Hospital bill goes viral

[Politico]

And just imagine how easier it would be if insurance was simple...like simple when my Grandfather sold insurance in the 50's.

It's simple everywhere else ... single payer.

Like the UK? No thanks.

How about choice?
You can choose single payer and I'll choose private.

Even Canada with a population of 35 million people rolled their healthcare plan out slowly, by province.
And Canadians are now purchasing Supplemental Health Insurance because 'basic need' is not adequate.

Canada Health Insurance

Canada is recognized for its effective health care system. Although provincial governments provide its citizens with basic health insurance needs, there are many important health care factors that are overlooked.

When it comes to health insurance, all provincial governments offer limited coverage. The following is a list of what most governments cover in full:

One eye examination every 24 months
Basic ward accommodations in hospital
Regular physician visits

It is important to note that this list is not reflective of all the health insurance plans across Canada. Some provinces do not even provide full health insurance coverage for these basic needs, while others provide full coverage for more.

Yeah let's make it like Canada. It works great. Well unless you have Alzheimers and need to go in a home.

 

[Spiderman]

That won't happen under the ACA. Because the ACA is going to fuck the middle class up the ass in order to pay for all 20 year olds' appendicitis.

Actually the ACA is going to screw the 20 somethings far more by making them pay ridiculous premiums so as to subsidize the older sicker people.

 

[Politico]

And the disabled who will pay the fine because they can't afford insurance.

 

[MeBelle]

The Veteran's Administration is pure Socialized Medicine and works great. Should we change that?

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

 

[MeBelle]

It's simple everywhere else ... single payer.

Like the UK? No thanks.

How about choice?
You can choose single payer and I'll choose private.

Even Canada with a population of 35 million people rolled their healthcare plan out slowly, by province.
And Canadians are now purchasing Supplemental Health Insurance because 'basic need' is not adequate.

Canada Health Insurance

Canada is recognized for its effective health care system. Although provincial governments provide its citizens with basic health insurance needs, there are many important health care factors that are overlooked.

When it comes to health insurance, all provincial governments offer limited coverage. The following is a list of what most governments cover in full:

One eye examination every 24 months
Basic ward accommodations in hospital
Regular physician visits

It is important to note that this list is not reflective of all the health insurance plans across Canada. Some provinces do not even provide full health insurance coverage for these basic needs, while others provide full coverage for more.

Yeah let's make it like Canada. It works great. Well unless you have Alzheimers and need to go in a home.

I was not advocating Canadian healthcare.

 

[strollingbones]

I can't believe the other comments - giving a kid a juice box and a pill, and charging the parents two thousand dollars for it? That's the most expensive bloody juice box ever!

When I was 25, I was in the hospital for a day, didn't have surgery and it cost me $6000.
It fucked up my fiances for a few years, it was great.

People with diseases like cancer have to have fundraisers so they don't lose their home.

or declare bankruptcy it is amazing how many bankruptcies are caused by medical bills

 

[Wry Catcher]

The Veteran's Administration is pure Socialized Medicine and works great. Should we change that?

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

I'm no expert but if Australia can why can't we provide health care for all? What if we paid the equivalent amount to a single payer system we now pay to the various health insurance companies?

We could cut out this:

UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley paid nearly $14 million - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

But look at his total compensation:

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2012/12/ceo-compensation-12_land.html

And this is only one health insurance company!

 

[Katzndogz]

Under the ACA she wouldn't have gotten the surgery because the hospital wouldn't accept obamacare as insurance.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

A 20 Year-Old Got Appendicitis and This Was His Hospital Bill

Love the comment from the Aussie.



$16k surgery yields a $55k bill, of which twenty year-old is responsible for $11k.

No, actually - this doesn't work for me.

And the conservatives here will attack that Aussie for being so selfish as to rely on the taxpayers to pay for his/her medical treatment. But that is how it works here. No bill. Stay in hospital for as long as you need to, the generous taxpayers will pay your bill, and we like it that way.

No one should have to worry about a freaking bill that high when they are sick.

The tax payers pay for their own care in their taxes.

Mabelle

Hospitals expect people to dicker.

No. They don't.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

I can't believe the other comments - giving a kid a juice box and a pill, and charging the parents two thousand dollars for it? That's the most expensive bloody juice box ever!

