $1500 to $3000 per person. My company can't afford to offer a better plan, either. Just like many companies in this economy, we're struggling.

Then Blue Cross has the gall to send a bunch of posters for us to tack up with advise on how to take care of our health. With a $3000 deductible many people will tend to avoid medical care they should be seeking since even though they have health insurance, they can't afford it.

Cram it up your ass, Blue Cross.

Also, I agree COBRA is outrageously unaffordable, especially for the recently unemployed.

"The beneficiaries may have to pay for COBRA. However, the premium can’t exceed 102 percent of the plan cost for individuals. You may also have to pay a 2 percent administrative fee.
If, as a qualified beneficiary, you receive the 11 month disability coverage extension, the premium may be increased to 150 percent...While the cost may seem high, it’s still the group rate which is less than an individual health policy"

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Dante makes a good point. Why is health insurance offered almost exclusively through work, why isn't car insurance?

Do you lose you car insurance when you lose your job?

We need to reform the insurance industry so it is subject to the free market.

Anyone can buy health insurance. Self employed people do it all the time and it's not only insurance that needs to be subjected to market forces but medical care itself also needs to be subject to free market forces.

As it stands now we have no idea what any medical service costs so we cannot choose to shop around.

Just call your local medical center and ask how much an office visit, a blood panel or MRI costs and see if you get an answer.

The whole system needs a giant helping of reform and less government

 

[Wry Catcher]

Why do Americans take away health insurance when a person loses a job?"

Because the employer can. And as health care becomes more and more expensive more and more employers will begin to take away health insurance.

Sadly stupid people seek to solve serious problems with a simple solution based on nothing more than ideology. Read the post above by CrusaderFrank for an example.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Why do Americans take away health insurance when a person loses a job?"

Because the employer can. And as health care becomes more and more expensive more and more employers will begin to take away health insurance.

Sadly stupid people seek to solve serious problems with a simple solution based on nothing more than ideology. Read the post above by CrusaderFrank for an example.

stupid people think 3000 pages of government regulation, mandates and penalties and forcing people to buy insurance will solve the problem

 

[Wry Catcher]

Why do Americans take away health insurance when a person loses a job?"

Because the employer can. And as health care becomes more and more expensive more and more employers will begin to take away health insurance.

Sadly stupid people seek to solve serious problems with a simple solution based on nothing more than ideology. Read the post above by CrusaderFrank for an example.

stupid people think 3000 pages of government regulation, mandates and penalties and forcing people to buy insurance will solve the problem

I suppose they do. But most people understand that the making of legislation is an ugly process - much like a dozen cooks each seasoning the soup. People, even stupid people, understand that healthcare costs money and no one should expect a free lunch.

 

[editec]

Really? Life must have been wonderful for the average American before FDR.

Dante you need to read up on this subject.

You just made it quite apparent that you don't know jackshit about this subject.

When I want some shit out of you, I'll just squeeze your head. Until then STFU.

While you're waiting for that final growth spurt, one that hopefully will also give you some grasp of what its like to also think like an adult, you might find reading books an enlightening experience.

 

[dblack]

stupid people think 3000 pages of government regulation, mandates and penalties and forcing people to buy insurance will solve the problem

I suppose they do. But most people understand that the making of legislation is an ugly process - much like a dozen cooks each seasoning the soup. People, even stupid people, understand that healthcare costs money and no one should expect a free lunch.

I think a free lunch is exactly what they expect. In fact, the desperate desire of Congress to maintain the "free lunch" delusion is what drives so much of the stupidity ("it's not really a tax", "we're reigning in the insurance industry", "it'll only cost the rich folks", yada, yada yada).

 

[Wry Catcher]

stupid people think 3000 pages of government regulation, mandates and penalties and forcing people to buy insurance will solve the problem

I suppose they do. But most people understand that the making of legislation is an ugly process - much like a dozen cooks each seasoning the soup. People, even stupid people, understand that healthcare costs money and no one should expect a free lunch.

I think a free lunch is exactly what they expect. In fact, the desperate desire of Congress to maintain the "free lunch" delusion is what drives so much of the stupidity ("it's not really a tax", "we're reigning in the insurance industry", "it'll only cost the rich folks", yada, yada yada).

I suppose asking why Congress - a collection of 535 individuals - all think alike would tax your thinking. The fact is illness and injury created a market which is dominated by Big Pharma and the insurance industry - both in business to make money.

Medical providers, Doctors, nurses, techs and researchers maybe motivated by other factors, the desire to help others, relieve pain and find cures. For the most party they are salaried individuals who do what they do for the good of humanity.

The same cannot be said for the insurance industry or Big Pharma. It is the bottom line they seek, any good or harm they do in the process is a secondary consideration.

 

[dblack]

I suppose they do. But most people understand that the making of legislation is an ugly process - much like a dozen cooks each seasoning the soup. People, even stupid people, understand that healthcare costs money and no one should expect a free lunch.

I think a free lunch is exactly what they expect. In fact, the desperate desire of Congress to maintain the "free lunch" delusion is what drives so much of the stupidity ("it's not really a tax", "we're reigning in the insurance industry", "it'll only cost the rich folks", yada, yada yada).

I suppose asking why Congress - a collection of 535 individuals - all think alike would tax your thinking. The fact is illness and injury created a market which is dominated by Big Pharma and the insurance industry - both in business to make money.

Medical providers, Doctors, nurses, techs and researchers maybe motivated by other factors, the desire to help others, relieve pain and find cures. For the most party they are salaried individuals who do what they do for the good of humanity.

The same cannot be said for the insurance industry or Big Pharma. It is the bottom line they seek, any good or harm they do in the process is a secondary consideration.

And? I don't disagree with what you're saying here, but I'm not sure what you're getting at. What does it have to do with the stupidity of the legislation passed by congress?

 

[saveliberty]

The best way for Congress to understand health insurance, is to have the same plan we do.

 

[Wry Catcher]

I think a free lunch is exactly what they expect. In fact, the desperate desire of Congress to maintain the "free lunch" delusion is what drives so much of the stupidity ("it's not really a tax", "we're reigning in the insurance industry", "it'll only cost the rich folks", yada, yada yada).

I suppose asking why Congress - a collection of 535 individuals - all think alike would tax your thinking. The fact is illness and injury created a market which is dominated by Big Pharma and the insurance industry - both in business to make money.

Medical providers, Doctors, nurses, techs and researchers maybe motivated by other factors, the desire to help others, relieve pain and find cures. For the most party they are salaried individuals who do what they do for the good of humanity.

The same cannot be said for the insurance industry or Big Pharma. It is the bottom line they seek, any good or harm they do in the process is a secondary consideration.

And? I don't disagree with what you're saying here, but I'm not sure what you're getting at. What does it have to do with the stupidity of the legislation passed by congress?

The stupidity of the legislation is a product of the money used by Big Pharma and the Insurance Industry to influence the legislation to protect their interests and not the health and well being of the population. Pols always seem to ask this question first - "How will this effect ME?"

Rarely does a member of Congress or a member of a state legislature act to benefit others when do to so may harm their bid for future reelections. Those that do are denied the benefits of being a member of the herd.

 

[dblack]

I suppose asking why Congress - a collection of 535 individuals - all think alike would tax your thinking. The fact is illness and injury created a market which is dominated by Big Pharma and the insurance industry - both in business to make money.

Medical providers, Doctors, nurses, techs and researchers maybe motivated by other factors, the desire to help others, relieve pain and find cures. For the most party they are salaried individuals who do what they do for the good of humanity.

The same cannot be said for the insurance industry or Big Pharma. It is the bottom line they seek, any good or harm they do in the process is a secondary consideration.

And? I don't disagree with what you're saying here, but I'm not sure what you're getting at. What does it have to do with the stupidity of the legislation passed by congress?

The stupidity of the legislation is a product of the money used by Big Pharma and the Insurance Industry to influence the legislation to protect their interests and not the health and well being of the population. Pols always seem to ask this question first - "How will this effect ME?"

Rarely does a member of Congress or a member of a state legislature act to benefit others when do to so may harm their bid for future reelections. Those that do are denied the benefits of being a member of the herd.

Couldn't agree more as to the validity of that observation. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Dante you need to read up on this subject.

You just made it quite apparent that you don't know jackshit about this subject.

When I want some shit out of you, I'll just squeeze your head. Until then STFU.

While you're waiting for that final growth spurt, one that hopefully will also give you some grasp of what its like to also think like an adult, you might find reading books an enlightening experience.

now this is why you're my hero

 

[editec]

Dante makes a good point. Why is health insurance offered almost exclusively through work, why isn't car insurance?