When I was 25, I was in the hospital for a day, didn't have surgery and it cost me $6000.
It fucked up my fiances for a few years, it was great.

People with diseases like cancer have to have fundraisers so they don't lose their home.

or declare bankruptcy it is amazing how many bankruptcies are caused by medical bills

I posted about this a few days ago and in spite of posting many links was, of course, called a liar. This time, only one link. Anyone who disagrees is free to post proof.

NerdWallet Health finds Medical Bankruptcy accounts for majority of personal bankruptcies | Health

NerdWallet estimates for 2013:

56M Americans under age 65 will have trouble paying medical bills
– Over 35M American adults (ages 19-64) will be contacted by collections agencies for unpaid medical bills
– Nearly 17M American adults (ages 19-64) will receive a lower credit rating on account of their high medical bills
– Over 15M American adults (ages 19-64) will use up all their savings to pay medical bills
– Over 11M American adults (ages 19-64) will take on credit card debt to pay off their hospital bills
– Nearly 10M American adults (ages 19-64) will be unable to pay for basic necessities like rent, food, and heat due to their medical bills
Over 16M children live in households struggling with medical bills
Despite having year-round insurance coverage, 10M insured Americans ages 19-64 will face bills they are unable to pay
1.7M Americans live in households that will declare bankruptcy due to their inability to pay their medical bills
– Three states will account for over one-quarter of those living in medical-related bankruptcy: California (248,002), Illinois (113,524), and Florida (99,780)
To save costs, over 25M adults (ages 19-64) will not take their prescription drugs as indicated, including skipping doses, taking less medicine than prescribed or delaying a refill

 

[iamwhatiseem]

You guys realize the guy is lying right?
Medical care in Australia is not free. You have copays.
As well as Doctors are free to charge whatever they feel like above the "standard fee" set by the government. Whatever amount the doctor charges above that fee is wholly paid by the consumer.
In general better doctors charge more. So people who can't afford the higher charge - got to not so great doctors. People who can - go to better doctors.
The copay in Australia is somewhere between 25% - 30%. Many Australians buy PRIVATE INSURANCE to cover what Medicare does not.
A simple google search reveals the guy is lying out of his ass.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

You guys realize the guy is lying right?
Medical care in Australia is not free. You have copays.
As well as Doctors are free to charge whatever they feel like above the "standard fee" set by the government. Whatever amount the doctor charges above that fee is wholly paid by the consumer.
In general better doctors charge more. So people who can't afford the higher charge - got to not so great doctors. People who can - go to better doctors.
The copay in Australia is somewhere between 25% - 30%. Many Australians buy PRIVATE INSURANCE to cover what Medicare does not.
A simple google search reveals the guy is lying out of his ass.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

The Veteran's Administration is pure Socialized Medicine and works great. Should we change that?

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

I'm no expert but if Australia can why can't we provide health care for all? What if we paid the equivalent amount to a single payer system we now pay to the various health insurance companies?

We could cut out this:

UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley paid nearly $14 million - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

But look at his total compensation:

CEO Compensation, 2012

And this is only one health insurance company!

I posted this map elsewhere -

Look at the size of the countries whose taxes pay for their citizen's health care. Much smaller tax base than in the US and yet, people don't lose their homes or go without because they can't afford both.

 

[asterism]

The Veteran's Administration is pure Socialized Medicine and works great. Should we change that?

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

I'm no expert but if Australia can why can't we provide health care for all? What if we paid the equivalent amount to a single payer system we now pay to the various health insurance companies?

We could cut out this:

UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley paid nearly $14 million - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

But look at his total compensation:

CEO Compensation, 2012

And this is only one health insurance company!

Where did that money come from?

(here's a hint, it wasn't the policyholders)

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Wanna avoid ridiculous bills, leave your ID at home and go to the emergency room and claim to be indigant. Until healthcare's free, continuing to go bankrupt playing by unfair rules is stupid.

 

[Political Junky]

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

I'm no expert but if Australia can why can't we provide health care for all? What if we paid the equivalent amount to a single payer system we now pay to the various health insurance companies?

We could cut out this:

UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley paid nearly $14 million - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

But look at his total compensation:

CEO Compensation, 2012

And this is only one health insurance company!

Where did that money come from?

(here's a hint, it wasn't the policyholders)

Where do you think the money comes from?

 

[MeBelle]

A 20 Year-Old Got Appendicitis and This Was His Hospital Bill

Love the comment from the Aussie.



$16k surgery yields a $55k bill, of which twenty year-old is responsible for $11k.

No, actually - this doesn't work for me.

And the conservatives here will attack that Aussie for being so selfish as to rely on the taxpayers to pay for his/her medical treatment. But that is how it works here. No bill. Stay in hospital for as long as you need to, the generous taxpayers will pay your bill, and we like it that way.

No one should have to worry about a freaking bill that high when they are sick.

The tax payers pay for their own care in their taxes.

Mabelle

Hospitals expect people to dicker.

No. They don't.

Yes they do or they wouldn't.

 

[MeBelle]

The Veteran's Administration is pure Socialized Medicine and works great. Should we change that?

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

I'm no expert but if Australia can why can't we provide health care for all? What if we paid the equivalent amount to a single payer system we now pay to the various health insurance companies?

We could cut out this:

UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley paid nearly $14 million - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

But look at his total compensation:

CEO Compensation, 2012

And this is only one health insurance company!

23 million people vs 350 million people.

And taxpayers do not pay insurance company CEO wages.

I suppose you haven't heard about this:

(Reuters) - The White House is coming under pressure from some of its closest allies on healthcare reform to name a chief executive to run its federal health insurance marketplace and allay the concerns of insurers after the rocky rollout of Obamacare.

Advocates have been quietly pushing the idea of a CEO who would set marketplace rules, coordinate with insurers and state regulators on the health plans offered for sale, supervise enrollment campaigns and oversee technology, according to several sources familiar with discussions between advocates and the Obama administration.

Exclusive: U.S. government urged to name CEO to run Obamacare market | Reuters

 

[MeBelle]

The Veteran's Administration is pure Socialized Medicine and works great. Should we change that?

Not the same thing.
They serve a select group of people.

Can veterans go outside the VA for care if they want to?
Yes they do!!!
Why? Because the VA cannot provide access to care for all things needed.

Oh yeah! The VA!!
~~~~

Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) -- Military veterans are dying needlessly because of long waits and delayed care at U.S. veterans hospitals, a CNN investigation has found.
What's worse, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is aware of the problems and has done almost nothing to effectively prevent veterans dying from delays in care, according to documents obtained by CNN and interviews with numerous experts.
The problem has been especially dire at the Williams Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina. There, veterans waiting months for simple gastrointestinal procedures -- such as a colonoscopy or endoscopy -- have been dying because their cancers aren't caught in time.

Hospital delays are killing America's war veterans - CNN.com

Is that the kind of socialist medicine (your words) you want?

 

[MeBelle]

When I was 25, I was in the hospital for a day, didn't have surgery and it cost me $6000.
It fucked up my fiances for a few years, it was great.

People with diseases like cancer have to have fundraisers so they don't lose their home.

or declare bankruptcy it is amazing how many bankruptcies are caused by medical bills

I posted about this a few days ago and in spite of posting many links was, of course, called a liar. This time, only one link. Anyone who disagrees is free to post proof.

NerdWallet Health finds Medical Bankruptcy accounts for majority of personal bankruptcies | Health

NerdWallet estimates for 2013:

56M Americans under age 65 will have trouble paying medical bills
– Over 35M American adults (ages 19-64) will be contacted by collections agencies for unpaid medical bills
– Nearly 17M American adults (ages 19-64) will receive a lower credit rating on account of their high medical bills
– Over 15M American adults (ages 19-64) will use up all their savings to pay medical bills
– Over 11M American adults (ages 19-64) will take on credit card debt to pay off their hospital bills
– Nearly 10M American adults (ages 19-64) will be unable to pay for basic necessities like rent, food, and heat due to their medical bills
Over 16M children live in households struggling with medical bills
Despite having year-round insurance coverage, 10M insured Americans ages 19-64 will face bills they are unable to pay
1.7M Americans live in households that will declare bankruptcy due to their inability to pay their medical bills
– Three states will account for over one-quarter of those living in medical-related bankruptcy: California (248,002), Illinois (113,524), and Florida (99,780)
To save costs, over 25M adults (ages 19-64) will not take their prescription drugs as indicated, including skipping doses, taking less medicine than prescribed or delaying a refill

Your stats have been refuted over and over and over again.
You refuse to look at the truth.
Spreading fear and disinformation is exactly what now?