Do you lose you car insurance when you lose your job?

We need to reform the insurance industry so it is subject to the free market.

And is health insurance offered by an employer NOT an example of the FREE MARKET?

I think it is (or at least was, I'm, on board if you think ObamaCare is NOT an example of a FREE MARKET)

Companies offered health care because that was an incentive to work with them, not because the government mandated that they offer it.

Of course now thanks to Obama going along with CATO insi9tutes long cherished plan to SOCIALIZE health care, the formerly FREEMARKET in health care is OVER.

Ironic, no?

 

[dblack]

And is health insurance offered by an employer NOT an example of the FREE MARKET?

No. The practice has long been subsidized, often mandated, and heavily regulated, by the state. Not much 'free' about it actually.

In any case, it's mostly irrelevant beyond your ongoing campaign to prove that the free market "doesn't work" (whatever that means).

The relevant point is that the employer-provided, group health insurance model is a proven failure. But instead of allowing the necessary changes, our government is acting to protect the vested interests, and to maintain the status-quo - at our expense. Even to the point of forcing us to continue with a failed strategy.

Go team!

 

[beagle9]

And is health insurance offered by an employer NOT an example of the FREE MARKET?

No. The practice has long been subsidized, often mandated, and heavily regulated, by the state. Not much 'free' about it actually.

In any case, it's mostly irrelevant beyond your ongoing campaign to prove that the free market "doesn't work" (whatever that means).

The relevant point is that the employer-provided, group health insurance model is a proven failure. But instead of allowing the necessary changes, our government is acting to protect the vested interests, and to maintain the status-quo - at our expense. Even to the point of forcing us to continue with a failed strategy.

Go team!

Yes, it apears that it is easy to mix in this American "Freedom/Free" market thinking/thing into some places where it definitely does apply, especially against this bill for sure in some areas. The words Freedom & Liberty are easily used as a means by specific individuals, to attack the over all bill with, and rightly so due to many areas of great concern, even if it is going to indirectly help big pharma & big for profit "insurance corporations" to remain in power by doing the same things that they have been guilty of doing now for quite sometime, they feel it is worth it. Why? It's because the bill was written poorly and very political in it's creation of, where as these big cats spoken of, will now survive to suceed for a while longer in this situation if the bill is defeated, and all because of these freedom fighters" who must fight for freedom, while letting these big bad cats live in the current way that they have morphed into as the lesser of the evils I guess. We will all soon have to do battle with them yet again, but just upon another day, where as "Freedom & Liberty" comes first in America as found within the opinions of these fighters & many citizens. Now what it is, is that they have found things in this bill, in which threaten's the very heart of what they believe in and have stood for in America, and this in accordance to what is known to define their freedoms & liberties in America for over 200 years now.

Corporations and/or the rich, whom "refuse" to ever take a short of any kind, as found in many situatuations these days, is basically going to be helped by these free market/freedom sword carriers, who are indirectly going to protect these big cats with (FREEDOM), but they are doing this inadvertently within this specific industry as found within this specific issue, and all because of this badly written bill.

So now without much thought of, especially upon what it has since become (this healthcare industry), as is now found over the years in and of itself as a giant like an oppressive government is, or just as well, they (these fighters) see freedom and liberty as more important than seeing this bill come into it's complete activation and finality all because of idiotic stuff that was added, in which does have meanings that extend far beyond just fixing the healthcare problems in America.

Ok so a battle has been waged against the industry by the current administration for various reasons, but where it all fails now for them (this administration), is when it allowed idioctic stuff to get placed into the bill, that is so idiotic and rediculous, that most are not going to support it any further, and all because of such idiotic requirements that were included that do threaten freedom and liberty, and so the bill will be defeated on the baisis of these idiotic requirements that were placed into it, in which do infringe on peoples freedoms & liberties to choose what they will respect and ultimately will do voluntarily (and) what they won't respect and won't do voluntarily, and this to be found in the good majority, so it will be defeated (IMHO).

Hopefully not totally defeated though, because the bill did adress some very important issues as were found to be bad in the healtcare industry, but mainly the idiotic stuff could and should be defeated, but then to keep the good stuff as agreed upon by the good citizens of America.

 

[Douger]

Uhmurkins don't. The people that own them do.

 

[regent]

Remember the health insurance companie's motto: If there is no profit in sickness, what good is it?